Carcass and Meat Yield of Local Lambs Fed Rations Containing Different Proportions of Grass, Legume Trees and Concentrate

Abstract

ABSTRACT Local lambs are usually raised semi-intensively on forage based diet. The aim of this study was to compare carcass and meat yield of local lambs given rations containing different propOliions of grass (Brachiaria humidicola), legume mixture (Leucaena leucocephala and Gliricidia sepium) and concentrate during a four months experimental period. Twenty males of six month old thin-tailed lambs with live weight range of 11 - 16.6 kg were used in this study. They were allotted to five different ration treatments; those were lambs kept in cage and given 90% grass and 10% concentrate (R1), 70% grass and 30% legume mixture (R2), grazing lambs on Brachiaria humidicola pasture (R3), grazing lambs with 30% mixture supplementation (R4) and grazing lambs with 10% concentrate supplementation (R5). The observed parameters included slaughter weight, carcass weight and percentage, loin eye area, kidney-pelvic and heart fat weight, carcass component weight and percentage, and meat weight distribution within wholesale cut. The results showed that there were significant (P<0.05) between treatment differences in slaughter and carcass weights, and therefore carcass composition. The grazing lambs with 30% mixture supplementation (R4) yielded more meat within wholesale cuts as they had heavier slaughter and carcass weights and carcass muscle. In conclusion, the locallanlbs grazing on Brachiaria humidicola pasture with 30% legume mixture supplementation gave the best result in terms of slaughter weight, carcass weight and meat yield within wholesale cuts.