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What is Consumer-Preferred Lamb?¹

Texas A&M University, College Station²

Abstract

Description, evaluation and production of "consumer-preferred" lamb carcasses are difficult. Definitive research must be completed which will provide guidelines to balance factors such as carcass weight, quantitative yield of retail cuts and quality. It is evident that fatness and muscling of lamb carcasses differ a great deal due to differences in age, breed, carcass weight, sex and treatment. It is unlikely that a single method will be acceptable for estimating cutability of lamb carcasses differing in physiological growth, conformation and general carcass characteristics. Minor emphasis should be given to previously used subjective measures of conformation and quality. Weight of edible meat per day of age is a reasonable characteristic. This trait should be emphasized, since it combines production and cutability and consequently should improve palatability and consumer attitudes toward lamb. Information relative to physiological growth, genetic antagonisms, palatability, heritability and merchandising will undoubtedly lead to changes in the specifications for the lamb carcass that will be most desirable for all segments of the industry, including the consumer.

¹ Invited paper presented at the Sheep Special Livestock Session, 57th Annual Meeting of the American Society of Animal Science, East Lansing, Michigan.

² Department of Animal Science.