Determination of fattening performance, carcas s characteristics and meat quality of Zom male lambs

In this thesis, the fattening performance, slaughter, carcass, and meat quality characteristics, along with the fatty acid composition, of male Zom lambs raised under intensive conditions were determined. A total of 20 male lamb specimens born from ewes aged 2, 3, 4, and 5 years were utilized as the experimental material in research. The study was conducted at the Sheep Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Dicle University, Diyarbakır province, in 2021. Lambs weighing 22.62 kg live weight (approximately 2.5-3 months old) were fed ad libitum concentrated feed supplemented with around 200 g of lentil straw per animal daily for 56 days after an adaptation period. The live weights at the beginning and end of the fattening period were found to be 22.62 kg and 34.52 kg, respectively. The average daily live weight gain, feed consumption, and total live weight gain during fattening were calculated as 212.50 g, 1.34 kg, and 11.90 kg, respectively. The effect of maternal age on birth weight, initial and final live weights, and body measurements of the lambs was found to be insignificant (p>0.05). The slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, and cold carcass yield were determined as 34.52 kg, 16.41 kg, 15.70 kg, and 45.97%, respectively. Among the cold left half carcass characteristics, the average weights of shoulder, brisket, neck, shoulder blade, loin-hip, and leg were found to be 1.30 kg, 1.20 kg, 0.53 kg, 0.35 kg, 1.05 kg, and 2.28 kg, respectively. Regarding the fatty acid composition, the proportion of saturated fatty acids (SFA), monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), P/S ratio, and ꞷ6/ꞷ3 ratio in the MLD muscle were found to be 44.54%, 48.68%, 6.45%, 0.14, and 4.51, respectively. This study provided descriptive information on the breed characteristics of Zom male lambs in terms of fattening, slaughter, carcass, and meat quality attributes, as well as fatty acids. Conducting studies on the characterization and registration of Zom sheep, one of our indigenous sheep varieties, will also guide breeding programs to be applied to this breed.