FEEDLOT PERFORMANCE, CARCASS TRAITS, AND FLAVOR OF LAMBS FED ALL-CONCENTRATE OR HAY AND CONCENTRATE DIETS

Abstract

Three groups of 33, 33, and 35 Rambouillet and Suffolk lambs with average initial weights of 18.5, 18.4, and 17.8 kg were fed three different diets. Diet 1 contained 70% barley and 27% oats; diet 2, 27% barley and 70% oats; and diet 3, 19% barley, 8% oats, and 70% hay. Lambs fed the all-concentrate diets 1 and 2 required 99.1 and 104.6 days to reach market weight, which was longer (P < 0.01) than the 74.6 days required by the lambs fed diet 3. Diet influenced the amount of trimmed fat on the carcasses. Mean weights of trimmed fat were 2.65, 2.35, and 1.74 kg from carcasses of lambs on diets 1, 2, and 3 (P < 0.01). Chops from lambs fed diet 2 were assessed by a taste panel to have a less desirable flavor (P < 0.01) than those fed diet 3. There were no statistically significant differences in rate of gain or carcass measurements between the two breeds.