Fattening Performance and Carcass Characteristics of Akkaraman Crosses (F1 and B1) with German Blackheaded Mutton and Hampshire Down Male Lambs

Authors: ALİ AKMAZ, EMİN TEKİN, CAFER TEPELİ, RAMAZAN KADAK

Abstract: This study was carried out to investigate the fattening and carcass characteristics of German Blackheaded Mutton (GBM) x Akkaraman (A) F1, GBM x (GBM x A) B1, Hampshire Down (HD) x A F1 and HD x (HD x A) B1 male lambs. Ten GBM x A (F1), 4 GBM x (GBM x A) B1, 10 (HD) x A (F1) and 4 HD x (HD x A) B1 male lambs were used for fattening traits, and six of each breed from F1 genotypes, four of each breed from B1 genotypes for carcass traits. The lambs were fed, from the beginning at approximately 20 kg of live weight to the finish at 45 kg, with alfalfa hay 100 g/head/day and concentrates ad libitum. For statistical analysis, one way analysis of variance was used. For GBM x A (F1), GBM x (GBM x A) B1, HD x A (F1) and HD x (HD x A) B1 lambs, daily gains and feed gain ratios, were 362.30 g, 3.51 kg, 302.14 g and 4.84 kg, 339.60 g and 3.47 kg, 360.12 and 3.78 kg respectively. The carcasses were divided into five cuts namely leg, shoulder, back loin and others. To obtain knowledge about carcass composition, leg and shoulder cuts were dissected. Dressing percentages were found to be 48.02, 48.59, 49.65 and 50.52 %; the ratios of leg weights in the carcass were 33.09, 32.76, 32.66 and 32.24 %; shoulder weights 17.75, 18.06, 17.73 and 17.64 %; back weights 8.51, 10.75, 8.97 and 9.41 %(p<0.01); loin weights 8.11, 8.77, 8.11 and 8.27 %; the other weights 26.15, 25.25, 25.31 and 26.95 %; kidney knob and channel fat weights 1.50, 1.77, 1.27 and 1.71 %; eye muscle areas were 14.04, 12.25, 14.75 and 14.19 cm 2 , back fat thicknesses were 7.03, 7.24, 6.37 and 9.17 mm, ratios of lean meat weights in the leg cut were 61.84, 59.31, 62.57 and 59.78 %, fat weights 21.28, 24.58, 21.14 and 23.64 %; bone weights 16.88, 16.11, 16.29 and 16.59 %; the ratios of lean meat weight in the shoulder cut were 58.58, 57.69, 59.52 and 56.83 %; fat weights 22.54, 24.54, 22.98 and 24.62 %, bone weights 18.88, 17.77, 17.51 and 18.56 % for breeds in the above order.

Keywords: Crossbreed Lambs, Fattening, Carcass

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