Carcass and eating quality of ram, castrated ram and ewe lambs

Abstract

Carcass and meat composition and eating quality of m. longissimus lumborum (LI) and leg joints were compared in entire male (ram), castrated male (wether) and female (ewe) Dorset Down-cross and Suffolk-cross lambs at about 20 weeks old. Rams grew faster than wethers and ewes particularly in the earlier maturing Suffolk crosses. Carcass weights ranged from 13 to 24 kg and at the mean carcass weight of 17-7 kg ram carcasses yielded larger shoulder joints. Ram carcasses were assessed visually leaner than those from the other sexes with similar conformation scores. Dorset Down carcasses tended to be fatter than Suffolk carcasses and the leanest carcasses were from Suffolk rams. Intramuscular fatness in LI was similar in all sexes. Intramuscular collagen contents were higher in ram LI than in other sexes. There were no differences in protein content, pH or colour of raw or roast LI. In assessments of eating quality of LI by triangle tests, male and female assessors differentiated twin rams and wethers equally. Category scaling showed LI from ewes to be slightly tougher than those from rams and wethers. Consumer evaluation of leg joints did not detect any differences in odour due to sex and ram meat was assessed better than that from wethers or ewes.

Lamb meat quality of two breeds with protected origin designation. Influence of breed, sex and live weight

“…This effect of live weight on colour instrumental measurements was also found by Sañ udo et al (1996); ; Beriain et al (2000) and Fogarty et al (2000). The effect of live weight on a* was also reported by Dransfield et al (1990) but according Sañudo et al (1997) the light lambs traditionally consumed in the Mediterranean area have lower yellow index probably due to the milk diet of low-iron content received by the suckling lambs. In agreement with our results Santos working with Portuguese Merino, found an effect of slaughter weight on the L and a*.…”

“…Lamb meat quality is influenced by several factors, such as breed (Fisher et al, 1999;Fogarty, Hopkins, & Vande Ven, 2000;Hoffman et al, 2003;Purchas et al, 2002;Safari et al, 2001;Sañ udo et al, 1997;Santos Silva, Mendes, & Bessa, 2002) slaughter weight (Jeremiah, Tong, & Gibson, 1998;Purchas et al, 2002;Sañu-do, Santolaria, María, Osorio, & Sierra, 1996) and sex (Butler-Hogg, Francombe, & Dransfield, 1984;Dransfield, Nute, Hogg, & Walters, 1990). Nevertheless other factors could influence meat quality such as pre-slaughter stress, carcass cooling rate and ageing regimen.…”

Reducing the impact of condensed tannins in a diet based on carob pulp using two levels of polyethylene glycol: lamb growth, digestion and meat quality

“…The digestive tract content was removed and weighed to calculate the empty live weight. Immediately PEG in a carob-based diet fed to lambs 307 after slaughter the carcasses where weighed and classified for fatness using a 15-point scale [5]. Six hours after slaughter the carcasses were placed in a refrigerated room set to 4 o C.…”

Replacement of cereal grains by orange pulp and carob pulp in faba bean-based diets fed to lambs: effects on growth performance and meat quality

“…grains de céréales / pulpe d'orange / pulpe de caroube / croissance / qualité de la viande / mouton experts using a 15-point scale as described by Dransfield et al [10]. The carcasses were then chilled in a room at 4 °C.…”