SOME ASPECTS OF POSTNATAL-GROWTH OF ARABI SHEEP - 1 - CARCASS MUSCLE,BONE, FAT AND WHOLESALE JOINTS

Twelve age groups of 8 Arabi sheep (4 male and 4 female) each, viz. at birth, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 12, 15, and 18 months and mature age were selected for slaughter to find out the growth and maturity coefficien ts of hot and cold carcass, different carcass tissues and wholesale jo ints. The results indicated that hot and cold carcasses and carcass fa t had growth coefficients >1, whereas muscle and bone carcass had grow th coefficients <1. The maturity coefficients for hot and cold carcass es, carcass muscle and fat were <1 and were late maturing, while bone tissue was significantly >1 and was an early maturing. Muscle percenta ge increased up to the age of 4 months and than gradually decreased wi th advance of age. Fat percentage gradually increased from 0.0 up to 1 9% at maturity, while bone percentage decreased with advancing age. Sh oulder and leg joints had growth coefficients <1, while all other join ts showed significantly >1. The maturity coefficient of shoulder was > 1 and was early maturing. Leg did not significantly differ from 1 and was an average maturing, while all other joints showed late maturing ( <1). Sex had no significant effect on all growth and maturity coeffici ents of all traits studied.