New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Year effects on the carcass composition of lambs slaughtered over a 10 year
period
A. H. KIRTON
A. H. CARTER*
J. N. CLARKE
D. P. SINCLAIR*
G. J. K. MERCER
D. M. DUGANZICH
AgResearch
Ruakura Agricultural Research Centre
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton, New Zealand
Abstract A trial involving the body and carcass analysis of
7885 lambs sired by 15 different breeds of ram and run at two New Zealand
locations (Ruakura and Manutuke) over a 10 year period was analysed to
determine the significance and size of the year effect on lamb composition.
Animal size (growth rate) differed between sites with the Manutuke lambs being
approximately 10% larger. Year had a very significant effect on the muscle,
fat, and bone measurements investigated, with this effect remaining after
adjusting measurements to the same carcass weight. Carcass fatness was strongly
influenced by carcass weight which differed between years. At the same carcass
weight, lambs differed by around 5% fat as a proportion of carcass weight or
around 20% fat as a proportion of total fat, between the most extreme years at
each location. Year differences were as large as those associated with
identifiable management factors (breed, strains, sex, etc). Unfortunately, the
underlying factors contributing to the year effect are at this stage unknown,
but may provide a fruitful field for additional research.
Keywords lamb; composition; fat; carcass measurements; year
effect; muscle; bone
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 1998, Vol. 41: 227-233
0028-8233/98/4102-0227 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
1998
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