The crossbreeding of improved Jezersko-Solcˇava sheep with Charollais to improve carcass traits

• Main Authors: Dragomir Kompan, Silvester Zgur, Angela Cividini
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2010-01-01
• Series: Italian Journal of Animal Science
• Subjects: Lambs, Genotype, Sex, Carcass traits
• Online Access: http://www.aspajournal.it/index.php/ijas/article/view/904

Thirteen improved Jezersko-Solcˇava lambs (JSR) and 16 crossbreds with Charollais (JSRxCH) were used to evaluate the effect of genotype and sex on carcass traits. Lambs were weaned at around 60 days of age. They were fed with commercial concentrate and hay ad libitum and slaughtered at 30 kg of average live weight at 103 days of age. Crossbred lambs had at the same live weight at slaughter better conformation (9.19 on 15 points scale) than JSR lambs (7.58). Carcasses of crossbred lambs had lower proportion of fat in hind leg and lower proportion of kidney fat. Female lambs had better dressing proportion (46.25%) than male lambs (42.72%). Females had also higher scores for both internal and subcutaneous fatness and higher percentage of kidney fat. They had higher proportion of fat and lower proportion of bone in hind leg.