This study offers information on the morphology (in live and in carcass), commercial characteristics, components of the liveweight, quality of the carcass and meat in no castrated lambs derived from the crossing between Border Leicester rams and Corriedale and Polwarth ewes, grazing on native pasture in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Twenty-four lambs slaughtered at 6.5 months of age were used, from which 11 were from Border Leicester rams x Corriedale ewes and 13 were from Border Leicester rams x Polwarth ewes. Significant effects between crosses were observed for carcass looses (in kg and %), weight and percentage of the skin and neck, and capacity of water retention. Relative development of the components of liveweight, carcass regional composition and tissue composition of shoulder differed between crosses and, within of each genetic group, there were quantitative and qualitative differences between shoulder and leg. Differences in carcass and meat quality were not important as to indicate that products are different, however, it should be pointed out that commercialization should be based on the weight of cold carcasses, rather than liveweight or weight of hot carcasses.
carcass; crossbreed; development; lambs; meat; sheep
