Growth and carcass characteristics of crossbred (Mule) sheep

2002 ◽  
Vol 2002 ◽  
pp. 195-195
Author(s):  
A. M. van Heelsum ◽  
R. M. Lewis ◽  
W. Haresign ◽  
D. Jones ◽  
S. Williams ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Genetic Improvement ◽  
Selection Index ◽  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Breeding Programme ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Quality Traits ◽  
Improvement Programme ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Terminal Sire ◽  
Meat Sector

With increasing emphasis in the meat sector on better and more consistent quality, carcass leanness and conformation is now an important issue for sheep breeders. In 1999, only 47% of all carcasses in the UK met the target specifications for weight, fat and conformation (MLC, 2000), highlighting the potential for improvement. In the current stratified crossbreeding system, crossbred wether lambs are a by-product of the production of dam line ewes for the lowland sector. If their carcass quality is sufficient, they can give a valuable boost to the economics of the breeding programme. Genetic improvement of carcass quality in crossing sire breeds would benefit the crossbred wethers, as well as filter through to the terminal sire cross lambs produced by the crossbred ewes. This work aims to assess the influence of selection index and live conformation score of crossing sires (in this case Bluefaced Leicesters) on growth and carcass quality traits of their crossbred progeny, as a first step towards designing a genetic improvement programme for crossing sire sheep.

Genetic parameters for live weight, ultrasonic measurements and conformation in Bluefaced Leicester sheep

1999 ◽  
Vol 1999 ◽  
pp. 122-122 ◽  
Author(s):  
A.M. van Heelsum ◽  
R.M. Lewis ◽  
D.W. Jones ◽  
W. Haresign ◽  
M.H. Davies
Keyword(s):  
Selection Index ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Export Markets ◽  
Acceptable Quality ◽  
Breeding Programmes ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Terminal Sire ◽  
Sire Breed

Currently fewer than 50% of UK lambs produce carcasses of acceptable quality for the domestic and export markets, which compromises the competitiveness of sheep farming. Carcass quality can be changed by selection, and this is now being taken advantage of in terminal sire breeds and, to a lesser extent, in hill breeds. However, little attention has yet been focused on the crossing breeds, which have relatively poor carcass quality, in spite of the large impact such breeds have on the slaughter generation. Recently, a long-term project began to develop breeding programmes relevant to crossing sire (‘longwool’) breeds. Its objective is to produce a selection index to improve carcass quality without compromising the reproductive performance or maternal ability of these breeds. The Bluefaced Leicester is the most prevalent crossing sire breed with its crossbred (‘Mule’) daughters out of draft hill ewes accounting for 89% of crossbred (longwool x hill) ewes in the UK (Pollot, 1998).

A comparison of the Suffolk and Vendeen breeds when used as terminal sires for crossbred lamb production

1993 ◽  
Vol 1993 ◽  
pp. 116-116
Author(s):  
B G Merrell
Keyword(s):  
Carcass Traits ◽  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Terminal Sire ◽  
Sire Breed

Lamb carcass quality is becoming economically more important. Crossbred lamb production in the UK is based upon the use of terminal sire breeds, chosen for carcass characteristics, mated to crossbred ewes, chosen for maternal attributes. The choice of terminal sire breed represents the most immediate option available to the commercial producer to improve the carcass characteristics of finished lambs. Previous studies (Croston, Guy, Jones, and Kempster, 1983; Cameron and Drury, 1985; Merrell, Webster and Ellis, 1990) have compared several terminal sire breeds, but these have tended to concentrate on the British Down breeds, particularly the Suffolk, and tne numerically more important imported breeds, such as the Texel and Charollais. Vendeen sheep were imported from France in 1981 but little information was available on growth and carcass traits of Vendeen crossbred lambs. A three year experiment compared, within a flock, the performance of the crossbred progeny of Suffolk and Vendeen rams.

