BASIC CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF LAMBS OF ŠUMAVSKÁ SHEEP AND ITS CROSSBREDS WITH SUFFOLK AND TEXEL

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1 BASIC CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF LAMBS OF ŠUMAVSKÁ SHEEP AND ITS CROSSBREDS WITH SUFFOLK AND TEXEL SVATAVA KOUTNA 1, JAN KUCHTIK 1, ONDREJ STASTNIK 2, LEONA KONECNA 1 1 Department of Animal Breeding 2 Department of Animal Nutrition and Forage Production Mendel University in Brno Zemedelska 1, Brno CZECH REPUBLIC svatava.koutna@mendelu.cz Abstract: The main aim of the study was to evaluate basic carcass characteristics of purebred lambs of Šumavská breed (S) and its crossbreds with Suffolk (SF) and Texel (T). An integral part of the study was the evaluation of the effect of genotype on weights and proportions of kidney, kidney fat and basic non-carcass traits and composition of tissues in the left leg. The experiment was carried out on an organic farm in Proseč in 2015 and three different genotypes were included in the experiment: S 100 (n = 8), T 75 S 25 x S (n = 11) and T 75 S 25 x SF (n = 8). All lambs were males. As expected the genotype had a significant effect on most of the indicators. Lambs were slaughtered at approximately the same age, however in crossbreds (T 75 S 25) x SF the highest daily gain (0.168 g/day) and carcass yield (44.71%) were found. The best conformation score (3.87) and the highest heart and liver weights and proportions: (0.20 kg and 0.55%) and (0.53 kg and 1.46%) respectively were found in this group. Also the levels of muscle and fat in the left leg were 2.05 kg and 79.77%. In contrast, in purebred lambs of Šumavská sheep the lowest daily gain (0.124 g/day), carcass yield (38.38%) and proportion of muscle + fat in left leg (74.60%) were found. The results of the experiment indicate that use of commercial crossing of ewes of Šumavská breed with rams of meat breeds has a positive impact on growth and carcass quality of lambs. However, due to the relatively low number of lambs in our experiment it will be necessary to continue in monitoring of these genotypes. Key Words: lamb, males, carcass characteristics, Šumavská sheep, non-carcass characteristics INTRODUCTION At present the main product of domestic sheep breeding is so called heavy lamb, which is the lamb with carcass weight higher than 13 kg. For production of these lambs mainly meat breeds are used. However for this production are also very often used lambs originating from commercial crossing of dual purpose breeds in maternal position and meat breeds in sire position. On the other hand in dairy breeds on domestic farms are produced so called light lambs, which are lambs with lower carcass weight than 13 kg, but this production is very limited because low number of dairy sheep is reared in the Czech Republic (Koutná et al. 2016a) One of the most important mixte breeds reared in the Czech Republic is Šumavská sheep. Šumavská sheep is relatively resistant breed against hard climatic condition and due to this breed is above all reared in mountainous areas. In order to improve the growth and carcass value (mainly the meatiness) of lambs the ewes of this breed are very often crossed with males of meat breeds namely with Suffolk and Texel (Koutná et al. 2016b). The carcass value of lambs is affected by a lot of different factors while the most important factors are breed, nutrition, sex, breed management and health. The effects of above mentioned factors were evaluated in the studies which were carried out by Gutiérrez et al. (2005), Teixeira et al. (2005), Shaker et al. (2002), Pérez et al. (2007) and Silva Sobrinho et al. (2003). The main aim of our experiment was to evaluate basic carcass characteristics of male lambs of Šumavská sheep and their crossbreds with Suffolk and Texel. An integral part of the study was the 234 P age

