title: The impact of genetics on retail meat value in Australian lamb.
abstract: Lean (muscle), fat, and bone composition of 1554 lamb carcasses from Maternal, Merino and Terminal sired lambs was measured using computed tomography scanning. Lamb sires were diverse in their range of Australian Sheep Breeding Values for post weaning c-site eye muscle depth (PEMD) and fat depth (PFAT), and post weaning weight (PWWT). Lean value, representing predicted lean weight multiplied by retail value, was determined for lambs at the same carcass weight or the same age. At the same carcass weight, lean value was increased the most by reducing sire PFAT, followed by increasing PEMD and PWWT. However for lambs of the same age, increasing sire PWWT increased lean value the most. Terminal sired lambs, on average, had greater lean value irrespective of whether comparisons were made at the same age or weight. Lean value was greater in Merino compared to Maternal sired lambs at equal carcass weight, however the reverse was true when comparisons were made at the same age.
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@murdoch.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: 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: D000818:Animals; D001315:Australia; D001823:Body Composition; D001947:Breeding / Q000191:economics; D003132:Commerce; D005260:Female; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000191:economics*; D012756:Sheep / Q000235:genetics / Q000502:physiology
keywords: Allometric growth; Breeding values; Carcass value; Lean meat yield; Muscling