title: Sire carcass breeding values affect body composition in lambs - 1. Effects on lean weight and its distribution within the carcass as measured by computed tomography.
abstract: Data are obtained from computed tomography scanning of 1665 lambs at locations around Australia. Lambs were progeny of Terminal, Maternal and Merino sires with known Australian Sheep Breeding Values for post weaning c-site eye muscle depth (mm; PEMD) and fat depth (mm; PFAT), and post weaning weight (kg; PWWT). Across the 7.8 unit range of sire PEMD, carcass lean weight increased by 7.7%. This lean was distributed to the saddle section (mid-section) where lean became 3.8% heavier, with fore section lean becoming 3.5% lighter. Reducing sire PFAT across its 5.1 unit range increased carcass lean weight by 9.5%, and distributed lean to the saddle section which was 3.7% heavier. Increasing sire PWWT increased lean at some sites in some years, and on average increased saddle lean by 4% across the 24.7 unit PWWT range. Changes in lean weight and distribution due to selection for carcass breeding values will increase carcass value, particularly through increased weight of high value loin cuts.
authors.affiliation: Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia; School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia. Electronic address: F.Anderson@mudoch.edu.au.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Anderson
authors.affiliation: Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia; School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia; School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Pannier
authors.affiliation: Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia; School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
authors.forename: D W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Pethick
authors.affiliation: Australian Cooperative Research Centre for Sheep Industry Innovation, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia; School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
authors.forename: G E
authors.initials: GE
authors.lastname: Gardner
mesh_terms: D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000737:chemistry; D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D001823:Body Composition; D001835:Body Weight; D001947:Breeding; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D008962:Models, Theoretical; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry; D034561:Sheep, Domestic; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed; D014886:Weaning
keywords: Breeding values; Computed tomography; Lamb; Lean; Muscling