Maataloustieteellinen A ikakauskirja
Vol. 60: 515—517, 1988

Effect of Finnsheep crossbreeding on Lamon sheep performance:
post-mortem traits'

M. BONSEMBIANTE, I. ANDRIGHETTO and G. COZZI
Instituto di Zootecnica Universitä di Padova
Via Gradenigo, 6 35131 Padova (Italy)

Abstract. This experiment was conducted in order to study the effects of crossbreeding
of the local breed Lamon (L) with Finnsheep (F), on the post-mortem performance of F, lambs
(FxL).

Nine L and 8 FxL ram-lambs were fattened with a diet (11.6 MJ M.E./kg d.m.) based
on maize silage, dried sugar beet pulp and soybean meal, and slaughtered at 40.5 ±5.9 kg live
weight at the age of 22 weeks.

Genotype did not affect dressing percentage on empty body weight (E.8.W.) but the
crossbred lambs showed a lower incidence of the pelt (18,4 vs 20.2 % on E.8.W.; Pc.os)
and a heavier empty digestive tract (7.3 vs 6.6 % on E.8.W.; Pc.os).

The conformation and composition of the carcass were similar for both genetic types;
the hind quarter incidence was, however, reduced by the crossbreeding (43.8 vs 45.3 % on
total carcass; Pc.os).

Meat samples from the FxL carcasses showed higher redness and saturation values than
meat samples from L lambs. No significant differences were recorded for the cooking losses
and the shear force.

In conclusion it appears that crossbreeding with F is not detrimental to the post-mortem
performance of fattening L lambs.

Index words: Finnsheep, Lamon, crossbreeding, carcass composition, fattening lambs, meat quality

Introduction

Crossbreeding with Finnsheep (F) is an in-
teresting method of improving the moderate
prolificacy of the Italian local breed Lamon
(L).

Research project founded by Regione Veneto

A complete evaluation of the profitability
of this crossbreeding must however also in-
clude an assessment of its effects on the low
fat content and average muscularity which
characterize the carcasses of L ram-lambs (1,
2,5, 6).

The experiment reported here was carried
out in order to compare the post mortem per-

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JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE IN FINLAND



formance of purebred L and crossbred FxL
lambs.

Material and methods

Nine L and 8 F x L lambs, weaned as previ-
ously described (4) at the »Legnaro Ex-
perimental Farm» of Padua University, were
utilized.

The animals were fattened on a diet of
maize silage, dried sugar beet pulp and soy-
bean meal (11.6 MJ M.E. •kg ■ d.m.-1 ) and
were slaughtered at an average live weight of
40.5 ± 5.9 kg following the usual procedure of
the »Istituto di Zootecnica» of Padua (3).

The carcasses were measured and dissected
according to the E.E.C. standard method (8)
and the lean meat, separable fat and bone con-
tents were determined. Colour (Hunter L.a.b.
system), cooking losses and shear force were
also measured on m. quadriceps femoris, m.
semitendineus and m. semimembranaceus.

All experimental data were analyzed ac-
cording to the following linear model
(SPSS/PC):

Y|jk - H+G,+ Sj + GS(j + E ijk
where:
Y jjk = experimental datum;
p = general mean;
G, = fixed effect of the i ,h genotype (1 =L;

2 = FxL);
Sj = fixed effect of slaughtering day

(1-2):

GS|j = genotype x slaughtering day order in-
teraction;

E ijk = residual (0, o 2).

As the effect of slaughtering day and inter-
action were never significant in the tables on-
ly the adjusted least square means of the geno-
type effects are reported.

Results and discussion

Genetic type did not affect dressing percent-
age (% Empty Body Weight E.8.W.)
which was on average (54.3 %) similar to that
recorded in previous experiments (3, 6) (ta-
ble 1).

The crossbred FxL ram lambs showed a
lower pelt incidence (18.4 vs 20.2 % E.8.W.;
P< .01) and a higher incidence of empty diges-
tive tract (7.3 v 56.6 % E.8.W.; Pc.os) than
the purebred L lambs. This is in agreement
with the infra-vitam results, as the F X L lambs
exhibited a higher dry matter intake (4).

Confirming experiments carried out previ-
ously (7,), the crossbred FxL lambs were
characterized by heavier total internal fatty
deposits.

Carcass conformation was similar for both
the genetic types, whereas the crossbred lambs
showed a lower hind quarter incidence (43.8
vs 45.3 %; Pc.os) (table 2).

The carcass composition of the crossbred
lambs was similar to that of the purebred
lambs and previous experiments (1).

Table 1. Post-mortem traits.

Genotype Residual variance

Slaughter live weight kg 39.4 41.6 34.85
Incidence of E.8.W.:

carcass °/o 54.1 54.4 3.05
head % 4.6 4.8 0.16
fore and hind legs % 2.8 2.6 0.11
pelt % 20.2b 18.4» 2.91
empty digestive tract % 6.6" 7.3h 0.51
total internal fatty deposits % 2.6 3.3 0.45
lights (•) % 4.9 5.3 0.15

(•) Oesophagus, trachea, lungs, heart and liver. a, b: P < .05

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Table 2. Carcass composition (% carcass weight).

Genotype Residual variance

jT O4 d. off.)
Hind quarter % 45.3" 43.8» 1.01
Total lean meat % 63.6 65.1 2.84
Total separable fat % 12.9 12.1 4.87
Bone and tendons % 23.5 22.8 6.00

a, b: P < .05

Table 3. Meat redness and saturation.

Genotype Residual variance

Redness (a,):
m. quadriceps femoris 16.3a 17.5b 0.72
m. semitendineus 17.9 18.8 2.80
—m, semimembranaceus 19.0* 21.3" 2.33

Saturation (S):
m. quadriceps femoris 18.2* 19.4b 1.06
m. semitendineus 2.03 21.4 3.85
m. semimembranaceus 22.1" 24.4 b 2.84

A, B: P < .01 a, b: P < .05

Lightness, yellowness, hue, cooking losses
and shear force of the muscles were unaffect-
ed by Finnish crossbreeding, whereas redness
and saturation were enhanced (table 3).

Conclusions

The results of this experiment confirm the

positive judgement of F crossbreeding on L
sheep, as the crossbred Fx L ram-lambs
showed post-mortem performances compara-
ble to those of the purebred L ram-lambs.

Investigations are now in progress in order
to study the role of additive genetic, heterot-
ic and maternal effects in determining the
good performance of the crossbred Fx L
lambs.

References

1. ANDRIGHETTO, 1., BITTANTE, G., RAMANZIN, M. &
Bail oNi, L., 1988. (In press).

2. Bittante, G., 1988. Unpublished data.
3. BITTANTE, G., Andrighetto, 1., Ramanzin, M. &

Spanghero, M., 1988. (In press).
4. Bittante, G. & Pastore, E., 1988. Effect of Finn-

sheep crossbreeding on Lamon sheep performance;
in vivo traits. J. Agric. Sci. Finl. 60: 511—514.

5. Bonsembiante, M., Bittante, G., Andriohetto, I. &

Ramas/in, M.. 14X2. Agricoltura delle \cne/ic, 36,
343—360.

6. BoNSEMBIANTE, M., BITTANTE, G., AnDRIGHETTO, I. &
Ramanzin, M., 1988. Zoot. Nutr. Anim., 14, 5—20.

7. Maijala, K. & Österberg, S., 1977. Liv. Prod. Sci.,
4, 355—377.

8. Williams, D.R. & Bergstrom, P.L., 1980. Anatom-
ical jointing, tissue separation and weight recording:
E.E.C. standard methodfor beef. Commission of the
European Communities, EUR 6878 EN.

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