Table 2.
Least squares means for the main effect of season on lamb carcass characteristics in the Intermountain West over 1 yr1
| Carcass trait2 | n | Summer | Spring | SEM4 | P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| HCW, kg | 8,979 | 37.3b | 40.39a | 1.47 | 0.05 |
| 12th rib fat depth, mm | 8,977 | 7.10b | 7.97a | 0.36 | 0.03 |
| Body-wall thickness, mm | 8,964 | 28.32 | 29.23 | 1.24 | 0.51 |
| LMA, cm2 | 8,978 | 15.65b | 16.62a | 0.40 | 0.04 |
| %BCTRC3 | 8,961 | 44.20 | 43.99 | 0.32 | 0.56 |
1Seasons are classified as summer = May–August, spring = December–April.
2Longissimus muscle area (LMA), 12th rib fat, and body-wall thickness were measured between the 12th and 13th ribs of both sides and averaged for analysis.
3Calculated %BCTRC, calculated percentage of boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts.
4The largest of the SE of the means are shown.
a,bmeans in the same row that do not share a common superscript letter differ (P < 0.05).