Comparison of meat quality characteristics of lambs weaned at eight or 14 weeks of age grazing perennial ryegrass-white clover or a plantain-clover mix
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Date
2019-07
DOI
Open Access Location
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
New Zealand Society of Animal Production
Rights
CC BY-NC-ND 4.0
Abstract
This study compared the meat quality of lambs grazing either perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture or a plantain-clover mix (plantain, red clover, and white clover) from eight to 14 weeks of age followed by a six-week finishing period on perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture. Ewes and their lambs were allocated to four treatments: 1) lambs weaned early (eight weeks of age) on a plantain-clover mix (EARLY), 2) lambs with dam grazing a plantain-clover mix (HERB), 3) lambs with dam grazing pasture >1200 kgDM/ha (HIGH), and 4) lambs with dam grazing pasture <1200 kgDM/ha (LOW). Following the treatment period, all lambs weighing a minimum of 35 kg were sent for slaughter and all remaining lambs were managed and finished as one mob on perennial ryegrass-white clover pasture for a further six weeks. Lambs that reached a minimum 35 kg live weight were slaughtered and meat samples from each lamb were analysed for ultimate pH, meat colour (L*, a*, b*), drip loss and shear force but, no difference was found in objective meat quality characteristics of lambs from different treatments.
Description
Keywords
early wean, lamb, meat quality, plantain-clover mix
Citation
Kok JC, Schreurs NM, Cranston LM, Corner-Thomas RA, Ekanayake WEMLJ, Morris ST, Kenyon PR. (2019). Comparison of meat quality characteristics of lambs weaned at eight or 14 weeks of age grazing perennial ryegrass-white clover or a plantain-clover mix. New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production. 79. Proceedings of the Annual Conference of the New Zealand Journal of Animal Science and Production, 2019, Palmerston North. (pp. 159-161).