Desempenho produtivo, econômico e características quantitativas de carcaças de cordeiras pantaneiras

Abstract

Twenty-four female lambs, all of the racial group Pantaneiro, slaughtered with 2.0; 3.0 and 4.0 mm of subcutaneous fat thickness measured byultrasound in Longissimus dorsi, were used. There were evaluated the performance, economic, and quantitative characteristics of carcass. The lambs were fed with totalration calculated for daily weight gain of 0.3 kg. Ultrasound evaluations (between the12th and the 13th ribs) and weightings were carried out each seven days; the slaughteroccurred as the lambs reached the predetermined fat thickness: 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 mmindependent of body weight.. The final weight, average daily gain and total weight gainhad a positive linear effect. There was no difference in average daily gain and feedconversion. The parameters of body weight at slaughter, empty body weight, hot carcassweight, cold carcass weight had significant differences, with the highest averages for fatthickness of 4.0 mm. There was no effect for real income carcass, commercial carcassyield and index of leg compactness leg. Linear growth in kilograms was observed in thefive commercial cuts. The economic evaluation has provided net income growing asthey increased the thickness of subcutaneous fat of animals at the slaughter. Lambsslaughtered at 4.0 mm thick of subcutaneous fat gave best results for performance andcarcass quantitative characteristics. However, lambs slaughtered at 3.0 mm showedsuperiority for economic performance by offering great profit per kg of carcass.