Effect of Tail Docking on Growth Rate and Carcass Characteristics in Libyan Sheep
Keywords:
Sheep, tail docking, weaning, growth, carcassAbstract
This study was conducted at the Sheep and Camel Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tripoli, to investigate the effect of tail docking on growth rate in Libyan Barbary sheep. It also aimed to evaluate meat characteristics, including color, distribution, firmness, and texture, as well as fat distribution around the body and within the carcass.
A total of 20 Libyan Barbary lambs of both sexes were used from birth. The animals were randomly allocated into two groups, with 10 lambs in each group. The tails of the first group, comprising five males and five females, were docked immediately after birth at the last vertebra using rubber rings. The second group, consisting of five males and five females, served as the control group. The animals were reared until nine months of age, after which eight animals were slaughtered: four from the tail-docked group and four from the control group.
The results showed no statistically significant differences between the treatment and control groups in growth rate, average daily weight gain, or final body weight ( ). Overall, tail docking did not affect the main carcass characteristics. Mean carcass weight, most external body parts, edible and inedible internal organs, and different carcass cuts were comparable between the two groups, with no statistically significant differences ( ). Similarly, no significant differences were observed in dressing percentage calculated on the basis of live weight and empty body weight, or in meat and bone distribution.
However, tail docking affected certain carcass characteristics, particularly external appearance and the distribution of fat around and within the carcass. Fat deposition around the carcass and internal organs, including the abdominal cavity, stomach, intestines, liver, and kidneys, as well as subcutaneous fat and fat in the pelvic region, was generally greater in the tail-docked animals, although these differences were not statistically significant. A statistically significant difference was observed only in fat deposition around the kidneys ( ).
Meat color was light red in carcasses from the tail-docked animals and pink in those from the control group. Meat firmness was moderate in both groups. The eye muscle area was 6.76 cm² in the tail-docked group and 6.07 cm² in the control group.
References
• Al Jassim, R. A. M., Brown, G., Salman, E. D., & Abodabos, A. (2002). Effect of tail docking in Awassi lambs on metabolizable energy requirements and chemical composition of carcasses. Animal Science, 75(3), 359–366.
• Alkass, J. E., Rashid, N. H., Ali İshak, M., & Talib, H. (1985). The combined effects of docking and castration on growth rate and carcass characteristics of Awassi lambs. World Review of Animal Production, 21, 49–52.
• Atti, N., & Mahouachi, M. (2011). The effects of diet, slaughter weight and docking on growth, carcass composition and meat quality of fat-tailed Barbarin lambs: A review. Tropical Animal Health and Production, 43(7), 1371–1378.
• Bedhiaf-Romdhani, S., Djemali, M., Zaklouta, M., & Iniguez, L. (2008). Monitoring crossbreeding trends in native Tunisian sheep breeds. Small Ruminant Research, 74(1-3), 274–278.
• Bicer, O., Pekel, E., & Güney, O. (1992). Effects of docking on growth performance and carcass characteristics of fat-tailed Awassi ram lambs. Small Ruminant Research, 8(4), 353–357.
• Bingol, M., Aygün, T., Gokdal, Ö., & Yılmaz, A. (2002). The effects of docking on fattening performance and carcass characteristics of male Norduz lambs (Research Report). Research Fund of Yuzuncu Yıl University.
• Bingol, M., Aygün, T., Gokdal, Ö., & Yılmaz, A. (2006). The effects of docking on fattening performance and carcass characteristics in fat tailed Norduz male lambs. Small Ruminant Research, 64(1-2), 101–106.
• Cengiz, F., & Arik, İ. Z. (1994). Effects of tail docking on fattening performance and carcass characteristics of Akkaraman lambs (Scientific Research and Studies Vol. 750, Publication No. 1356). Faculty of Agriculture, Ankara University.
• Duncan, D. B. (1955). Multiple range and multiple F tests. Biometrics, 11(1), 1–42.
• Gokdal, Ö., Aygün, T., Bingol, M., & Karakus, F. (2003). The effects of docking on performance and carcass characteristics of male Karakaş lambs. South African Journal of Animal Science, 33(3), 185–192.
• Gokdal, Ö., Aygün, T., Bingol, M., & Karakus, F. (2004). The effects of docking on performance and carcass characteristics of male Karakaş lambs. South African Journal of Animal Science, 33(3). doi.org
• Gursoy, O., Ozcan, L., & Pekel, E. (1992). Effects of castration and docking on carcass characteristics of Awassi lambs. Çukurova Üniversitesi Ziraat Fakültesi Dergisi, 4(4), 88–95.
• Isani, G. B., Yaqoob, M., Khan, B. B., Younas, M., & Hanjra, S. H. (2012). A comparative study of effect of docking fat-tailed sheep and crossbreeding fat tailed and thin-tailed sheep on growth and carcass characteristics. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 49(1), 87–93.
• Karakuş, F., & Cengiz, F. (2001, October 24–26). Effects of docking on fattening performance and carcass characteristics of fat tailed sheep [Paper presentation]. GAP II. Agricultural Congress, Şanlıurfa, Turkey.
• Kridli, R. T., Said, S. I., & Al-Yacoub, A. N. (1999). Libido testing and the effect of exposing sexually naïve Awassi rams to estrous ewes on sexual performance. Small Ruminant Research, 32(2), 149–152.
• Magid, A. F., Zaied, A. A., & Sheraha, A. M. (1992). The Libyan Barbary sheep: I. Reproductive traits. Libyan Journal of Agriculture, 13, 5.
• Marai, I. F. M., Nowar, M. S., & Bahgat, L. B. (1987). Effect of docking and shearing on growth and carcass traits of fat-tailed Ossimi sheep. The Journal of Agricultural Science, 109(3), 513–518.
• Mohammady, M. I., Shehata, M. F., & Hammam, A. H. (2018). Impact of docking on growth traits, carcass characteristics and some blood parameters of male Barki lambs. Desert Research Center, Animal Production and Poultry Division, Cairo, Egypt.
• Moharrery, A. (2007). Effect of docking and energy of diet on carcass fat characteristics in fat-tailed Badghisan sheep. Small Ruminant Research, 69(1-3), 208–216.
• Negussie, E., Rottmann, O. J., Pirchner, F., & Rege, J. E. O. (2003). Patterns of growth and partitioning of fat depots in tropical fat-tailed Menz and Horro sheep breeds. Meat Science, 64(4), 491–498.
• Orihuela, A., & Ungerfeld, R. (2019). Tail docking in sheep (Ovis aries): A review on the arguments for and against the procedure, advantages/disadvantages, methods, and new evidence to revisit the topic. Livestock Science, 230, Article 103831.
• SAS Institute. (1991). SAS User's Guide. SAS Institute Inc.
• Sarvar, E. N., Moeini, M. M., Poyanmehr, M., & Mikaeli, E. (2009). The effects of docking on growth traits, carcass characteristics and blood biochemical parameters of Sanjabi fat-tailed lambs. Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences, 22(6), 796–802. doi.org
• Tilki, M., Saatci, M., Aksoy, A. R., & Kirmizibay, T. (2010). Effect of tail docking on growth performance and carcass traits in Turkish Tuj lambs. Journal of Animal and Veterinary Advances, 9(15), 2094–2097.
• Yousefi, A. R., Kohram, H., Zare Shahneh, A., Nik-khah, A., & Campbell, A. W. (2012). Comparison of the meat quality and fatty acid composition of traditional fat-tailed (Chall) and tailed (Zel) Iranian sheep breeds. Meat Science, 92(4), 417–422.
