Hostname: page-component-745bb68f8f-b6zl4 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2025-01-07T11:36:12.474Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Growth and carcass composition in the crossbred progeny of six terminal sire breeds of sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

B. T. Wolf ,
C. Smith  and
D. I. Sales
B. T. Wolf
Affiliation:
ARC Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
C. Smith
Affiliation:
ARC Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
D. I. Sales
Affiliation:
ARC Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
Get access

Abstract

Records were available for the progeny of Dorset Down, Oxford, Suffolk, Ile-de-France, Oldenburg and Texel sires out of Border Leicester × Blackface and Animal Breeding Research Organisation Dam Line × Blackface ewes. The data analysed were: (a) growth traits to 12 weeks for 2585 lambs, the progeny of 102 sires; (b) growth traits for slaughter at fixed weights of 35kg and 40kg for 1884 lambs (79 sires); and (c) half carcass dissection traits for 956 lambs (65 sires).

Oxford and Suffolk cross lambs were heaviest at all ages and thus youngest at slaughter. Texel cross lambs grew slowly to 12 weeks but were not significantly older than Dorset Down, Ile-de-France and Oldenburg cross lambs at slaughter. The Texel cross produced the leanest carcass with a high lean/bone ratio and eye-muscle area. Dorset Down and Ile-de-France cross lambs were fattest at slaughter but had high values for lean/bone ratio and eye-muscle area. Interactions between breed of sire and slaughter weight were non-significant for all traits (P>0·05).

Breed differences in carcass composition were also compared statistically as if at a constant percentage of subcutaneous fat. The differences were not so great as at constant live weight but the Texel cross would have had the leanest carcass. Side weights would be heaviest in the Texel and lowest in the Dorset Down and Ile-de-France. Oxford, Suffolk and Dorset Down cross lambs would be youngest at slaughter and Texel and Oldenburg crosses oldest.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 31 , Issue 3 , December 1980 , pp. 307 - 313
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Bowman, J. C. and Broadbent, J. S. 1966. Genetic parameters of growth between birth and sixteen weeks in Down cross sheep. Anim. Prod. 8: 129–135.Google Scholar
Cuthbertson, A., Harrington, G. and Smith, R. J. 1972. Tissue separation—to assess beef and lamb variation. Proc. Br. Soc. Anim. Prod. (New Ser.) 1: 113–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Flamant, J. C. and Perret, G. 1976. [Crossbreeding and sheep meat production. Comparisoin/and selection of sire breeds.] In 2émes Journèes de la Recherche Ovine et Caprine, pp. 110–134. INRA and ITOVIC, Paris.Google Scholar
Kempster, A. J. and Cuthbertson, A. 1977. A survey of the carcass characteristics of the main types of British lamb. Anim. Prod. 25: 165–179.Google Scholar
Kramer, C. Y. 1957. Extension of multiple range tests to group correlated adjusted means. Biometrics 13: 13–18.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Meat and Livestock Commission. 1972. Sheep Improvement. Scientific Study Group Report. Meat and Livestock Commision, Bletchley, Milton Keynes.Google Scholar
More O'Ferrall, G. J. and Timon, V. M. 1977a. A comparison of eight sire breeds for lamb production. 1. Lamb growth and carcass meaurements. Ir. J. agric. Res. 16: 267–275.Google Scholar
More O'Ferrall, G. J. and Timon, V. M. 1977b. A comparison of eight sire breeds for lamb production. 2. Lamb carcass composition. Ir. J. agric. Res. 16: 277–284.Google Scholar
Osikowski, M. and Borys, B. 1976. Effect on production and carcass quality characteristics of wether lambs of crossing Blackheaded Mutton, He de France and Texel rams with Polish Merino ewes. Livest. Prod. Sci. 3: 343–349.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Russell, W. S. 1973. Compreg Users Guide, IU/RC Ser. Rep. No. 5. Program Library Unit, University of Edinburgh.Google Scholar
Vesely, J. A., Kozub, G. C. and Peters, H. F. 1977. Additive and non-additive genetic effects on growth traits in matings among Romnelet, Columbia, Suffolk, and North Country Cheviot breeds. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 57: 233–238.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Vesely, J. A. and Peters, H. F. 1972. Muscle, bone, and fat and their interrelations in five breeds of lamb. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 52: 629–636.CrossRefGoogle Scholar