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The Effects of Breed, Diet, Sex, Location and Slaughter Weight on Lamb Growth, Carcass Composition and Meat Flavor^1,2,3,

Roman L. Hruska US Meat Animal Research Center, US Department of Agriculture, Clay Center, NE 68933 and and University of Wyoming, Laramie 82071

Abstract

The influence of breed, diet, sex, location fed and slaughter weight on carcass composition and quality and flavor of heavy lamb carcasses was examined. One-hundred and fifty-three Suffolk and Rambouillet-sired ram and wether lambs, fed a high or a low energy diet at the University of Wyoming (UWY) or the Roman L. Hruska US Meat Animal Research Center (MARC), were slaughtered at 62 or 76 kilograms. Suffolk-sired lambs grew faster (P<.01) than Rambouillet-sired lambs and increased their advantage (P<.05) in growth rate during the later periods of the trial. Suffolk-sired lambs had leaner carcasses (P<.01) but yellower fat (P<.05) and more pronounced secondary sex characteristics (P<.01) than Rambouillet-sired lambs. Breed did not influence the flavor of cooked ground meat. Ram lambs had higher (P<.01) rates of gain and trimmer carcasses than wether lambs. Ram lambs' superior potential for growth (P<.01) was more pronounced on the high energy diet than on the low energy diet. Ram lamb carcasses had softer, yellower fat and ram meat had more intense flavor scores (P<.01). Differences in fat softness between ram and wether carcasses became more apparent with increasing age and weight (P<.01). At similar slaughter weights, carcasses obtained from lambs fed the high energy diet had more (P<.01) kidney and pelvic fat than carcasses obtained from lambs fed the low energy diet. Carcasses from lambs fed the high energy diet had softer, yellower (P<.01) fat than carcasses from lambs fed the low energy diet. However, flavor scores were more intense (P<.01) for meat from lambs fed the low energy diet. Lambs fed at UWY were superior in growth rate to lambs fed at MARC. No differences in fat color, fat firmness or cooked meat flavor were observed between carcasses obtained from the two locations.

¹ Wyoming Paper No. JA1095.

² Cooperation of the Nebraska Agr. Exp. Sta., Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln, is acknowledged.

³ Mention of a trade name, proprietary product or specific equipment does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the USDA and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable.

⁴ AR, SEA, USDA.

⁵ Present address: Michigan State Univ., East Lansing 48824.

⁶ Division of Anim. Sci., Univ. of Wyoming.