Abstract
Proper development and function of the skeleton is crucial for the optimal growth of an organism, with rapid growth rates often resulting in skeletal disorders in farm animals. Yet, despite clear benefits for breed selection and animal welfare (HARRISON et al., 2004), the impact of bone development on final livestock characteristics remains largely undetermined. Male Shropshire lambs, sired by a ram with a high genetic potential for daily live weight gain (n=11), or a ram with a high genetic potential for both daily gain and lean content (n=12), were slaughtered at a mean age of 146 days. The femur was removed and its parameters correlated with carcass weight. Results suggest that both femur length and femur weight act as good predictors of final carcass weight in lambs. However, no effect of paternal genetics, on the femur to carcass correlations, was noted.
| Original language | English |
|---|---|
| Journal | Archiv für Tierzucht / Archives of Animal Breeding |
| Volume | 49 |
| Issue number | Special Issue |
| Pages (from-to) | 132-136 |
| Number of pages | 5 |
| ISSN | 0003-9438 |
| Publication status | Published - 2006 |
Keywords
- Former LIFE faculty
- femur
- small ruminants
- paternal genetics