Carcass composition in F(,1) lambs

• Published in: Annali della Facolta di Agraria, Bari (Italy) Vol. 30
• Main Authors: Zezza, L, Muscio, A, Celi, R, Centoducati, P, Crollo, R, Nicastro, F
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Italian
• Published: 1978
• ISSN: 0365-0502

90 lambs deriving from crossing rams of Gentile di Puglia, Bergamasca, Dorset Down, Ile de France, Wurttemberg x (Ile de France x Gentile di Puglia) breed with Gentile di Puglia ewes, have been utilized to study the most convenient age for slaughtering animals and to individuate the best genetic type in relation to the quantitative-qualitative characteristics of the carcass. The tested ages have been those of eight (8), eleven (11) and fourteen (14 ) weeks. The parameters noticed on the carcass have been: conformation, proportion of the different quality cuts and of the different tissues, tenderness (Warner Blazer Shear), free and bound water of the Longissimus dorsi, Semimembranosus, Femoris biceps, Brachii biceps muscles, chemical composition of meat. The results concerning conformation, proportions of the tissues and, for some genetic types, incidence of the quality cuts, seems to encourage tardy butcherings (fourteen weeks); the ones concerning tenderness, chemical composition of meats and incidence of the quality cuts in other genetic types, are better, on the contrary, for the animals slaughtered at eleven weeks and, seldom, for the earlyone slaughtering (eight weeks). Among paternal breeds differences are not clear even if Dorset Down appears more favourable for production of lamb of 8-11 weeks and the Ile de France and Bergamasca for that of 14 weeks.