Original scientific paper
EFFECT OF SEX ON SLAUGHTER TRAITS OF PAG SHEEP LAMBS
Boro Mioč
; Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Valentino Držaić
; Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Ivan Vnučec
; Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Zdravko Barać
; Hrvatska poljoprivredna agencija, Križevci, Hrvatska
Z. Prpić
; Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Vesna Pavić
; Agronomski fakultet Sveučilišta u Zagrebu, Zagreb, Hrvatska
Abstract
The aim of this paper was to evaluate effect of sex on slaughter traits, carcass measurements, meat colour measured on the fresh section of m. longissimus dorsi (MLD) and m. rectus abdominis (MRA), chemical composition and pH value of meat from lambs of Pag sheep. Although Pag sheep belongs to a group of breeds of combined production traits, it is primarily intended for milk production, while the meat of suckling lambs is another important product of Pag sheep farmers in earning income. The main reason for slaughtering young and light lambs ("suckling lambs") on the island of Pag is the early start of milking and the use of lactation peak to produce milk that is processed in the famous Pag cheese. The research has involved a total of 112 Pag sheep lambs (66 males and 46 females) slaughtered at average age of 33 days. Sex did not have statistically significant efect on carcass weight, dressing percentage and weight of some internal organs of slaughtered lambs (P>0.05). Despite uniform carcass development, carcasses of male Pag lambs were statistically significant deeper then carcasses of female lambs. Besides, in carcasses of male lambs it was determined lower pH value of meat and greater L* values of MLD and MRA, althougr differences were not statistically significan (P>0.05). In carcasses of female lambs it was determined significantly (P<0,05) greater b* value of MRA compared to males. Sex of lambs did not significantly affect the chemical composition of MLD.
Keywords
Pag sheep lambs; slaughter traits; pH value; meat colour, chemical composition
Hrčak ID:
89968
URI
Publication date:
25.8.2012.
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