2 evaluation of the effect of genotype on weights and proportions of kidney, kidney fat and basic noncarcass traits and composition of tissues in the left leg. MATERIAL AND METHODS Assessment of the effect of genotype on basic carcass and non-carcass characteristics of purebred lambs of Šumavská breed (S) and its crossbreds with Suffolk (SF) and Texel (T) was carried out on an organic farm in Proseč in the Pardubice region (altitude 520 m, average annual temperature 6.1 C, precipitation 800 mm). The experiment was carried out in 2015 and three different genotypes were included in the experiment: S 100 (n = 8), (T 75 S 25) x S (n = 11) and (T 75 S 25) x SF (n = 8). All lambs were males. Lambing was carried indoors, during March and April The daily feed ration (DFR) of the ewes in the period from parturition until the end of April consisted of meadow hay (ad libitum) and organic mineral lick (ad libitum). The DFR of the lambs during the same period consisted of mother's milk (ad libitum) and organic mineral lick (ad libitum); the lambs had also free access to the feedstuff of their mothers. Since May 1 st until the end of the experiment the DFR of ewes consisted of grazing on permanent pasture (ad libitum) and mineral lick (ad libitum). The DFR of lambs in the same period consisted of mother's milk (ad libitum) until the weaning, grazing on permanent pasture (ad libitum) and mineral lick (ad libitum). The weaning of lambs was carried at the age of about 5 months. All animals were reared in one flock under identical conditions without any discernible differences regarding nutrition or management. All lambs were weighed at birth (LW0) and before slaughter (LWS). The average live weight at the slaughter was kg in S 100, kg in (T 75 S 25) x S and kg in (T 75 S 25) x SF. The average age of lambs at the slaughter were 220 in S 100, 207 in (T 75 S 25) x S and 191 days in (T 75 S 25) x SF. Daily gain (DG) was calculated in grams (g) in the interval from LW0 to LWS. At the end of the experiment, after 24 hours of starvation, the slaughters of lambs were carried out. On the day of slaughter, live weights, age of lambs and weights of skins were recorded. After 24 hours of refrigeration (+4 C) the evaluation of conformation and fatness of all carcasses was carried out. Simultaneously the weights of cold carcass, leg, shoulder, kidney, kidney fat and all non-carcass components (heart, lung + trachea, liver and spleen) were determined. On the same day the weights of muscle and bones from the left leg were also recorded. From the above mentioned data were subsequently calculated individual proportions. The conformation score (an extent of the scale from S = exceptional to P = poor conformation) and fatness score (the scale from 1 = very low to 5 = very high fatness) were assessed according to the S.E.U.R.O.P. (Commission Regulation EEC 461/93). For the purpose of statistical analysis (Table 1), the scale of the conformation score was quantified from the grade S = 1 to the grade P = 6. Statistical analyses were performed using the STATISTICA software, version 12. ANOVA analysis was used to study the differences in the basic carcass characteristics, kidney, kidney fat, basic non-carcass traits and tissues in left leg in all three independent groups of genotypes. Sheffe's test was used by post-hoc analyses to identify individual significant differences between means. The differences were considered significant if P RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Evaluation of the effect of the genotype on basic carcass characteristics is presented in Table 1. As expected, genotype had an effect on daily gain in the period from birth to slaughter, while significantly higher daily gains were found in both groups of crossbreds compared to purebred lambs of Šumavská sheep. The same trend was also reported by Shaker et al. (2002) and Shaker et al (2010), however Costa et al. (2009) did not find significant effect of genotype on the growth. e also had a significant effect on carcass yield, which is line with Kuchtík et al. (2011), while the highest carcass yield was found in (T 75 S 25) x SF. By contrast, Shaker et al. (2002) and Gutiérrez et al. (2005) did not find a significant effect of genotype on this indicator. As for carcass yield, it is necessary to point out that in all groups of lambs their levels were relatively low, however, comparable with data published by Rodrigues et al. (2006) and Teixeira et al. (2004). e had further effect on the weights of leg and shoulder and on the proportion of the shoulder, which is in accordance with Cloete et al. (2004). On the other hand, Bingöl et al. (2006) did not recorded the effect of genotype on the weights of leg and 235 P age

3 shoulder, but they found a significant effect of genotype on the proportion of the shoulder. Significantly the best conformation was observed in lambs (T 75 S 25) x SF when their conformation was comparable with data that reported in lambs of Suffolk breed Komprda et al. (2012). On the other hand, in the other two groups the conformation scores were significantly worse. The similar trend was recorded by Pinďák et al. (2011) and Carrasco et al. (2009). Table 1 Effect of genotype on basic carcass characteristics LWS (kg) ** C A AS (days) DG (kg) ** C c A,b CCW (kg) ** C A CY (%) * c a Skin (kg) Skin (%) ** C C A,B Leg (kg) * c a Leg (%) Shoulder (kg) ** C A Shoulder (%) * c b CS * c b Fatness score LWS = live weight at slaughter, AS = Age at slaughter, DG = daily gains from birth to slaughter, CCW = cold carcass weight, CY = carcass yield, CS = conformation score, A, B, C - ** - P 0.01; a, b, c - * - P 0.05 Regarding fatness score, the levels of this trait were very balanced in all groups, while its lowest value was found in purebred lambs of Šumavská breed. On the other hand, it should be noted that Komprda et al. (2012) reported lower fatness score in all genotypes in their study. At the conclusion of the Table 1, it can be stated that from the point of view of basic carcass characteristics it seems to be the best group of lambs (T 75 S 25) x SF due to its highest carcass yield, the best conformation score and relatively favourable fatness score. Table 2 Effect of genotype on weights and proportions of kidney, kidney fat and basic non-carcass traits Kidney (kg) Kidney (%) Kidney fat (kg) Kidney fat (%) Heart (kg) ** C C A,B Heart (%) ** C c A,b Lungs + trachea (kg) Lungs + trachea (%) Liver (kg) * c c a,b Liver (%) Spleen (kg) ** C C A,B Spleen (%) ** C c A,b A, B, C - ** - P 0.01; a, b, c - * - P P age

