Establishment of Prediction Equations for Tissue Weight and Chemical Composition of Gangba Sheep Based on Carcasses Weight

Background: Gangba sheep are vital for Qinghai-Tibet Plateau sheep production, accurately predicting their carcass tissue weight and chemical composition is essential for optimizing production. Methods: Eighteen male Gangba lambs, weighing between 23.7 and 33.3 kg, were slaughtered and analyzed to develop predictive equations based on slaughter body weight (SBW), empty body weight (EBW) and fleece-free empty body weight (FF-EBW). Result: The findings demonstrated significant correlations between EBW and tissue weights for bone, muscle, fat and hide, with adjusted r² values of 0.59 or higher (P less than 0.01). Additionally, FF-EBW showed strong correlations with nutritional contents such as moisture, dry matter (DM), protein, fat and ash, with adjusted r² values of 0.55 or higher (P less than 0.01). These results underscore the potential of EBW and FF-EBW as reliable indicators for estimating tissue weight and chemical composition in Gangba sheep carcasses. This study provides valuable insights for optimizing meat production processes and enhancing economic efficiency in sheep farming, particularly on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.