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Border Leicester and Finnsheep Crosses. I. Survival, Growth and Carcass Traits of F₁ Lambs¹

Colorado State University, Fort Collins 80523 and and US Department of Agriculture, Clay Center, NE 68933

Abstract

Data on 639 lambs were collected at the Roman L. Hruska US Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, Nebraska, in 1973 and 1974 and used to compare the Border Leicester (BL) and the Finnsheep (Finn) as sire breeds. Traits studied were preweaning survival rate, preweaning and postweaning growth rates and carcass traits. BL-sired lambs were .3 kg heavier at birth, 12% higher in mortality to weaning at 8 weeks and 16 g/day slower in preweaning gain, but were not significantly lighter at weaning or in adjusted 70-day weight. Sire breed had no average effect on postweaning gains or weights, but there was a significant change in the final and 22-week weights of Finn-sired versus BL-sired lambs from inferiority in 1973 to superiority in 1974. This reversal in the sire breed differences between years could reflect the change in the genetic sample of sires used in the 2 years. It also may indicate a poorer adaptability of BL-sired lambs born in 1974 to the 22% faster preweaning and 25% slower postweaning gain for 1974 versus 1973. BL-sired ram lambs had .06 cm more rib fat, .23 cm more body wall thickness, higher quality and maturity grades but less internal fat than did Finn-sired lambs, and equal yield grades and boneless or trimmed cut yields.

¹ Published as Paper No. 2520, Journal Ser., Colorado Exp. Sta., Fort Collins. Partial publication of senior author's thesis research. Present address: Univ. of Al Fateh, Tripoli, Libya.

² Graduate student, associate professor and professor, respectively, Dept. of Anim. Sci., Colorado State Univ., Fort Collins 80523.

³ Roman L. Hruska US Meat Animal Research Center, SEA, USDA, Clay Center, NE 68933.

⁴ Dept. of Anim. Sci., Texas ASM Univ., College Station 77843.