Performance and carcass and meat quality of crossbred sheep confined with and without access to artificial shade

ABSTRACT The aim of this study was to evaluate the performance and carcass and meat quality of sheep in an intensive production system with and without artificial shade available. Twenty Santa Inês × Dorper crossbred lambs were allotted to two collective stalls, one of which was covered with a black polypropylene shade net with 80% light interception, providing 2.5 m2 shade animal-1. Performance was evaluated by measuring initial weight, final weight, carcass yield, average daily weight gain, and total weight gain. Carcass and meat traits were evaluated based on the variables of fatness, conformation, loin-eye area, subcutaneous fat thickness, marbling, texture, pH, temperature, and color. Performance and carcass and meat traits were similar between the animals reared in stalls with and without shade available. The groups with and without access to shade showed initial weights of 26.52 and 25.37 kg, final weights of 35.59 and 34.76 kg, carcass yields of 45.73 and 45.50%, loin-eye areas of 14 .11 and 13.61 cm2, and marbling scores of 4.78 and 4.44, respectively. Subcutaneous fat thickness (2.02 cm), texture (3.67), and fatness (2) values were equal for both groups. Based on the results, artificial shading did not affect the performance or carcass and meat quality of the sheep.