MEAT PRODUCTION OF RAM-LAMBS OF DIFFERENT ORIGIN
The research findings on meat production of ram-lambs of different origin are discussed. Improving the efficiency of the sheep industry in the Republic of Altai under current economic conditions is possible only through better use of the potential of the meat productivity of sheep bred on peasant farms and private farm households. This is facilitated by the established system of sheep breeding in the Republic of Altai - most lambs are slaughtered in autumn. The research goal is to study the meat production of ram-lambs of the Prikatunskiy type of meat-wool sheep and their crossbreeds from crossing with the rams of the West Siberian mutton breed. It was found that crossbred animals obtained from crossbreeding of the West Siberian mutton rams and ewes of the Prikatunskiy type of the Gorno-Altayskaya breed slightly exceeded the agemates of the Prikatunskiy type of meat-wool breed regarding meat production. The crossbreeds outperformed the purebred ram-lambs regarding the pre-slaughter live weight (by 0.95%), chilled carcass weight (by 1.50%), flesh weight (by 4.60%), flesh yield (by 2.32%); the purebred ram-lambs outperformed the crossbreeds by bone and tendon weight by 9.44%. The advantage of Group II lambs in terms of the fleshing index which characterized the ratio of muscle and bone tissues was 0.54. Along the study of meat qualities, the development of the interior indices was also evaluated. The crossbred lambs exceeded the agemates from Group II in terms of head weight by 3.77%, leg weight - by 12.50% and liver weight - by 6.70%. The purebred animals from Group I were characterized by better development of the heart judging by its greater weight by 2.75%, spleen weight - by 3.80%, testicle weight - by 10.45% and intestines weight - by 2.92%. The crossbred lambs from Group II outperformed the agemates from Group I regarding lung weight by 12.65%, kidney weight - by 9.76%, and skin weight - by 8.57%.