Biometric and carcass measurements in Santa Ines lambs fed dehydrated brewery residue

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine biometric measurements in vivo and in the carcass of Santa Ines lambs fed dehydrated brewery residue. Thirty-five Santa Ines lambs were used, approximately 70 days of age and with a mean initial body weight of 16.00±1.69 kg. The experimental design was completely randomised, with five levels of dehydrated brewery residue -DBR (0; 20; 40; 60 and 80%) added to the concentrated portion of the diet, with seven replications. The experimental diets consisted of Tifton-85 hay, soybean meal, ground maize, dehydrated brewery residue in the experimental proportions, dicalcium phosphate and a mineral base. The body condition score, thoracic girth and croup width were not influenced by the experimental diets, neither were the carcass measurements, except for croup circumference, chest width and leg compactness index (P>0.05). However, there was a decreasing linear effect on the carcass compactness index and ribeye area as the DBR was added to the diet. The morphometric measurements of croup height and width, and chest width can be used as an alternative for estimating the body weight at slaughter and the cold-carcass weight of Santa Ines lambs fed dehydrated brewery residue, as they show a high correlation with these variables.