Carcass and Meat Characteristics of Crossbred Lambs with and without Finnish Landrace Breeding

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Abstract
Physical, chemical and organoleptic properties of 60 lambs (wethers and ewes) representing two breed groups — (1) ½ Suffolk × ¼ Finnish Landrace × ¼ Southdown (Su × F × So) and (2) ¾ Suffolk × ¼ Rambouillet (Su × R) — and three slaughter weight groups (32, 41 and 50 kg) were compared. After slaughter, carcasses were chilled for 48 hr at 3 C, graded and evaluated. Carcass moisture, protein, ether extract and ash from the right side were determined. The rib and center leg roasts from the left side were cooked and evaluated for palatability and shear tenderness. Carcasses from Su × R lambs were younger (P<.05) at slaughter and heavier (P<.05) per day of age, had a lower (P<.05) yield grade and a higher (P<.05) percentage of leg, shank and waste bone and contained more (P<.05) moisture and protein than carcasses from Su × F × So lambs. Su × F × So lambs had higher (P<.05) dressing percentages, were fatter, as indicated by carcass measurements, yield grades and carcass ether extract, and had a higher (P<.05) percentage of breast and flank. Breed had no effect on palatability traits. As weight increased, most indications of fat increased (P<.05), including dressing percentage, percentage kidney fat, quality grade, yield grade, percentage breast and flank, width behind shoulder, fat over the longissimus muscle, fat over the rib and percentage carcass ether extract. Ewe carcasses were fatter (P<.05) than wether carcasses, as shown by yield grade, percentage kidney and pelvic fat, width behind the shoulder, fat over the spine and carcass ether extract. Ewes had lower (P<.05) percentages of shoulder, shank, neck and waste bone and a lower (P<.05) percentage of carcass moisture than wethers. Palatability traits were similar for both sexes. Rib roasts from ewes had slightly more (P<.05) drip loss than roasts from wethers. Copyright © 1981. American Society of Animal Science . Copyright 1981 by American Society of Animal Science.

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