MUTTON PRODUCTION FROM FAT-TAILED LAMBS IN RELATION TO PLANE OF NUTRITION. II - PHYSICAL AND CHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF CARCASS USNING SAMPLE JOINTS AS AN INDEX OF CARCASS COMPONENTS.

Twenty four Ossimi single male lambs were used to study the effect of plane of nutri tion during pregnancy and first year of age on physical and chemical composition of carcass. Moreover, the relationship between physical components of the carcass and carcass joints were estimated. The results obtained could be summariezed as follows: 1- Lean; fat and bone weights of carcass increased significantly (PZ 0.01) with in
creasing level of nutrition. Carcasses from animals feeding on low level of nutri tion had higher values of lean percentage than those from lambs received medium or high levels. Leg, shoulder and flank were the most leany joints. Contrarily, loin,
ist.-6th. ribs and breast were the least leany ones. 2- Dissectible fat, both as weight or percentage, increased with increasing the level
of energy intake. Considerable fat was deposited in flank, breast and loin. While the least cuts in this respect were the 1st.-6th. ribs, 7th.-12th. ribs, shoulder
neck and leg. 3- Bone percentage in the carcass decreased significantly with increasing the level
of energy intake. Neck, ist.-6th. ribs and 7th.-12th. ribs were the bony cuts in
the carcass. 4- In all treatments, the increase in fat percentage was accompanied by a decrease in
percentages of lean and bone. 5- The leg joint components cold be used as reliable indices to predict dissectible
lean, fat and bone in the carcasses of Ossimi lambs. 6- Moisture and protein contents decreased with increasing the level of energy in
take. While intramuscular fat increased significantly with increasing level of nutrition. Loin leat had highest values of protein. Contrarily shoulder's meat scored higher percentage of intramuscular fat.