Open AccessThe West African Dwarf Sheep II. Carcass Traits Mutton Quality
Author(s) -
A. Dettmers,
J. K. Loosli,
B. B. A. Taiwo,
J. A. Nkemeatu
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
nigerian journal of animal production
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0331-2062
DOI - 10.51791/njap.v3i2.2506
Subject(s) - loin , carcass weight , zoology , eye muscle , biology , body weight , yield (engineering) , anatomy , materials science , metallurgy , endocrinology
CARCASSES of thirty African Dwarf ewes had a yield of 42.5%, about 5 mm backfat thickness and a loin eye of about 8cm2 Primal cuts made up 85% of the carcass. The best carcasses came from ewes slaughtered between two and four years of age. Average composition of retail cuts was 66.5% muscle, 26.5% bone and 7.0% fat. Young ewes were superior to young rams both in dressing percent (yield) and primal cuts. The ewes dressed 44% as compared to 40%; their retail cuts contained 67% muscle and 26% bone against 65% and 28% respectively for rams. Compared with mutton sheep of the temperate zone the West African Dwarf stand only 4/5 as high and are 2/3 long, while weighing only 1/4 to 1/3 that of European sheep. Yet the leg, the preferred cut, was 36% of the dressed carcass is compared to European mutton.