Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-m8qmq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-24T08:52:24.048Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effect of average carcass fat concentration on correlations among lamb carcass measurements

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

G. L. Bennett ,
H. H. Meyer  and
A. H. Kirton
G. L. Bennett
Affiliation:
Ruakura Animal Research Station, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
H. H. Meyer
Affiliation:
Ruakura Animal Research Station, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
A. H. Kirton
Affiliation:
Ruakura Animal Research Station, Private Bag, Hamilton, New Zealand
Get access

Abstract

The effects of average carcass fat concentration of a group of lambs on correlations among lamb carcass measurements within the group and of slaughter age on variances of carcass measurements were studied. Three-hundred and sixty-eight crossbred lambs from one experiment were slaughtered on 10 days over a 2-year period. Average carcass fat concentration of the 10 groups ranged from 179 to 326 g/kg carcass weight. Variances of carcass fat, water and protein concentrations and of muscle measurements did not increase at later slaughter ages but variances of kidney fat weight, fat depths and total tissue depths increased. Several correlations among carcass measurements had significant regressions on average carcass fat composition of the groups slaughtered. When measurements were adjusted for age but not weight, correlations of carcass weight, kidney fat weight, specific gravity, tibia and tarsus length and m. longissimus depth with carcass fat, water and protein concentrations weakened as carcass fat concentration of the group increased. Correlations of kidney fat, specific gravity and m. longissimus width with fat, water and protein concentrations adjusted for carcass weight weakened as average carcass fat concentration of the group increased. Multiple regression equations did not reveal any advantage in using combinations of muscle or leg dimensions to predict fat concentration.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 47 , Issue 3 , December 1988 , pp. 369 - 377
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bennett, G. L., Meyer, H. H. and Kirton, A. H. 1988. Effects of selection for divergent ultrasonic fat depth in rams on progeny fatness. Animal Production 47: 379–386.Google Scholar
Kempster, A. J. 1981. The indirect evaluation of sheep carcass composition in breeding schemes, population studies and experiments. Livestock Production Science 8: 263–271.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kempster, A. J., Cuthbertson, A. and Harrington, G. 1982. Carcase Evaluation in Livestock Breeding, Production and Marketing. Granada, St Albans.Google Scholar
Kirton, A. H., Woods, E. G. and Duganzich, D. M. 1984. Predicting the fatness of lamb carcasses from carcass wall thickness measured by ruler or by a Total Depth Indicator (TDI) probe. Livestock Production Science 11: 185–194.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kock, S. W. and Preston, R. L. 1979. Estimation of bovine carcass composition by the urea dilution technique. Journal of Animal Science 48: 319–327.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lawes Agricultural Trust, 1980. GENSTAT V, Mark 4.03. Rothamsted Experimental Station, Harpenden, Hertfordshire.Google Scholar
Notter, D. R., Ferrell, C. L. and Field, R. A. 1983. Effects of breed and intake level on allometric growth patterns in ram lambs. Journal of Animal Science 56: 380–395.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
PÁlsson, H. 1939. Meat qualities in the sheep with special reference to Scottish breeds and crosses. I. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 29: 544–574.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Snedecor, G. W. and Cochran, W. G. 1967. Statistical Methods. 6th ed. Iowa State University Press, Ames.Google Scholar
Wolf, B. T. and Smith, C. 1983. Selection for carcass quality. In Sheep Production (ed. Haresign, W.), pp. 493–514. Butterworths, London.Google Scholar