Lamb carcass characteristics. 2. Estimation of the percentage of saleable cuts for carcasses prepared as 'trim' and traditional cuts using carcass weight, fat depth, eye muscle area, sex, and conformation score

Abstract

Carcass data were obtained for 172 lambs (86 ewes, 86 cryptorchids) of hot carcass weight (HCW) 16.2-28.7 kg and fat depth at the GR site (12th rib) 5-21 mm. Of these, 85 carcasses (42 ewe, 43 cryptorchid) were prepared into the full range of boneless, heavily trimmed cuts ('trim' lamb) and the remaining 87 (44 ewe, 43 cryptorchid) into traditional, trimmed bone-in cuts. Two methods of determining M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum area (EMA) produced strongly correlated results (r = 0.94; P0.05). For estimation of the percentage yield of traditional cuts, conformation score as given by an assessor significantly (P