Características quantitativas de carcaça em cordeiros precoces em regime de pasto com diferentes níveis de suplementação proteica

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quantitative characteristics of the carcass of crossbred Dorper x Santa Inês lambs on cultivated Brachiaria pasture, subjected to different levels of protein supplementation (15%, 20% and 25% CP). 18 crossbred, castrated lambs, male and female, were used, distributed in a completely randomized design, with three treatments and six replications. Upon reaching 90 days of experiment, the animals were subjected to slaughter, for evaluation of carcass characteristics and the legs dissected into muscle, bone, subcutaneous and intermuscular fat to calculate the index of muscularity and the proportions and relationships between muscle, bone and fat. The muscularity index, leg weights, bone, muscle and fat; percentage proportions of bone, muscle and fat; muscle:bone and muscle:fat ratio; weight and length of the femur; weight of the five muscles and others, were not influenced by supplementation with different levels of protein supplementation. The different levels of protein supplementation do not alter the tissue composition and muscularity index of Santa Inês x Dorper crossbreed lambs on cultivated pasture.