The objective of this experiment was to compare qualitative carcass characteristics of 36 lambs that were finished in coastcross pasture, being 13 Corriedale, 14 Bergamacia x Corriedale, and 9 Hampshire Down x Corriedale, and 29 lambs tha twere finished in a dry-lot system, being 10 Corriedale, 11 Bergamacia x Corriedale, and 8 Hampshire Down x Corriedale. The average of the variables (scale ranging from 1 to 5), body condition score (2.70 vs 3.13.), conformation (2.65 vs. 3.35) and subcutaneous fat (2.43 vs. 2.95.) were higher for dry-lot lambs than for grazing lambs. On a scale ranging from 1 to 3, the fat color average of 1.66 and 1.94, meat color 1.66 and 1.72, and fat consistency: 1.62 and 1.83, respectively, for pasture lambs and for dry-lot lambs were evaluated. The longissimus muscle area (10.21 cm² vs. 9.03 cm²), as well as for fat thickness (1.70 mm² vs. 1.10 mm², was significantly higher for dry-lot lambs. The average for the percentage of muscle in the Longissimus muscle were 54.92 and 57.94%; for fat, 9.29 and 12.95%; and bone, 35.78 and 29.10%, respectively, for grazing lambs and dry-lot lambs. The finishing system did not affect the percentage of protein (19.71 and 19.10%, respectively), but it affected fat content, 5.43% for grazing lamb and 11.54% for dry-lot lamb. Cross breeding did not significantly affect the studied variables.
finishing systems; meat production; sheep; sheep meat
