The objetive of this work was to evaluate the effect of sex, slaughter weight and feeding method in qualitative and quantitative characteristcs of lambs ( males and female ) of Texel breeds. The experiment was conducted, using 38 animals (20 males not castrated and 18 females ).randonly distribuited, 24 hours after birth, with their mothers, in three feeding systems (M1- females fed with corn silage, lambs having acess to creep feeding and weaned at 60 days of age ; M2- females fed with corn silage, lambs having access to creep feeding and weaned at 45 days of age ; M3- females fed with corn silage and concentrated and lambs weaned at 60 days of age). The lambs (males and females) in each method and Sex were slaughtered with 25 or 33kg of live weight. There was a significant influence (P<0.5) of feeding method and slaughter weight in the carcass weight, but not of sex. There was a significant interaction (P<0.5) among feeding methods, sex and slaughter weight in the yield of warm carcass. Related to the quantitative carcass characteristcs, the carcass length differed significantly (P<0.5) for the feeding methods, having bigger back area, carcass length and thigh thickness at higher slaughter weight, without significant difference (P > or = 0.5) between sexes. The feeding method was not significant (P > or = 0.5) for fat thickness, marbling and fatness cover; however, those characteristcs were influenced (P<0.5) by sex and slaughter weight, being the fatness cover not significant at different weights. The results showed that a best income of not castred male lambs carcasses slaughtered with 25kg, is obtained when they are submited to a good nutrition level during the growing and finishing periods.
"creep feeding"; weaning; carcass yeld; corn silage
