ABSTRACT
Carcass composition of Naeemi (N), Chios (C), Texel (T), Naeemi x Texel
(NxT) and Naeemi x Border Leicester Merino (NxBLM) lambs were studied at a mean
slaughter weight of 45 kg. One half of each carcass was dissected into subcutaneous fat,
muscle and bone, where dissected components were weighed separately to determine
composition of individual carcasses. The aim of the study was to compare dressing
percentage and carcass composition of lambs of the five genetic groups.
The overall means for dressing percentage, half-carcass weight, and weights of
subcutaneous fat, muscle and bone in the half carcass were 44.9% and 10.1, 0.79, 7.4
and 1.69 kg, respectively. Dressing percentage was the lowest for N (39.4%) and the
highest for NxT (47.5%), subcutaneous fat was the lowest for T (0.32 kg) and the
highest for NxT (1.39 kg) and muscle was the lowest for N (6.6 kg) and the highest for
NxT (8.1 kg). Breed differences were significant for dressing percentage, half-carcass
weight and subcutaneous fat (P<0.01), but were not significant for muscle and bone.