Genetic parameters for meat quality and carcass traits in Australian Merino sheep.

Data from 1048 rams of three strains of Merino were used to obtain heritability estimates for carcass and meat quality traits fitting an animal model using a REML procedure. Traits analysed were eye muscle depth (EMD), eye muscle width (EMW), tissue depth at GR site (FATGR), fat depth at C site (FATC), pH and colour of the m. longissimus lumborumi (L*, a*, b*). Estimates of heritability were 0.33 (± 0.09), 0.20 (± 0.08), 0.27 (± 0.08) and 0.15 (± 0.07) for FATGR, FATC, EMD and EMW respectively. Estimates of heritability for pH, L*, a* and b* were 0.27 (± 0.09), 0.14 (± 0.07), 0.02 (± 0.06) and 0.04 (± 0.06) respectively. The heritability estimates reported here for carcass traits in Merino sheep are reasonably similar to those previously reported for other sheep breeds. This would indicate there is little need to change the parameters currently used for calculating EBVs for meat breeds when Merino data are being processed. It also indicates that there is moderate genetic variation with scope for selection for improvement in meat quality through pH and possibly meat colour.