Abstract. Thirty-six Kivircik male lambs were used to determine the effects of rearing season (winter rearing -WR; spring-summer rearing -SSR; and autumn rearing -AR) on carcass and meat quality characteristics. Average daily gain in the period 0-134 days, final weight, cold carcass weight and real dressing percentage were higher in WR lambs than lambs from SSR and AR groups. Furthermore, SSR and AR lambs did not show significant differences for these traits (P > 0.05). WR lambs had the highest values in terms of back fat thickness, subjective carcass fatness score and fat percentage in pelvic limb, which gives information about the carcass fatness. Final meat pH, expressed juice and meat lightness 1 h after cutting were higher for SSR lambs than for WR and AR lambs. SSR lambs had the lowest scores in terms of flavour intensity, flavour quality and overall acceptability in the sensory evaluation panel. In conclusion, WR lambs yielded better carcass quality than SSR and AR lambs. When the rearing season is to be decided, the higher carcass quality of WR lambs and the lesser appreciation of meat of SSR lambs by consumers should be considered.

Production of high-quality carcass and meat from goat kids may contribute to an increase in goat farming profitability. The aim was to compare carcass and meat quality traits of Saanen goat kids raised under natural (NR) and artificial (AR) rearing systems and slaughtered at 80 days and 120 days of age. The AR kids were separated from their dams immediately after birth and were fed with a commercial milk replacer, while the NR kids suckled their mothers. The rearing type did not affect the average daily gain, slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, empty body weight, commercial dressing percentage, subjective conformation and fatness scores. In parallel with the increase in slaughter age, the slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, empty body weight and subjective carcass conformation score increased. The rearing type had no effect on instrumental meat quality traits, except for meat Lightness (L*) and Hue values. Meat from NR kids had higher L* and Hue values 1 h and 24 h after cutting than those of AR kids. Warner-Bratzler shear force value increased with the slaughter age, but the meat lightness decreased. The ultimate pH was generally high in all groups, ranging between 5.94 and 6.10. The panellists evaluated the meat from NR kids to be more tender and juicy and also gave the highest tenderness scores to the meat obtained from the kids slaughtered at 80 days of age. As a conclusion, the slaughter age may be more determinant than the rearing type in the occurrence of carcass and meat quality characteristics.

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Determining the growth performance of lambs is essential for producers to supply the lamb meat with the features demanded by the market as soon as possible. Therefore, the study aimed to determine the effect of year, birth type and sex of lamb on body weight and various body measurements of Kivircik lambs. Live weights of 612 Kivircik lambs (299 males and 313 females) were used in the study, which were born in 2014, 2015 and 2016. Body measurements of 47 male lambs and 50 female lambs, randomly selected from 508 lambs born in 2014 and 2016, were used in the study. Birth year had significant effect on both live weights and body measurements of lambs in various growth periods. Single born and male lambs are significantly superior in both live weight and body measurements over female and twin born lambs. This situation results in being preferred for both meat production and breeding purposes more than their opponents. In order to have a more productive herd structure, female and twin lambs should be reared according to their needs for a better growth performance. Rump height of single born lambs and chest depth of male lambs were higher than their counterparts throughout the study. Therefore, these two body measurements can be used as reliable parameters for investigation of growth performance of Kivircik lambs.

Carcass and meat quality traits of male and female lambs are important considerations in planning gender-based production and developing a marketing strategy for the product. Thus, the aim of this study was to determine the effects of sex on carcass and meat quality of Kivircik and Karacabey Merino lambs. Twenty male and 17 female lambs were used. Lambs were weaned at 45 days old and then fed ad libitum with concentrates and roughage until slaughter at 120 days. The study was carried out in two experiments at three-month intervals. Kivircik lambs had greater dressing percentage (47.96% vs 46.49%, P <0.05) and omental-mesenteric fat proportion (1.71% vs 1.10%, P <0.01), while Karacabey Merino lambs had a greater proportion of skin (11.14% vs 9.42%, P =0.001). Breed had no influence on water-holding capacity, shear force, L* and hue values (P >0.05). The meat of Karacabey Merino lambs had greater a*, b* and chroma values after blooming for 24 hours than meat from Kivircik lambs. Male lambs had greater proportions of head (5.39% vs 4.62%, P <0.001), feet (2.65% vs 2.46%, P <0.01) and visceral organs (4.53% vs 4.15%, P <0.05), while females had a greater proportion of visceral fat (1.76% vs 1.05%, P =0.001). Meat from female lambs was darker than meat from male lambs. In conclusion, under intensive conditions, the indigenous Kivircik breed had similar carcass and meat quality characteristics to the Karacabey Merino, a wool and meat breed.

In the study, it was aimed to compare certain carcass quality traits of Saanen kids reared naturally or artificially and slaughtered at 80 or 120 days of age. There was no significant difference between the carcass weight and dressing percentage of the naturally and artificially reared kids. On the other hand, kids slaughtered at 80d in the naturally reared group was lower real dressing percentage than other subgroups. The effect of rearing type on the kidney knob and channel fat (KKCF) and subcutaneous fat proportion in hind limb was found insignificant, while the intermuscular fat proportion in hind limb was higher in the naturally reared kids. Parallel to the increase in slaughter age; carcass weights, carcass and hind limb compactness indices and proportion of flank and neck increased. The effect of slaughter age on proportions of KKCF, subcutaneous and intermuscular fat in hind limb was not detected significant. Meat ratio in hind limb was found higher on kids that were slaughtered younger. Breeders who aim to get high milk yield can rear Saanen kids artificially, without causing any negative effect on carcass quality traits.

The aim of this study was to determine the slaughter and carcass characteristics of Kivircik lambs reared in different seasons. A Total of 36 Kivircik male lambs, which were reared in different seasons, were used in the study; autumn rearing (AR, n= 12 lambs), spring-summer rearing (SSR, n= 12 lambs), winter rearing (WR, n= 12 lambs). All the lambs in a specific rearing season were slaughtered at approximately 134 days old. Pre-slaughter live weight, hot carcass weight and real dressing percentage for WR,