This work was aimed at evaluating the effects of green propolis, brown propolis and sodic monensin aditives on the carcass characteristics by means of ultrasound and after-slaughter measures such as carcass non-components and yield of retail products from lambs finished in feedlot system. Thirty-two male lambs, with eight animal per treatment, were feedlot during 64 days. The animals were fed a diet with roughage:concentrate ratio of 50:50, composed of Tifton 85 hay grass (Cynodon spp.) and commercial concentrate. The experimental design was a randomized block design, with eight animals randomly assigned according to weight and the following treatments: control, diet without additive, green propolis, brown propolis and sodic monensin. The true, hot and commercial carcass percentage did not differ between treatments, with means of 54.97; 44.89 and 41.81%, respectively. Carcass non-components and yield of retail products were not influenced by treatments. The methodology used in the determinations affected the LEA and FT measures, so that the traditional method, obtained through measures in the carcass presented the highest averages for LEA (12.14 vs. 9.08 cm²) and lowest for FT (2.42 vs. 2.69 mm). The correlation between the of loin eye area (LEA) measures of the carcass with those obtained by ultrasound scan was 0.8597. The additives did not influence the carcass characteristics, non- components and yield of retail products from lambs finished in feedlot system. The performance of LEA and marbling ultrasound measures can be used in the in vivo carcass evaluation in sheep.
additives; carcass dressing; fat thickness; loin eye area; marbling; sheep