Physiological responses to selection for carcass lean content in a terminal sire breed of sheep

1991 ◽  
Vol 1991 ◽  
pp. 25-25
Author(s):  
N.D. Cameron
Keyword(s):  
Lipid Metabolism ◽  
Genetic Improvement ◽  
Selection Index ◽  
Carcass Composition ◽  
Physiological Traits ◽  
Esterified Fatty Acids ◽  
Breeding Programmes ◽  
Selection For ◽  
Terminal Sire ◽  
Sire Breed

Sheep breeding programmes for genetic improvement in carcass composition of terminal sires measure livewelght and ultrasonic backfat and muscle depths for inclusion in a selection index to predict genetic merit. Physiological traits which were genetically correlated with carcass traits could be incorporated into the selection index to increase the accuracy of selection and the rate of genetic improvement.This study examined differences in physiological traits between lines selected for high or low carcass lean content. The measured physiological traits were chosen according to their role in protein and lipid metabolism : b-hydroxybutyrate (BHB) and glucose (GLUC) : indicators of energy balance; triglyceride (TRIG) and non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA) : intermediaries of lipid metabolism; UREA and creatinine (CREA) : indicators of nitrogen / amino acid metabolism and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1): an Indicator of growth hormone status.

A note on the carcass quality of Dairy Shorthorn, Red Friesian, Red Holstein, Danish Red, Meuse-Rhine-Yssel, Simmental and North Devon progeny of Dairy Shorthorn dams

1983 ◽  
Vol 36 (2) ◽  
pp. 295-297
Author(s):  
P. M. Hocking
Keyword(s):  
Standard Error ◽  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Live Weight ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Improvement Programme ◽  
Breed Improvement ◽  
Average Standard Error ◽  
Feeding Systems

ABSTRACTCarcass characteristics of 246 bulls and steers by Dairy Shorthorn (DS), Red Friesian (RF), Red Holstein (RH), Danish Red (DR), Meuse-Rhine-Yssel (MR), Simmental (SM) and North Devon (BB) bulls were recorded as part of a breed improvement programme. Carcasses of animals on grass-feeding systems were older, had lower fat and conformation scores and higher estimated lean yield than on intensive cereal systems, BB were fatter, and MR and SM leaner, than the remaining breed groups which were similar to DS and SM progeny had high conformation scores. Estimated lean in the live weight (g/kg) relative to DS was RF +5, RH −3, DR +5, MR +16, SM +16 and BB +6 with an average standard error of 3.

The effect of genotype on lamb carcass characteristics

1995 ◽  
Vol 1995 ◽  
pp. 45-45
Author(s):  
S.D. Johnston ◽  
R.W.J. Steen
Keyword(s):  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
Female Genotype ◽  
Intermuscular Fat ◽  
Terminal Sire ◽  
Selection Of

The most important consideration in quality lamb production is the breed genotype used. Much work has examined a selection of terminal sire breeds, but less emphasis has been placed on assessing the influence of the female genotype on carcass quality. The benefits of the Texel breed in terms of higher carcass lean content has been highlighted (More O’Ferrall and Timon, 1977; Kempster et al 1987), but it has been suggested that Texel lambs are penalised under current MLC grading guidelines. Leymaster and Jenkins (1993) reinforced this suggestion by indicating that Texel sired lambs deposited proportionally more subcutaneous and less intermuscular fat than Suffolk sired lambs.This study was carried out to compare the Dutch Texel (DT) and Suffolk (S) breeds as terminal sires and crossed with Greyface (GF) and Suffolk Cheviot (SC) dams. The effect of the proportion of DT blood in lambs on carcass quality was also examined. For this purpose GF, DT x GF and pure DT lambs were compared.

scholarly journals Pathway Analysis to Determine Factors Contributing to Overall Quality Scores in Four Berry Crops

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 35-42
Author(s):  
Helen Cockerton ◽  
Maddi Blanco Unzueta ◽  
Abigail W. Johnson ◽  
Andrea Vadillo Dieguez ◽  
Felicidad Fernández Fernández
Keyword(s):  
Fruit Quality ◽  
Genetic Improvement ◽  
Genotypic Differences ◽  
Quality Traits ◽  
Strawberry Fruit ◽  
Relative Contribution ◽  
Fruit Quality Traits ◽  
Berry Crops ◽  
Growing Conditions ◽  
The Uk

AbstractFruit quality attributes are influenced by environmental, agronomic and genetic factors; both cultivars and growing conditions can vary substantially between UK production and imported fruit. This study aimed to record and dissect the most relevant fruit quality traits for berries imported into the UK in the winter months. Blackberry, blueberry, raspberry and strawberry fruit were imported from 11 countries into a Kent-based packhouse (UK) or purchased from major retailers between December 2018 and March 2019. Multiple fruit quality components were assessed for relative contribution towards a high “overall assessment” fruit quality score. It was found that strawberry and blackberry overall scores were affected by sweetness perception, whereas blueberry and raspberry organoleptics are more complex, with overall scores influenced by flavor perception. Multiple raspberry and strawberry fruit quality traits were found to be associated with genotypic differences, indicating a promising potential for genetic improvement through breeding. By contrast, the study findings suggest that there is less potential for genetic improvement in blueberry, and that the environment may have a large effect on blueberry fruit quality traits.

