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With the aim to assess the kind of development of meat colour, pH, chemical composition and fatty acids content, lean meat from a sample cut, taken in correspondence of the first 4 thoracic vertebrae from 164 animals of the Cornigliese sheep breed, was analysed. The animals (104 females, 60 males) were fed with the same nutritional plan; they were between 3.6 and 80.0 months old and their body weight (BW) was between 15.90 and 111.15 kg. Prior to slaughter, the BW was recorded after 12 h of fasting. Based on BW at slaughter, animals were assigned to one of four BW-classes, identified by means of percentiles distribution: 0-25th percentile, 15.90–50.70 kg BW (n. = 42); 25th-50th percentile, 50.71–63.22 kg BW (n. = 40); 50th-75th percentile, 63.23–75.50 kg BW (n. = 42); 75th-100th percentile, 75.51–111.15 kg BW (n. = 40). They were slaughtered during 11 sessions. Data were analysed by ANOVA with sex, BW-class, year of birth (2013–2016) and interaction between sex and BW-class as fixed factors and slaughter session as a covariate. The relative growth of physical-chemical parameters of meat on BW was then calculated by applying the nonlinear allometric equation (y = axb). Proximate analysis revealed differences between males and females in protein and fat content at the highest BW-class, with males showing a higher protein and a lower fat content than females (P 0.05). Meat colour parameters were not affected by sex in the BW-classes 1 and 4 (P > 0.05), whereas in the middle phase of growth (from 50 to 75 kg BW) males showed higher values for yellowness and chroma, and from 50 to 63 kg BW, also for redness (P

The aim of the research was to assess the type of development of carcass and non-carcass components and tissue partitioning in the Cornigliese sheep breed. The study involved 164 animals (104 females, 60 males) from one flock. The selection of those animals accounted for ages and weights differences. Fasted body weight (BW) was recorded before slaughtering. Four BW-classes were identified by means of percentiles distribution: 0–25th percentile, 15.90–50.70 kg BW; 25th–50th percentile, 50.71–63.22 kg BW; 50th–75th percentile, 63.23–75.50 kg BW; 75th–100th percentile, 75.51–111.15 kg BW. After slaughter, the carcasses were weighed, measured (carcass length, croup width, chest width, chest depth, thigh length) and sectioned (shoulder, neck, thigh, ribs, loin, and lean and fat trimmings). A samplecut from 1st to 4th thoracic vertebra was then separated into its tissue components (lean meat, fat, bone). Non-carcass components (skin + fleece, head, liver, heart, lungs + trachea) were weighed. The data were analyzed using a GLM procedure accounting for the following fixed effects: sex, BW-class, year of birth and the interaction between sex*BW-class and the covariate: day of slaughter. The relative growth of carcass and non-carcass components on BW was calculated by applying the nonlinear allometric function (y = axb). We found high coefficients of variation (CVs) (from 39% to 77%) for the weight of carcass components and low CVs (from 8% to 22%) for carcass measures. Non-carcass parameters showed intermediate values of CVs (from 30% to 42%). Body weight-class had a significant effect (P

With the aim to find indirect parameters for meat production that potentially could be used for selective purposes in Cornigliese sheep breed, 368 animals were weighed and measured (16 linear measures) during two years in 4 flocks with pasture and open range management from spring to autumn and closed facilities during winter. An amount of 0.2–0.4 kg/head/day of the same concentrate was provided to growing lambs from weaning to slaughter and to lactating ewes. Thirteen morphologic indexes were then calculated from body weight (BW) and linear measures. Analysis of variance on the basis of general linear model procedure was conducted with sex, age-class, year of birth, flock, type of lambing and interaction of sex*age-class as fixed factors and individual as a random factor. The allometric function was applied to body measures and indexes in relation to BW. A positive allometry was recorded for croup width between the trochanters (CrW1: 0.381), at ileum (CrW2: 0.452) and at ischium (CrW3: 0.615), indicating that this region has the fastest growth in relation to BW. All other body measures showed isometry or negative allometry, indicating a slower development in relation to BW. The lowest common allometric coefficient was recorded for front shank circumference (FSC) (0.131) followed by head width (0.200). Among indexes, the lowest growth was recorded by dactyl-thoracic index, due to the slow development of FSC. Sex related differences in allometric coefficients were noted for height at withers and head length (P