Effect of Cortisone Acetate on Carcass Composition and Wool Characteristics of Weaned Lambs

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Abstract
Eighty weaned ewe and wether lambs of approximately 5 months of age were fed alfalfa or barley and alfalfa over a period of 103 days. Cortisone acetate injected subcutaneously three times weekly at levels of 25, 100, and 300 mg. throughout the period resulted in increases (P<.01) in gain, feed consumption, percent fat in the carcass, kilo-calories per pound of carcass and fat depth over the longissimus at the 12th rib. Increases in gain in treated lambs were found to be due to increased feed consumption. Carcass grade score was increased with treatment (P<.05). Specific gravity of the carcasses was used as a measure of carcass composition and was inversely correlated with treatment (P<.01). The increase in carcass yield was not significant. Fat-free carcass weight, longissimus area per pound of fat-free carcass weight and pounds of protein per carcass tended to decrease with increasing cortisone level but these results were not significant. Percent protein in the carcass, wool production per square centimeter of skin surface, fiber length, fiber diameter and skin thickness were all decreased (P<.01) and the effect was greater at higher levels of treatment. The effect of sex, ration and the various interactions are discussed. Cortisone acetate shows promise for use in finishing lambs for market providing they are old enough to have completed 75% or more of their muscular development before treatment.