Meat Productivity and Exterior Features of Russian Meat Merino Sheep of Linear Origin

Abstract

The article studied the meat productivity and exterior features of rams of the Russian meat merino breed. It was found that animals of group II (line SM-11) had superiority over their peers in group I (nonlinear) in terms of basic measurements. The experimental linear rams of group II exceeded their peers in group I: in height at the sacrum and withers by 0.8 and 1.6%, depth of the chest–7.5%, oblique body length–2.3%, chest girth–by 3.4 and cannon girth–by 3.0. This indicates the best development of linear animals. In terms of slaughter qualities, the superiority was also on the side of the animals of the II group. So, group II rams had the best result above the animals of group I respectively, by carcass weight - by 13.1% (P <0.05), by carcass weight–by 12.5% (P <0.05), by chilled carcass weight–by 12.4% (P <0.05), by carcass slaughter yield–by 1.7 abs. %. The sectional cut of the carcasses was carried out in accordance with GOST 7596-81. Deboning of meat from bones showed that the rams of the II group in terms of boneless meat yield (73.9%) exceeded their peers of the I group by 1.7 abs. %. The coefficient of meat content, namely the ratio of boneless meat to bones, was the highest in group II, 2.83, which is 0.23 units higher than in group I.