Slaughter and carcass characteristics of Herik male lambs raised under a finishing system

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the slaughter and carcass characteristics of Herik lambs finished under intensive husbandry conditions. Twenty single male lambs, ten of which had long, semifat tails and ten of which had short, round, and fat tails, all with an average live weight of 20 kg, were used in the study. Concentrate feed and fresh water were given ad libitum and alfalfa hay as forage was given in the amount of 300 g/lamb per day. The lambs were slaughtered when they reached a final weight of 42 kg. The average hot and cold dressing percentages, based on empty body weight (36.400 kg) of Herik carcasses, were 52.56% and 51.74%, respectively. In this study, Herik lamb carcasses had measurements similar to other indigenous Turkish sheep genotypes, except for the carcasses of the Bafra breed. The carcass components of Herik male lambs, except for the foreleg, are similar to other indigenous breeds. Consequently, Herik lambs might be considered as an indigenous genetic source for meat production under the intensive fattening system.