CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS AND CHOLESTEROL CONTENT OF MEAT AND SOME ORGANS OF LAMBS

The effect of breed, sex and type of birth were evaluated on carcass c haracteristics and the total cholesterol content of the meat and some organs of 36 Altamurana, Comisana and Gentile di Puglia lambs suckled by their darns. Lambs were slaughtered at 45 days of age and their rig ht sides were dissected and divided into fat, muscle and bone. Total c holesterol levels of Longissimus dorsi brain, liver and kidney were al so determined. Breed type did not affect slaughtering and dissection d ata, while single-born lambs had higher weights for carcass and most o f the single cuts. Comisana lambs had the lowest lean fraction (P<0.01 ) and the highest (P<0.01) bone fraction and female lambs had a lower (P<0.01) lean fraction than the males. Altamurana lambs had, on the av erage, a higher (P<0.05) total cholesterol content in the muscle and o rgans, whereas no differences appeared among the breed types for total cholesterol content in the Longissimus dorsi muscle.