Effect of type of suckling and length of lactation period on carcass and meat quality in intensive lamb production systems.

This study examined the effect of the type of suckling and length of lactation period on carcass characteristics and lamb meat quality in the Manchega Spanish breed. Fifty-eight lambs were divided into three groups differing in their management systems from birth to slaughter: The first group (W; n=21) was weaned at 35 days old. In the second one (HW; n=18) ewes were subjected to milking simultaneously with suckling of lambs ("half milk") from 15 to 45 days old. The third group (UW; n=19) remained with their mothers from birth to slaughter. UW lambs had higher dressing proportion (48.3%) than the other two groups, a higher fatness score (6.1) and larger amounts kidney and pelvic fat (342.63 g). Shrinkage losses and carcass conformation score did not differ among groups. Among the meat quality traits, UW lambs had higher L* parameter values (50.2). No statistical differences were found in the other parameters assessed.