Slaughter and carcass quality characteristics of Chios x Tahirova crossbred lambs under intensive, traditional and organic production systems

Abstract

The aim was to investigate the slaughter and carcass quality characteristics and carcass measurements of Chios x Tahirova crossbred lambs raised under intensive, traditional and organic production systems in Afyon. Intensive lambs were weaned at 71 d of age and then finished with commercial concentrates in the sheepfold until slaughter. Traditional lambs were kept with their mothers at sheepfold until 108 days old, and then they were brought out to pasture with their mothers in the daytime. Organic lambs were kept in sheepfold with their mothers until 106 days of age and then they were grazed in organic pasture with their mother until slaughter. Mixture of organically produced straw, barley and sunflower meal was supplied to organic lambs at nights. Lambs reached to 30 kg live weight were slaughtered. Mean finishing duration was 72 d, 79 d and 92 d in traditional, intensive and organic lambs, respectively (P<0.05). Lambs of three production systems had similar carcass weight, percentages of dressing and carcass joints. Lean ratio of the long leg in traditional system was higher than the other production systems (P<0.05). Organic lambs had lower percentages of omental and mesenterial fat and subcutaneous fat in long leg compared with intensive lambs (P<0.05). As a conclusion, traditional production system has better results when compared to organic and intensive production systems in terms of carcass quality parameters. Organic lambs had lower percentages of subcutaneous fat and omental and mesenteric fat than lambs of intensive system.