A study of metabolic differences between fat and meaty Southdown sheep : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Agricultural Science in Animal Science at Massey University

Abstract

The level of fatness in sheep meats is a key factor taken into account by consumers at all levels. With pricing structures offered to producers now starting to reflect this demand, there is a need for an increased understanding of the factors which affect the composition of growth so that the producer will be able to more efficiently adjust the growth patterns of young animals. The basic objective in the long term is to develop an animal which grows an increased proportion of lean tissue more efficiently (Simm and Smith 1984) . Selection of lean growing animals by existing methods of body composition estimation is hampered by low correlations with true composition. The identification of metabolic markers of genetic merit for lean meat production is being attempted in the hope that these markers will improve the potential rate of genetic gain. [From introduction.]