Effect of frame size on performance and carcass traits of Santa Inês lambs finished in a feedlot

• Autor(a) principal: Souza Júnior,Edmilson Lúcio de
• Data de Publicação: 2013
• Outros Autores: Sousa,Wandrick Hauss de, Pimenta Filho,Edgard Cavalcanti, Gonzaga Neto,Severino, Cartaxo,Felipe Queiroga, Cezar,Marcílio Fontes, Cunha,Maria das Graças Gomes, Pereira Filho,José Morais
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Revista Brasileira de Zootecnia (Online)
• Texto Completo: http://old.scielo.br/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1516-35982013000400008
• topic: carcass conformation; commercial cuts; dry matter intake; sheep; tissue composition; weight gain

The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance, qualitative, morphometric and quantitative carcass traits of Santa Inês lambs of different frame sizes finished in a feedlot. Twenty 120-day-old intact lambs with a 25.0±3.1 kg average body weight at the beginning of the experiment were used. Lambs received a diet containing 17% crude protein and 2.70 Mcal/kg dry matter. Frame size influenced performance and tissue composition in the carcasses of the lambs. Lambs with large frame sizes showed better carcass conformation compared with those of medium-sized frames. Frame size was found to have a significant effect on rump perimeter. Large-framed lambs showed higher compactness on the carcass index and carcass dressing area compared with medium-framed lambs. The cuts of large-framed lambs weighed more than those of mediumframed lambs. However, no significant differences were found in dressing.