Relationships between growth-related traits with carcass and meat quality traits in Spanish Assaf suckling lambs

Suckling lamb meat is a relevant product in Mediterranean European dairy sheep farms, and the breed Spanish Assaf widely extended through Iberian Peninsula. Knowledge of influence birth body weight (bBW) growth rate on suckling carcass quality scarce, but useful for breeding optimisation homogeneity. In turn, these growth-related traits lambs might be affected by dietary restrictions their dams. this study, 34 male born from two groups ewes that had been fed diets with different protein levels when they were prepubertal female (17 per group) analysed. After birth, ad libitum milk replacer until sacrifice (10–12.5 kg live weight). The evaluated carcasses compactness, fatness jointing, composition, colour, texture oxidative stability, fatty acid profile. dam group did not show significant effects characteristics or traits. bBW factor showed negative effect leg subcutaneous positive forequarter shoulder percentages carcass. also resulted increased moisture, lipid oxidation n-3 FA content (lowering n-6/n-3 ratio) meat. showing very low average daily gain (ADG) tended to present quality, i.e., higher bone percentage loin muscle fat compared those high ADG. Further studies are needed confirm explain mechanisms reported here ADG