Slaughter weights, carcass weights and dressing percentages of five breeds of sheep slaughtered in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Data for slaughter and carcass weights of 1350 Najdi, Awassi, Barbary, Turkish, and Merino cross ram lambs were collected at Bureidah abbatoir, Central Saudi Arabia. Within age groups, Awassi and Turkish lambs had the heaviest mean slaughter and carcass weights, followed by Merinos, Najdi and then Barbary. Pooled breed averages for slaughter and carcass weights increased with age. The dressing-out percentage ranged from 54.8 to 56.8%, but differences between most of the breed-age groups were not significant. The percentages of lambs slaughtered at different ages varied according to breed. Mean slaughter weights varied from month to month, both within and between breeds. Carcass weight was not affected by month of slaughter. Regressions of carcass weight on liveweight indicated significant differences between breeds and were used to develop equations for predicting carcass weight and dressing-out percentage.