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Indices for Estimating Cutability of Wether, Ram and Ewe Lamb Carcasses

Texas A & M University², College Station

Abstract

Quantitative yields of preferred retail cuts were obtained from 685 carcasses (276 wether, 207 ram and 202 ewe carcasses). Data indicated the ram lamb carcasses were more muscular, less wasty and higher cutting carcasses than the ewe and wether carcasses. The ewe carcasses were fatter and less muscular than the ram or wether lamb carcasses.

Various measures of fatness were generally highly related to fat trim yields and were more reliable if combined with a measure of body-wall thickness. Multiple regression analyses provided several equations for rather accurately estimating yield of preferred retail cuts. Obvious differences occurred in the magnitude of standard partial regression coefficients depending upon the group of carcasses utilized.

Conformation grade was a more accurate measure of carcass desirability than l. dorsi area for the ram lamb carcasses (possibly due to reduced fatness of the ram lamb carcasses). However, for the other carcasses, it is suggested that conformation evaluation was in error as an estimate of muscling, because of the greater subcutaneous fat covering of the ewe and wether carcasses.

¹ Livestock and Forage Research Center, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, McGregor.

² Department of Animal Science, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.