MUSCLE CHARACTERISTICS AND MEAT QUALITY OF LAMBS, GROWN ON DIFFERENT NUTRITIONAL PLANES .1. EFFECT ON CARCASS MORPHOLOGY

The information presented in this part is centred on two issues: first, the effect of zeroenergy (maintenance) and negative-energy balance (submaintenance) feeding of young lambs on their carcass characteristics, body composition and certain non-carcass parts; second, the ability of the depleted (submaintenance) lambs to resume growth at an enhanced rate following realimentation, and so reach normal adult size and proportions. The effect of nutritional stress seems to be differential on various body components. In some it merely slowed down the rate of growth; in others it stopped or even reversed the growth process. © 1979 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC.