EFFECT OF SLAUGHTER WEIGHT ON CARCASS CHARACTERISTICS OF AWASSI MALE LAMBS

Sixteen Awassi ram lambs were slaughtered at 40, 50, 55, 60 and 65 kg liveweight to determine their carcass composition and characteristics. The carcasses were jointed into neck forelegs, thorax loin, pelvis an d hindlegs. Each joint was dissected into bone, lean, subcutaneous and intermuscular fat. Most of the carcass characteristics increased when lambs were slaughtered at 50 kg liveweight. Carcass length, shin weig ht and most of the fat estimating parameters continued to increase wit h increase in slaughter weight. The mean. carcass bone and lean conten t values as a percentage of carcass weight decreased from 19.6 and 53. 7% at 40 kg slaughter group to 14.4 and 45.5% at 65 kg slaughter group . The subcutaneous fat (SCF) increased from 40 to 65 kg slaughter grou p (16.4 to 26.0%). It can be said that the optimum carcass with an acc eptable composition from Awassi male Lambs can be produced at 40 kg sl aughter weight.