Effects of glycerol supplementation to Awassi lambs diet on performance and carcass quality characteristics

Abstract

This experiment was conducted to explore the efficacy of glycerol on growth performance and carcass quality characteristics in Awassi lambs. Twelve Awassi lambs were used with an average body weight of 24.43 ±0.43 kg. The animals were randomly assigned into three groups (4 lambs for each group ) The first group of lambs was considered as a control, whereas the second and the third treatment lambs were supplemented with two levels of glycerol oil(30 and 60 gm/day for each group lambs, respectively). The results revealed the following: The third treatment lambs had significantly higher - final live and empty body weights than the control group lambs. Significant differences between the second and third treatments were lambs over that of the control group lambs were obtained for the hot and cold carcass weights together with the dressing percentage calculated on the bases of an empty body weight.
 The fat thickness covering the eye muscle of treatment three was significantly higher than that of the control group. The weights of primal lamb cuts for the shoulder and the rib of the second and third treatments were significantly preferable as compared to the control group. lambs. Besides, the leg cut in treatment three showed a significantly higher value than that of the control group. The secondary cuts including brisket and neck for the second and third treatments were significantly higher than that of the control group. The physical dissection of the ribs(rack)cut showed significant differences between the second treatment and the control group lambs for the lean meat %. Besides, the fat% of the second treatment lambs surpassed significantly that of the control group lambs. Fat % between treatments exceeds significantly that of the control group. The percentage of fat between the second and third treatment were not significantly different.