Strategies for Genetic Improvement of Carcass Value in Lambs

Improving carcass composition is one factor that can have an impact on lamb consumption and demand (Ward, 1995; Purcell, 1998). Increased size of cuts and decreased fatness are two factors that affect consumer acceptability of lamb (Jeremiah et al., 1993). The lamb producer that markets superior carcasses, with greater consumer appeal, expects to realize financial rewards from doing so. The expectation of greater income received from marketing superior lambs is motivation for producers to develop a strategy to improve carcass value through selection of genetically superior breeding stock. Using genetic selection to change traits measured on carcasses is different from many traits that can be measured on live animals because direct measurements are not available on the animals to be used for breeding stock. However, progress from selection on correlated traits can yield substantial changes over time.