Characteristics of the carcass of lambs fed diets with corn grains conserved in different forms

The objective of this study was to evaluate the use of corn grains in different forms (corn dry grain, high moisture corn silage, moisturized corn silage) in the diet of confined lambs, and its possible effects on the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the carcass. Twenty male Bergamacia x Corriedade lambs were used. The animals were confined and fed ad libitum, assigned to five treatments consisted of dry corn: high moisture corn silage or moisturized corn silage (0:100, 50:50, 100:0). There was not effect of the treatments on the main carcass characteristics. The average true yield of carcass was 51.5%, while the yield of commercial carcass was 42.4%. Differences were not observed between the variable body condition and conformation of the carcass, in function of the treatments. The variables fat covering, fat color and fat thickness were similar. The forms of the corn grains used in the feeding of the lambs did not affect the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the carcass.