Multiple Ovulation and Embryo Transfer in Hill Ewes

1994 ◽  
Vol 1994 ◽  
pp. 88-88
Author(s):  
W. Haresign ◽  
B. Merrell ◽  
R.I.W.A. Richards
Keyword(s):  
Embryo Transfer ◽  
Genetic Improvement ◽  
Theoretical Studies ◽  
Base Population ◽  
Multiple Ovulation ◽  
Female Line ◽  
Improvement Programme ◽  
Breed Improvement ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Selection Of

A breed improvement programme has been initiated at both ADAS Redesdale (Scottish Blackface) and ADAS Pwllpeiran (Welsh Mountain) to improve carcass conformation of hill ewes. From a base population of 1100 Welsh Mountain and 1600 Scottish Blackface ewes, nucleus flocks of 60 ewes have been established. Selection of ewes into the nucleus flock at each site has been based on their ability to consistently produce wether lambs crops with good conformation and above average carcass weights when selected for slaughter at a fat class 2/3L. The next objective is to replicate these ewes through multiple ovulation and embryo transfer (MOET) since theoretical studies (Smith, 1986) indicate that this can substantially increase the rates of genetic improvement through the female line. However, to date little work has been conducted to determine whether this technology can be successfully applied to hill sheep maintained in harsh hill environments in the UK, and this formed the basis of the current study.

Response of suffolk and texel rams to implantation with melatonin

1991 ◽  
Vol 1991 ◽  
pp. 15-15
Author(s):  
S.M. Bateman ◽  
W. Haresign
Keyword(s):  
Reproductive Performance ◽  
Research Effort ◽  
Carcass Quality ◽  
High Fertility ◽  
Testis Size ◽  
Seasonal Fluctuations ◽  
Sheep Meat ◽  
Testicular Recrudescence ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Terminal Sire

There is currently much interest in overcoming the seasonality of sheep meat supplies in the UK and improving carcass quality. Towards that end, much research effort has been devoted to the development of techniques to induce early or out-of-season breeding in the ewe, but little attention has been paid to the male. Rams of most breeds show marked seasonal fluctuations In reproductive performance, with a depression in testis size, libido and semen quantity and quality during the spring and summer months and a period of high fertility in the autumn/winter, coinciding with the breeding season of ewes of the same breed. Problems of subfertllity which are frequently encountered following the use of various techniques to induce out-of-season breeding in the ewe may therefore be attributable, at least in part, to the ram. The choice of terminal sire for early lambing flocks is further compromised because some breeds of ram show later testicular recrudescence than others.

Comparative Performance of Castrated Male Lambs from two Crossing-Sire Breeds

1994 ◽  
Vol 1994 ◽  
pp. 225-225
Author(s):  
B G Merrell ◽  
B A Hedley
Keyword(s):  
Initial Phase ◽  
Carcass Characteristics ◽  
Comparative Performance ◽  
Ewe Lambs ◽  
Term Experiment ◽  
Long Term Experiment ◽  
Set Up ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Terminal Sire

Finished lamb production in the UK is based upon the use of terminal sire breeds, selected for carcass characteristics, mated to crossbred ewes, chosen for maternal attributes. Previous experiments have shown that even where good quality terminal sires were used too high a proportion of finished lambs produced carcasses of moderate quality (Merrell, Webster and Ellis 1990; Merrell 1993). Ultimately, an improvement in the carcass attributes of crossbred ewes should help to alleviate this problem. A long term experiment which aims to compare the performance of crossbred ewes bred from two crossing-sire breeds was set up in 1989. During the first phase of this experiment (1989 - 1992) selected ewe lambs were retained to produce the two crossbred ewe flocks, surplus ewe lambs and all wether (castrated male) lambs were finished. Data are presented for finished wether lambs produced during this initial phase.

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