USDA-ARS, Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center, Clay Center, NE 68933-0166, USA.
J Anim Sci. 2012 Nov;90(11):4131-9. doi: 10.2527/jas.2012-5219. Epub 2012 Jun 4.
This experiment was conducted to compare meat quality and carcass composition of a diverse sampling of sheep breeds. Finnsheep, Romanov, Dorper, White Dorper, Katahdin, Rambouillet, Suffolk, Texel, Dorset, and Composite (½ Columbia rams to 1/4; Hampshire × 1/4; Suffolk) rams were mated to mature Composite ewes. Lambs (n = 804) were reared intensively, grain finished, and serially harvested over a 63-d period. Average harvest age was 216 d and average HCW was 30.7 kg. At a common harvest age, progeny of Suffolk sires were heavier than progeny of all other breeds (P < 0.05) and their carcasses were heavier (P < 0.05) than progeny of all other breeds, except White Dorper and Dorper. Progeny of Finnsheep and Romanov sires had lighter (P < 0.05) carcasses than progeny of all other breeds. Progeny of Texel, Suffolk, White Dorper, and Dorper sires had larger (P < 0.05) LM area than all other breeds. Progeny of Finnsheep and Romanov sires had smaller (P < 0.05) LM area than all other breeds. Fat thickness at the 12th rib was greater (P < 0.05) for progeny of Dorper sires than those of all other breeds, except White Dorper and Katahdin. Fat thickness at the 4th sacral vertebrae was greater (P < 0.05) for progeny of White Dorper and Dorper sires than those of all other breeds. On a carcass weight-constant basis, progeny of Suffolk sires had a lesser (P < 0.05) percentage of ether-extractable carcass fat than progeny of all other breeds, except Texel. Regardless of harvest endpoint (age-constant or HCW-constant), LM of progeny of Finnsheep and Romanov sires contained a greater (P < 0.05) percentage of intramuscular fat and received greater (P < 0.05) marbling scores than Rambouillet, Suffolk, Texel, Dorset, or Composite. Regardless of harvest endpoint, progeny of Finnsheep, Romanov, and Katahdin sires had smaller LM slice shear force values and greater trained sensory panel tenderness ratings at 7 d postmortem than did progeny of Composite, Suffolk, and Dorset sires (P < 0.05). At an age-constant basis, small differences (P < 0.05) were observed among breeds for lamb flavor intensity scores; however, when means were adjusted to a carcass weight-constant basis, breed of sire did not affect flavor intensity or off-flavor scores. These results document that each breed has relative strengths and weaknesses across traits, and that no single breed excels for all growth, carcass, and sensory traits.
本实验旨在比较不同绵羊品种的肉质和胴体组成。芬兰羊、罗曼诺夫羊、杜泊羊、白头杜泊羊、卡塔丁羊、兰布列特羊、萨福克羊、特克赛尔羊、多赛特羊和杂交羊（1/2 哥伦比亚公羊×1/4；汉普夏×1/4；萨福克）与成熟的杂交母羊交配。羔羊（n=804）集约化饲养，育肥后按序在 63 天内屠宰。平均屠宰年龄为 216 天，平均活重为 30.7 公斤。在相同的屠宰年龄下，萨福克公羊的后代比其他所有品种的后代都重（P＜0.05），胴体也比其他所有品种的后代都重（P＜0.05），除了白头杜泊羊和杜泊羊。芬兰羊和罗曼诺夫羊公羊的后代胴体比其他所有品种都轻（P＜0.05）。特克赛尔、萨福克、白头杜泊羊和杜泊羊公羊的后代的肌肉面积比其他所有品种都大（P＜0.05）。芬兰羊和罗曼诺夫羊公羊的后代肌肉面积比其他所有品种都小（P＜0.05）。第 12 肋骨处的脂肪厚度在杜泊羊公羊的后代中比其他所有品种都大（P＜0.05），除了白头杜泊羊和卡塔丁羊。第 4 荐椎处的脂肪厚度在白头杜泊羊和杜泊羊公羊的后代中比其他所有品种都大（P＜0.05）。在胴体体重不变的基础上，萨福克公羊后代的乙醚提取物胴体脂肪百分比比其他所有品种都小（P＜0.05），除了特克赛尔羊。无论屠宰终点（年龄不变或活重不变）如何，芬兰羊和罗曼诺夫羊公羊后代的肌肉中都含有更高比例的肌内脂肪，大理石纹评分也更高（P＜0.05），比兰布列特羊、萨福克羊、特克赛尔羊、多赛特羊或杂交羊都高。无论屠宰终点如何，芬兰羊、罗曼诺夫羊和卡塔丁羊公羊后代的肌肉切片剪切力值都较小，在屠宰后 7 天的感官训练小组评定中也更嫩（P＜0.05），比杂交羊、萨福克羊和多赛特羊的后代都高。在年龄不变的基础上，不同品种之间的羔羊风味强度评分存在很小的差异（P＜0.05）；然而，当平均值调整为胴体体重不变时，公羊品种对风味强度或异味评分没有影响。这些结果表明，每个品种在不同的性状上都有相对的优势和劣势，没有一个品种在所有的生长、胴体和感官性状上都表现出色。
