The experiment was carried out to study the effect of crossing Border Leicester and Polwarth breeds on carcass characteristics of lambs submitted to different feed systems. Forty-eight lambs, non-castrate males, weaned averaging 60 days of age were used: 16 Polwarth (P), 16 ½ Border Leicester ½ Polwarth (BP) and 16 ¾ Border Leicester ¼ Ideal (BBP). Animals were randomly distributed in three feed systems: cultivated pasture (CP), cultivated pasture + supplementation (CPS) and natural pasture + supplementation (NPS). The lambs were slaughtered when they reached 65% of the adult live weight of their genetic groups. Genotype X feed systems interaction was observed only for rib weight. It was verified significant effect of the crossing for the variables hot carcass weight (HCW), hot carcass yield (HCY), cold carcass weight (CCW), cold carcass yield (CCY), loin eye area (LYA), sholder weight (PW) and leg weight (LW). The crossbreeding between the Border Leicester and Polwarth resulted in superior carcass weight and yields and reduction of the deposition of fat.
crossbreeding; pastures; meat production; sheep; supplementation
