title: Some gastrointestinal tract characteristics of Karayaka ram lambs slaughtered at different weights.
abstract: Thirty-one Karayaka ram lambs were slaughtered at different body weights (30 (n =  7), 35 (n =  6), 40 (n =  7), 45 (n =  6), and 50 (n =  5) kg of body weight at fast) to evaluate the growth of their gastrointestinal tract (GIT) characteristics, to determine the relationship among slaughter body weight (SBW) and empty body weight (EBW), whole GIT and segments, and the influence of slaughter weight on the pH of rumen, jejunum, and cecal contents. The effects of the SBW on GIT weight (P <  0.05), stomach (P <  0.001), and intestine (P <  0.05), the body length (P <  0.001) and caecum (P <  0.05), and the relative weights of GIT (P <  0.05), stomach (P <  0.001), and intestine (P <  0.001) were linear whereas that for the length of intestine were quadratic. The effect of SBW were quadratic (P <  0.05) on ratios of stomach to GIT weight and intestine length to intestine weight and rumen pH while, for the intestine to GIT weight ratio (P <  0.001) and caecum pH (P <  0.05), this effect was linear. The results indicated that for all parameters studied, with the exception of intestinal length and cecal pH, linear relationships were observed with SBW indicating steady growth rates for these tissues.
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Gaziosmanpaşa, 60240 Tokat, Turkey.
authors.forename: Arda
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Yıldırım
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Processing, Bor Vocational School, University of Niğde, 51700 Niğde, Turkey.
authors.forename: Yüksel
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Aksoy
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ondokuz Mayıs, 55139 Samsun, Turkey.
authors.forename: Nuh
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Ocak
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal Production and Technologies, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technologies, University of Niğde, 51240 Niğde, Turkey.
authors.forename: Zafer
authors.initials: Z
authors.lastname: Ulutaş
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D041981:Gastrointestinal Tract / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*; D008297:Male; D009929:Organ Size; D012756:Sheep / Q000033:anatomy & histology / Q000254:growth & development*