The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of CaCl2 infusion in overcoming the toughness of meat associated with dietary administration of a beta- adrenergic agonist (BAA) to lambs. Thirty-two crossbred (1/2 Finnsheep X 1/4 Dorset X 1/4 Rambouillet) wether lambs were randomly assigned to receive 0 or 4 ppm BAA (L644,969; Merck, Sharpe and Dohme Research Laboratories) in a comp...

East Friesian-sired F1 ewe lambs (n = 27) and Lacaune-sired F1 ewe lambs (n = 31) born in 1999 were compared for lamb production, lactation performance, and udder morphology traits in a dairy sheep production environment in 2000. The ewe lambs were the progeny of seven East Friesian and five Lacaune sires. A contemporary group of high percentage East Friesian ewe lambs (> 3/4 East Friesian, n =...

To investigate the effects of nutritional plane and Se supply during gestation on ewe and offspring performance and body composition, 84 Rambouillet ewe lambs (age = 240 +/- 17 d, BW = 52.1 +/- 6.2 kg) were allocated to a 2 x 3 x 2 factorial arrangement of treatments. Factors included Se [adequate Se (ASe, 11.5 microg/kg of BW) or high Se (HSe, 77.0 microg/kg of BW)] initiated at breeding, nutr...

The aims of this study were to investigate the impact of carcase estimated breeding values on carcase size and lean meat yield of lambs and to determine whether nutrition alters these responses. Selection for high estimated breeding values for growth increased carcase size by as much as 4 kg in lambs fed a high plane of nutrition. On a low plane of nutrition, this effect was reduced by 60%, hig...

The effects of breed, slaughter weight and ageing time on the meat quality of the three most important Spanish breeds were considered. Two hundred and twenty-five lambs of Rasa Aragonesa-local meat breed-, Churra-local dairy breed- and Spanish Merino were used. Animals (75 of each breed) were slaughtered at three different live weights (10-12, 20-22 or 30-32 kg), and the meat was aged for 1, 2,...

Various science researches have shown that meat of ruminants has more desirable fatty acid composition and a ratio between ω-6 and ω-3 fatty acids (lower than 4.0) because of lower content of linoleic, and a higher content of ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, especially linolenic fatty acid. The aim of the present study is to examine researches about feeding modulation of the fatty acid composit...

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of maintenance system as well as the effect of Se, Zn, and vitamin E supplementation of ram-lambs on the slaughter value and concentration of mineral elements in the loin muscle of lambs. The experiment was conducted on 72 Polish Merino ram-lambs divided into three groups: group C, indoor with no supplement, 19 lambs; S, indoor with supp...

A progeny test was designed to test whether genetic superiority for lean growth in terminal sires is expressed in their crossbred progeny when reared in a different environment. In each of 1986, 1987 and 1988, 22 Suffolk rams were chosen at the conclusion of an indoor, intensive performance testing regime on an index score that rated their propensity for lean growth, while constraining fat grow...

Fifty seven suckling lambs (28 males and 29 females) of the Churra da Terra Quente breed were used to evaluate the effects of live weight and sex on carcass composition and meat quality traits. Lambs were slaughtered at three weight classes (<8kg, 8-11kg and >11kg) according to "Borrego Terrincho-PDO" specifications. The left sides of the carcasses were totally dissected. The longissimus thorac...

A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of herbage or concentrate feeding system and tannin addition to diet on skatole and indole in ruminal fluid and adipose tissue and meat sensory properties. Twenty-eight male lambs aged 45 days were randomly assigned to one of two feeding systems (vetch green herbage or concentrates, n = 14) and within feeding system to one supp...