| Twenty-eight Merino Precoce suckling lambs raised under confinement in the Mediterranean semi-humid dryland of Central Chile were studied to evaluate meat quality and major carcass characteristics. Animals were grouped by slaughter weight (10 and 15 kg) and sex (7 males and 7 females in each weight group). The average commercial and true dressing percentages were 53 and 55%, the average ribeye area was 11.7 cm², and the average dorsal fat thickness was 1.5 mm. The largest retail yields were those of the leg and shoulder, at 38 and 22%, respectively. The tissue composition of the leg was 58% muscle, 23% bone, 12% fat, 3.6% residues, and 3% shrink loss. The tissue composition of the shoulder was 57% muscle, 23% bone, 11% fat, 3.7% residues and 3.2% shrink... |
