Evaluation of meat quality parameters of sheep and goats

Were used two hundred fifty-two animals to identify differences in relation to live animal traits of commercially slaughtered sheep and classified by the European model of carcass classification. It was recorded live weight at slaughter (LWS) and body condition score (BCS) of animals at pre-slaughter. Most carcasses were classified as sheep under twelve months old, for which only four classes of conformation were determined. LWS was different between conformation classes very good, good and fair, with higher LWS for animals with higher conformation class, while the BCS differed only between the classes very good and poor. Animals with lower conformation classes fair and poor showed no difference in LWS, while for BCS was different only between the largest class of conformation obtained and lower for sheep with up to twelve months of age.