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A note on the effect of marketing route on weight loss in lambs sent for slaughter

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

D. G. Evans ,
A. G. Sains ,
I. K. Corlett  and
J. B. Kilkenny
D. G. Evans
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
A. G. Sains
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
I. K. Corlett
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
J. B. Kilkenny
Affiliation:
Meat and Livestock Commission, PO Box 44, Queensway House, Bletchley, Milton Keynes MK2 2EF
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Extract

It is widely believed that marketing route—time and distance between farm and abattoir—influences live weight and carcass weight loss in lambs and thus killing out. Killing out s i defined as the ratio of carcass weight to live weight but the value depends upon the live weight and carcass weight used. Differences may exist between the farm live weight immediately before loading, live weight in the market, live weight on arrival at the abattoir and live weight immediately before slaughter. Killing out is influenced by the weight of gut contents, whether the carcass is weighed hot or cold, type of feeding system, maturity (age) of the lamb, breed, conformation and fatness. It may also be influenced by environmental factors such as wetness and fleece contamination. Buyers' estimates of killing out are important when they bid for lambs in auction markets and carcass weight is important in determining price paid to dead-weight sellers.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 45 , Issue 1 , August 1987 , pp. 145 - 148
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1987

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References

Evans, D. G. 1971. Analysis of lamb weight losses. Meat and Livestock Commission, Milton Keynes. (Mimeograph).Google Scholar
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