Lamb eating quality can be managed by using terminal sires with desirable breeding values for intramuscular fat and shear force — ASN Events
  1. Schedule
  2. Concurrent 3 - Genomic prediction in practice I
  3. Lamb eating quality can be managed by using terminal sires with desirable breeding values for intramuscular fat and shear force

Lamb eating quality can be managed by using terminal sires with desirable breeding values for intramuscular fat and shear force (#16)

Janelle E Hocking Edwards 1 , Bruce Hancock 2 , Sam Gill 3 , Richard Apps 3 , Alex Ball 3
  1. SARDI Livestock, Naracoorte, SA, Australia
  2. Rural Solutions SA, PIRSA, Roseworthy, SA, Australia
  3. Meat & Livestock Australia, Armidale, NSW, Australia

The lamb industry has made significant genetic change in growth rate, leanness and muscling, but has not been able to efficiently effect genetic change in eating quality.  Research breeding values (RBVs) for intramuscular fat (IMF) and shear force (SF5) have been developed for the Australian sheep industry and the effectiveness of these was determined in 16 prime lamb production systems.  Ewes were inseminated with semen from rams with divergent RBVs for IMF and SF5 and their lambs were processed through 13 abattoirs for seven lamb supply chains.

A 1% increase in terminal sire IMF RBV resulted in a 0.57% increase in lamb IMF and a 1N decrease in sire SF5 RBV resulted in a 0.7N decrease in shear force.  However, there were unfavourable effects of these eating quality RBVs on other carcase traits; in particular, selection for improved eating quality using SF5 or IMF RBV is likely to decrease lean meat yield.  Therefore, both eating quality and other carcase traits need to be taken into consideration simultaneously in genetic improvement programs in terminal lamb productions systems.

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