Relationship between slaughter weight and meat acceptability on suffolk lambs

Abstract

Acceptability of meat from Suffolk lambs dressed at different liveweights (17,4 and 29,6 kg.) was evaluated at the University of Chile. La Rinconada Agricultural Experimental Station at Maipu, Chile (33°, 28' 70° 50'). From birth the animals were mainteined on a deferred annuals mediterranean-type pasture. At slaughtering, determinations of liveweight, marbling, surloin area, hot carcass weight, visceras, and total fat were made.
Low liveweight (17,4 kg.) animals reached slaughter weight at 36 d with 369 g daily gain and 51% (8,9 kg.) carcass yield, while lambs with 29,6 kg. liveweight reached it at 57 d with 446 g daily gain and 52% (15,5 kg.) carcass yield. 
When comparing the carcass characteristics of lighter animals with those of heavier lambs it was found that viscera accounted for 29 and 34% of the weight, respectively. With respect to total fat, lighter lambs showed 5,6% while heavier ones reached 15,6%. Marbling values were 0,77 and 1,95%, respectively. Acceptability of meat from lighter lambswas significantly greater.