Effect of live weight at slaughter on carcass and meat quality in pure Corriedale and crossbred lambs

Abstract

The effects of slaughter weights on light lambs (n=45): 22.3 ± 2. 8 kg and 60 ± 2.4 days of age and heavy lambs (n=21): 43. 1 ± 6.3 kg and 169 ± 8.9 days of age on carcass and meat quality of 24 females, 23 cripthorchid and 19 castrated Corriedale (n=21) and Hampshire Down x Corriedale (n=23) and Southdown x Corriedale (n=22) lambs was studied. Slaughter weights affected (P=0.05) all carcass characteristics evaluated. Heavy lambs had better conformation (0.320 vs 0.190 kg / cm, 1.09 vs 1.07, 55.7 vs 51.9 carcass and leg compacticity of heavy and light lambs, respectively), better fat grade (15.7 vs 7.3 mm GR, heavy and light lambs, respectively) and more favourable tissue composition (2.9 vs 1.9 meat/bone, 2.5 vs 2.2 meat / fat, heavy and light lambs, respectively). Nevertheless, light lamb carcasses had a better commercial yield of high value cuts than those of heavy lambs. Interms of the measurable quality characteristics of meat, only the pH was affected by slaughter weight. In the sensory analysis, sex and cross only affected meat tenderness. Meat from females or castrated lambs was more tender than cripthorchid lambs, particularly if they were crossbred lambs. Slaughter weights affected all sensory characteristics, with the meat from heavy lambs receiving the best scores in terms of tenderness, flavor quality and acceptability.