Sheep & Goats

Genetic parameters surrounding organoleptic properties of lamb loin and associations with slaughter traits

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Abstract

The sale of animals for slaughter is the primary output for meat sheep producers therefore consumer acceptability and preference for lamb is essential to maintaining demand. Breeding programs for meat sheep have continuously selected for faster growing animals, resulting in selection for higher lean meat yield which may negatively affect meat eating quality. Previous studies have shown that genetic selection on meat eating quality traits of lamb is achievable. Understanding the genetic variability of lamb organoleptic properties is worthwhile to enhance the national breeding objective. This study aimed to estimate the genetic parameters associated with meat tenderness, juiciness and flavour in lamb loin from a multibreed sheep population. Measurements were obtained from 846 lambs, aged from 122 to 395 days and sourced from three finishing flocks. The M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscles were obtained post-slaughter. All meat samples were assessed for tenderness, juiciness and flavour by trained sensory panels across two laboratories. Sensory data was standardised to a scale of 1 to 9 with the mean score for each sensory trait averaged per animal. Genetic and residual variance components were estimated in Asreml using a linear animal model with flock-date of slaughter, date-by-location of sensory analysis and gender included as fixed effects, breed was included as a covariate; animal was included as a random effect for all traits. Genetic covariances were estimated using a series of bivariate animal models. Average carcass weight was 18.41 ± 0.80 kg with a mean age at slaughter of 184.46 ± 21.36 days. Scores for sensory traits were all deemed acceptable and ranged from 6.46 (tenderness) to 5.51 (lamb flavour). Moderate heritability (SE) estimates were observed for carcass weight, 0.24 (0.11) and carcass conformation, 0.27 (0.13). The heritability (SE) for tenderness was moderate (h² = 0.33 (0.13)), while juiciness and lamb flavour were lower (h² = 0.14 (0.06) and 0.07 (0.03), respectively). Phenotypic correlations between the three sensory traits were moderate, 0.56 - 0.65, while genetic correlations were moderate to strong 0.58-0.98. Genetic correlations between slaughter and sensory data showed that age at slaughter and carcass weight were negatively correlated with tenderness (-0.40 and -0.32, respectively). Carcass conformation was negatively correlated to all three sensory traits varying from -0.30 to -0.51 whereas carcass fat was positively correlated to juiciness (0.58) and lamb flavour (0.28). Heritability estimates in addition to moderate genetic relationships between carcass and sensory traits would suggest there is potential for carcass traits to be used as informative traits for assessing meat quality attributes in Irish lamb from a lowland sheep population. Thus, further investigation is warranted with relationships to growth traits investigated. Overall, the genetic parameters presented provide insight and are a valuable reference to updating the terminal sire breeding objective.

Keywords: 2026

How to Cite:

McGovern, F., Woodmartin, S., Dunne, E., Kelly, D., McCarron, p., Murphy, C. & McHugh, N., (2026) “Genetic parameters surrounding organoleptic properties of lamb loin and associations with slaughter traits”, World Congress on Genetics Applied to Livestock Production Digital Archive 2026(1): 2285386. doi: https://doi.org/10.31274/wcgalp.23673

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