Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-r5fsc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-24T19:11:16.518Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false

Subjective assessment of body fat in live sheep

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

A. J. F. Russel
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, 29 Lauder Road, Edinburgh
J. M. Doney
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, 29 Lauder Road, Edinburgh
R. G. Gunn
Affiliation:
Hill Farming Research Organisation, 29 Lauder Road, Edinburgh

Summary

Subjectively assessed body condition scores, determined on the live animal, were related to the percentages of chemical fat in the fleece-free empty bodies of 30 adult Scottish Blackface ewes. The results show that body condition scores can provide an acceptable and useful estimate of the proportion of fat in the live animal, and that the level of prediction is superior to that afforded by live weight.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1969

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Doney, J. M. & Russel, A. J. F. (1968). Differences amongst breeds of sheep in food requirements for maintenance and live-weight change. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 71, 343–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Everitt, G. C. (1962). On the assessment of body composition in live sheep and cattle. Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. 4, 7989.Google Scholar
Jefferees, B. C. (1961). Body condition scoring and its use in management. Tasm. J. Agric. 32, 1921.Google Scholar
McClymont, G. L. & Lambourne, J. (1958). Interactions between planes of nutrition during early and late pregnancy. Proc. Aust. Soc. Anim. Prod. 2, 135–8Google Scholar
Murray, J. Alan (1919). Meat production. J. agric. Sci., Camb. 9, 174–81.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Reid, R. L. (1958). Husbandry of the pregnant ewe. Wool Technol. Sheep Breed. 5, 91–5.Google Scholar
Russel, A. J. F., Gunn, R. G. & Doney, J. M. (1968). Components of weight loss in pregnant hill ewes during winter. Anim. Prod. 10, 4351.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
White, A., Handler, P. & Smith, E. L. (1964). Principles of Biochemistry. London: McGraw-Hill.Google Scholar