The effect of crossing on meat yield and quality of weaned lambs
This study examines the impact of two-breed (PXW) and three- breed (PxWxIDF) system of sheep crossing on the results in terms of yield and quality of meat of lambs, weaned at 60 days of age and fattened up to 120 days of age. Study was carried out on the experimental sheep farm of the Institute for Animal Husbandry, Belgrade-Zemun, and the following breeds of sheep were used for crossing: Pirot pramenka (P) W?rttemberg (W) and Ile de France (IDF). As maternal basis the Pirot Pramenka and two breed crosses were used, and as improvement breed - Ile de France rams. Pre-slaughter body mass of two-breed and three-breed crosses was: 32.63 and 34.48 kg. Values of dressing percentage warm carcass with head and offal were: 59.0 and 58.4%. The share of the category I meat on analogue treatments was: 37.07: 37.48%, meat of category II: 33.98: 32.41%, and the meat of category III - 28.69: 26.87%. Meat to bone ratio was: 2.3:1 in two- breed crosses, whereas in the three-breed crosses it was 2.7:1. MLD surface was 11:49 and 11:45 cm2. Regarding the chemical and technological characteristics, there were no significant differences among the treatments (P> 0.05).