4 The Table 2. shows that the genotype had a significant effect on the weights of heart, liver and spleen and on the proportions of the heart and spleen. Similar trends were also recorded by Shaker et al. (2002) and Abdullah et al. (2010). By contrast, Bingöl et al. (2006) did not record the effect of genotype on the weights and proportions of basic non-carcass traits. e did not have a significant effect on the weights and proportions of kidney and kidney fat. By contrast, Pérez et al. (2007) have found a significant effect of genotype on the weight of kidney. However, in our experiment the highest weight of kidney fat was found in (T 75 S 25) x SF. On the other hand, the lowest weight of kidney fat was observed in S 100, which corresponds with the lowest fatness score in this group of lambs. Effect of genotype on composition of tissues in left leg is presented in Table 3. The genotype had a significant effect on the weights of the left leg and muscle + fat from this cut only. A similar trend was reported by Cloete et al. (2012) also. On the other hand, Bingöl et al. (2006) have not recorded significant effect of genotype on these traits. Proportions of muscle + fat and bones in all three groups of lambs were relatively balanced, nevertheless in a group of lambs (T 75 S 25) x SF the highest proportion of muscle + fat and the lowest proportion of bones were found. In contrast, in the purebred lambs of Šumavská breed the lowest proportion of muscle + fat, and the highest proportion of bones were found. Table 3 Effect of genotype on composition of tissues in left leg Left leg (kg) * c a Muscle + fat (kg) * c a Muscle + fat (%) Bones (kg) Bones (%) a, c - * - P 0.05 CONCLUSION Our study shows that genotype had a significant effect on most of the monitored traits. Lambs were slaughtered at approximately the same age, however in crossbreds (T 75 S x 25) x SF the highest gain and carcass yield were found. In this group of lambs the best conformation score and the highest weights and proportions of the heart, liver and muscle + fat in the left leg were also found. These results indicate that use of commercial crossing of ewes of Šumavská breed with rams of meat breeds has a positive impact on growth and carcass quality of lambs. On the other hand, in purebred lambs of Šumavská breed the most favourable fatness score was recorded while in this breed is particularly appreciated its non-demanding nature and resistance against unfavourable environmental conditions. However, due to the relatively low number of lambs in our experiment it will be necessary to continue in monitoring of these genotypes. REFERENCES Abdullah, A.Y., Kridli, R.T., Shaker, M.M., Obeidat, M.D Investigation of growth and carcass characteristics of pure and crossbred Awassi lambs. Small Ruminant Research, 94(2): Bingöl, M., Aygün, T., Gökdal, Ö., Yılmaz, A The effects of docking on fattening performance and carcass characteristics in fat-tailed Norduz male lambs. Small Ruminant Research, 64(1): Carrasco, S., Ripoll, G., Sanz, A., Álvarez-Rodríguez, J., Panea, B., Revilla, R., Joya, M Effect of feeding system on growth and carcass characteristics of ChurraTensina light lambs. Livestock Science, 121(2): Commission Regulation (EEC) No 461/93 of 26 February 1993 laying down detailed rules for the Community scale for the classification of carcases of ovine animals; Brussels, 1993 Costa, R.G., Batista, A.S.M., Madruga, M.S., Neto, S.G., Queiroga, R.C.R.E., Filho, J.T.A., Villaroel, A.S Physical and chemical characterization of lamb meat from different genotypes submitted to diet with different fibre contents. Small Ruminant Research, 81(3): P age

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