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Carcass Evaluation of Lambs from Selected Sires¹

University of Kentucky, Lexington

Abstract

Twelve Southdown rams (three per year) were performance tested for rate of gain and bred to similar groups of Western black-faced ewes which produced 165 lambs from 1958 to 1961. The effects of average daily gain of ram, sex, type of rearing, date of birth and year on the growth and carcass composition were studied.

Lambs sired by rapid-gaining rams gained faster and had leaner carcasses. However, no significant relationship existed between percent bone in the carcass and average daily gain of sire. Neither carcass weight per day of age nor carcass composition was significantly affected by date of birth. Carcass composition did not vary significantly from year to year but carcass weight per day of age increased as the ewes' age increased each succeeding year. Wether and single lambs reached 85 lb. faster than did ewe and twin lambs, respectively. Ewe carcasses contained significantly more fat and twin carcasses contained significantly more lean than did wether and single carcasses, respectively.

¹ The investigation reported in this paper is in connection with a project of the Kentucky Agricultural Experiment Station and is published with approval of the Director.

² Present address: Division of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming.