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Relation between Carcass Composition and Live Weight of Sheep

Nature volume 197, pages 809–810 (1963)Cite this article

Abstract

A RE-EXAMINATION of the work of Hammond1, Wallace2,3, Pálsson and Vergés4,5, and Wardrop6, suggests that the carcass composition of a sheep, in terms of dissected bone, muscle and fat, is more closely related to its live weight than to its age. Using all the available data from these papers, including ewes and wethers irrespective of breed, age, stage of pregnancy and nutritional history and ram lambs up to the age of 2 weeks, the following regression equations have been computed for estimating the body composition of sheep from empty live weight (that is, the weight of the live animal at slaughter minus the contents of its alimentary tract):

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References

  1. Hammond, J., Growth and the Development of Mutton Qualities in the Sheep (Oliver and Boyd, Edinburgh, 1932).

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  2. Wallace, L. R., J. Agric. Sci., 38, 243 (1948).

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  4. Pálsson, H., and Vergés, J. B., J. Agric. Sci., 42, 1 (1952).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Agriculture, University of Melbourne, Parkville, N.2

    N. M. TULLOH

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  1. N. M. TULLOH
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TULLOH, N. Relation between Carcass Composition and Live Weight of Sheep. Nature 197, 809–810 (1963). https://doi.org/10.1038/197809b0

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