The effects of plane of nutrition on muscle‐fibre diamter and muscle composition of the m. longissimus dorsi in Romney ewes

Abstract In an experiment with 32 four‐ and five‐year‐old Romney ewes subjected to liveweight loss and recovery, the diameters of muscle fibres in the m. longissimus dorsi from the left side of the loin were determined post‐slaughter. While plane of nutrition affected liveweight, frozen carcass weight, weight of protein in the carcass, weight and chemical composition of the dissected m.l. dorsi , and the length of the dorsa‐ventral axis of m.l. dorsi , there were no significant effects between treatments on musclefibre diameter. Differences were, however, present between sheep within treatments.