J. Mata

Factors influencing birth and weaning weight in Canarian hair lambs.

Abstract Bermejo, L.A., Mellado, M., Camacho, A., Mata, J., Arévalo, J.R. and de Nascimento, L. 2010. Factors influencing birth and weaning weight in Canarian hair lambs. J. Appl. Anim. Res., 37: 273–275. The influence of year and season of birth, parity of dam, type of birth and sex of lamb on growth traits of Canarian hair lambs was examined using data on 3206 Canarian lambs from 1508 dams and 44 sires raised in the Tenerife Island. Ram lambs had higher (P<0.001) birth weight (BW), 60-d weaning weight (WW) and pre-weaning daily weight gain than ewe lambs. Season had no effect on birth weight but WW was the lowest in winter. BW, WW and preweaning daily gain were highest in single born lambs. Parity had no definite effect on any of the studied parameters.

Meat quality of lambs (hair and wool) slaughtered at different live weights

ABSTRACT In this research the meat quality of the two canary sheep local breeds, Canaria breed (CB) and Canaria Hair breed (CHB), was evaluated, making groups of 10 males and females from each, slaughtered at live weights of 9.78 ± 0.49 kg, 15.8 ± 0.66 kg and 24.9 ± 0.76 kg. The breed affected to meat and fat colour at 24 h after slaughter. Meat of CB showed more redness and more chroma values. Fat of CB showed greater lightness. Related to the physio-chemical analysis of the meat, CB showed higher water-holding capacity, shear force and intramuscular fat content that CHB; however, CHB showed higher protein and ash percentages that CB. In relation to fat quality, CB presented higher MUFA percentage and CHB had higher PUFA percentage. CHB showed the lower atherogenic and thrombogenic indexes. Slaughter weight affected the pH, meat and fat colour and also all physio-chemical parameters, except shear force and collagen content and the fatty acid profile. Males had higher moisture content, soluble collagen and PUFA, while females had higher MUFA. The breed effect on meat quality was shown mainly in lambs slaughtered at 10 kg. Owing to their fatty acid profile, the healthiest meat was from lambs slaughtered at 25 kg.

Effect of breed (hair and wool), weight and sex on carcass quality of light lambs under intensive management

Eighty carcasses of Canaria Hair breed (CHB) and Canaria breed (CB) were evaluated; 10 carcasses by sex, breed and slaughter weight (15.8 ± 0.66 kg and 24.9 ± 0.76 kg live weight, respectively). Breed effect was observed in measurements, fatness, commercial category and tissue composition of the carcass. CHB presented carcasses with more leg length and rump perimeter (but only in 25 kg lambs), heaviest shoulder and more muscle percentage. CB showed carcasses more fatness (8.18 ± 1.66 vs. 6.63 ± 1.46) and with more fat depth (3.90 ± 1.35 vs. 2.86 ± 1.15). CB increases its fatness faster because 16 kg lambs of CB showed similar values that 25 kg lambs of CHB (7.45 vs. 7.26, respectively). All carcass measurements, conformation, compactness indices and carcass fatness were affected by weight; 25 kg lambs showed higher values. Weight effect was also found in the tissue composition; 25 kg lambs showed more intermuscular fat (IF) percentage and less bone percentage. Sex effect was observed in first category joints, in total fat and IF; females showed higher percentages than males. In relation to carcass quality, we conclude that CB could be more commercially attractive in light carcasses because this breed increases its fatness faster and CHB more commercially attractive in heavy lambs.

Factors Affecting Days to Conception, Litter Size and Litter Weight of Intensively Managed Canarian Hair Sheep

Abstract Bermejo, L.A., Mellado, M., Mata, J., Arévalo, J.R., Nascimento, L.D. and Camacho, A. 2010. Factors affecting days to conception, litter size and litter weight of intensively managed Canarian hair sheep. J. Appl. Anim. Res. 37: 261–264. In order to assess the effect of month of breeding, year and sire on days to conception, litter size and litter weight, records on 605 lambings by 350 ewes and 13 rams were used. Days to conception were higher (P<0.01) for spring and summer breeding than mating in fall and winter. Sixty-nine percent of ewes became pregnant within 10 d of ram exposure in winter compared with 24% in spring (P<0.01). Litter size at birth tended (P=0.08) to be higher for spring breeding and lower in winter matings. Mean litter weights at birth were influenced by year of lambing and ram (P<0.01), but not by breeding season. It was concluded that the Canarian hair sheep can be used in accelerated lambing systems under intensive conditions found in the Canary Islands, because this breed presents only a mild reproductive seasonality, which allows multiple-season lambings.

Efecto de la raza, peso de sacrificio y sexo en el quinto cuarto en razas ovinas canarias

Sixty Canaria lambs and 60 Canaria Hair breed lambs (half male and half female), slaughtered to 9.78±0.49, 15.8±0.66 and 24.9±0.76 kg live weight were studied. The objective of study was to determine the effect of breed, slaughter weight and sex of lamb on percentages of fifth quarter and their components. Canaria breed lambs showed a higher weight for fifth quarter, and its percentage of edible organs was lower than in Canaria Hair breed. The intestines, skin and head were the parts that had greater weight percentage. The importance of the fifth quarter was reduced when slaughter weight increased due to lower percentage of head and legs. Males showed higher values for head, legs and bladder; females showed higher values for the skin. Skin percentage increased when increasing the slaughter weight only in wool lambs.

Effect of breed (wool and hair) and sex on the carcass quality of suckling lambs under intensive management

Carcasses of twenty lambs (10 males and 10 females) from the Canaria Hair breed (CHB) and another twenty (10 males and 10 females) from the Canaria breed (CB) of 9.91±0.73 kg and 9.87±0.80 kg live weight, respectively, were studied. In the principal component (PC) analysis, the projection of carcass measurement data in the first PC allowed for clearly distinguishing between CB and CHB. In the analysis of variance, breed effect was observed in the morphology of the carcass: CB lambs showed the longest carcasses and CHB lambs showed the widest carcasses. Due to their wider rump and shorter legs, CHB lambs presented a more compact leg index. The carcasses from Canaria lambs had the highest fat score, the heaviest shoulder and the highest total fat percentage. The carcasses from CHB lambs showed a higher lean percentage. The carcass yield, conformation, degree of fatness and tissue composition were similar in both sexes. However, significant differences in the commercial cut yield were observed: males showed heavier shoulders than females. The effect of sex on carcass quality is unimportant. The breeds are different in important characteristics for the market, such as fatness. This fact is of significant interest because it diversifies the offer and means that different markets can be satisfied.

Ecuaciones predictoras de la composición tisular de la canal en dos razas ovinas canarias

Resumen es: Se estudiaron dos razas ovinas locales, la Canaria y la Canaria de Pelo. Los animales se criaron en sistema intensivo. Se consideraron dos pesos vivos de...