The effect of birth type and sex on performance and carcass characteristics of Ile de France x Texel crossbred lambs was evaluated in an experiment conducted at the Department of Animal Science, Federal University of Santa Maria (UFSM). Twelve non-castrated lambs and six ewe lambs were used in the study. The experiment was arranged in a completely randomized design, with six repetitions. The treatments were: entire lambs born as single, entire lambs born as twin and ewe lambs born as twin. The average daily weight gain from birth to 21 days of single lambs was higher (P <0.05) than lambs and ewe lambs born as twin. However, after the initial lactation period, when milk is no longer the main component of the diet, it was found that single lambs showed similar performance to that born as twin. Entire lambs had higher weight gain (P <0.05) than ewe lambs after 42 days of age. Carcass characteristics of single lambs and lambs and ewe lambs born as twin were similar, except for hot and cold carcass weights, carcass internal length and leg length, for which males were superior to females.
Twin pregnancy; meat; yield; entire males; sheep
