Fattening performance, carcass and meat quality characteristics of Kivircik male lambs

The objective of this study was to determine the fattening performance and carcass and meat quality characteristics of Kivircik twin male lambs. Twelve lambs at approximately 5 months of age were subjected to a finishing diet for 60 days. Average live weight of lambs at the beginning and the end of the fattening were 23.14 +/- 0.84 and 39.0 +/- 1.01 kg, respectively. Daily live weight gain and feed conversion efficiency were found as 0.265 +/- 0.007 and 6.14 kg, respectively. Hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, and dressing percentage were 19.6 +/- 0.6 and 18.9 +/- 0.6 kg and 48.1 +/- 0.3%, respectively. Kidney-pelvic fat weight, internal fat weight, and m. longissimus dorsi area were 0.117 +/- 0.023 and 0.364 +/- 0.041 kg and 15.26 +/- 0.70 cm(2), respectively. The percentages of leg, back loin, forearm, shoulder, neck, flank-chest, kidney-pelvic fat, and internal fat in carcasses of the lambs were found as 34.1 +/- 0.4%, 19.6 +/- 0.3%, 21.0 +/- 0.2%, 7.0 +/- 0.3%, 10.5 +/- 0.3%, 7.2 +/- 0.2%, 1.3 +/- 0.1%, and 1.8 +/- 0.1%, respectively. Averages water content, ash, protein content, and fat content of meat samples were 73.4%, 1.0%, 19.5% and 3.6%, respectively. pH and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances values of meat samples were 5.55 and 0.056 +/- 0.017. L*(lightness), a*(redness), and b*(yellowness) values were recorded as 43.87, 12.69, and 10.22, respectively. Thus, we conclude that fattening performance, carcass, and meat quality of Kivircik lambs are satisfactory levels than that of other native breeds.