Louvandini et al., 2007. Rev. Bras. Zootec., 36 (3): 603-609

The objective of this trial was to evaluate the effect of replacing soyabean meal with sunflower meal on carcass traits and body measurements of Santa Ines lambs. 18 intact lambs averaging 90 days of age and 141.43 kg of body weight (BW) at the beginning of the study were assigned to a completely randomized design and confined for 87 days. Animals were fed coastcross ( Cynodon dactylon) hay ad libitum plus 300 g of one of the following three concentrate mixtures: ground corn+100% soyabean meal (SB), ground corn+50% soyabean meal+50% sunflower meal (SBSF) and ground corn+100% sunflower meal (SF). Feed intake was measured three times a week while body weight once a week. The body weight, hot carcass and half carcass weights, carcass length, carcass fat cover, skin weight and thickness, thoracic (lung, trachea and heart) and abdominal (liver and kidneys) organ weights, and retail cut weights (neck, ham, loin, shoulder, rib and rib/belly) were measured after slaughter. Results showed that the average daily weight gain and total weight gain were higher in animals fed SB than fed SBSF and SF. However, DM intake expressed as metabolic weight was lower on SB diet when compared with SBSF but similar to SF diet. Weights of half-carcass as well as loin and rib/belly weights were all higher in SB than SBSF and SF diets. Replacing SB with SBSF decreased production and carcass characteristics in feedlot finishing lambs.