Effects of breed of sire on carcass composition and sensory traits of lamb1

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to compare meat quality and carcass composition of a diverse sampling of sheep breeds. Finnsheep, Romanov, Dorper, White Dorper, Katahdin, Rambouillet, Suffolk, Texel, Dorset, and Composite (½ Columbia rams to 1/4; Hampshire × 1/4; Suffolk) rams were mated to mature Composite ewes. Lambs (n = 804) were reared intensively, grain finished, and serially harvested over a 63-d period. Average harvest age was 216 d and average HCW was 30.7 kg. At a common harvest age, progeny of Suffolk sires were heavier than progeny of all other breeds (P < 0.05) and their carcasses were heavier (P < 0.05) than progeny of all other breeds, except White Dorper and Dorper. Progeny of Finnsheep and Romanov sires had lighter (P < 0.05) carcasses than progeny of all other breeds. Progeny of Texel, Suffolk, White Dorper, and Dorper sires had larger (P < 0.05) LM area than all other breeds. Progeny of Finnsheep and Romanov sires had smaller (P < 0.05) LM area than all other breeds. Fat thickness at the 12th rib was greater (P < 0.05) for progeny of Dorper sires than those of all other breeds, except White Dorper and Katahdin. Fat thickness at the 4th sacral vertebrae was greater (P < 0.05) for progeny of White Dorper and Dorper sires than those of all other breeds. On a carcass weight-constant basis, progeny of Suffolk sires had a lesser (P < 0.05) percentage of ether-extractable carcass fat than progeny of all other breeds, except Texel. Regardless of harvest endpoint (age-constant or HCW-constant), LM of progeny of Finnsheep and Romanov sires contained a greater (P < 0.05) percentage of intramuscular fat and received greater (P < 0.05) marbling scores than Rambouillet, Suffolk, Texel, Dorset, or Composite. Regardless of harvest endpoint, progeny of Finnsheep, Romanov, and Katahdin sires had smaller LM slice shear force values and greater trained sensory panel tenderness ratings at 7 d postmortem than did progeny of Composite, Suffolk, and Dorset sires (P < 0.05). At an age-constant basis, small differences (P < 0.05) were observed among breeds for lamb flavor intensity scores; however, when means were adjusted to a carcass weight-constant basis, breed of sire did not affect flavor intensity or off-flavor scores. These results document that each breed has relative strengths and weaknesses across traits, and that no single breed excels for all growth, carcass, and sensory traits.

Evaluation of Columbia, USMARC-Composite, Suffolk, and Texel rams as terminal sires in an extensive rangeland production system: VIII. Quality measures of lamb longissimus dorsi1,2

“…The IMF data in Shackelford et al (2012) are consistent with data from this study, but they found that Texel-sired lambs had lower slice shear force values than Compositeor Suffolk-sired lambs. Shackelford et al (2012) evalu ated ewe and wether lambs that were harvested in 10 groups from 186 to 249 d of age, whereas we compared Table 5. Allometric growth coefficients (P) and least-squares means, standard error of the mean (SEM), and .P-values for sire breed effects on LM quality measurements at comparable chilled carcass weight only wethers harvested in 3 groups from 201 to 250 d of age; these differences could have affected shear force.…”

“…Genetic correlations calculated by Mortimer et al (2010) indicated that selecting lambs with greater ultra sound LM depth would increase Minolta a* and b* values. Shackelford et al (2012) evaluated quality measures of lambs sired by Composite, Suffolk, and Texel rams. The IMF data in Shackelford et al (2012) are consistent with data from this study, but they found that Texel-sired lambs had lower slice shear force values than Compositeor Suffolk-sired lambs.…”

“…Shackelford et al (2012) evaluated quality measures of lambs sired by Composite, Suffolk, and Texel rams. The IMF data in Shackelford et al (2012) are consistent with data from this study, but they found that Texel-sired lambs had lower slice shear force values than Compositeor Suffolk-sired lambs. Shackelford et al (2012) evalu ated ewe and wether lambs that were harvested in 10 groups from 186 to 249 d of age, whereas we compared Table 5.…”

“…Breed of sire has been found to impact lamb growth (Ali et al, 2005;Leeds et al, 2012;Notter et al, 2012;Shackelford et al, 2012) and some carcass traits (Ali et al, 2005;Mousel et al, 2012Mousel et al, , 2013Shackelford et al, 2012). Western range operations produce approxi mately 50% of the U.S. lamb crop (NRC, 2008), but very few recent comparisons of terminal sire breeds have been conducted in the western United States.…”

Carcass traits and meat quality differences between a traditional and an intensive production model of market lambs in Brazil: Preliminary investigation

“…Prolific breeds have more tender meat than terminal breeds. General purpose hair and wool breeds show intermediate values for growth, carcass, and quality traits to terminal and prolific breeds (Shackelford et al, 2012). The most outstanding difference between the breeds on the quality traits, whether the carcass or meat, is the 4.20 6.03 0.37 * ** P < 0.01, *** P < 0.0001, ns = not significant.…”