This study has compared meat production among two groups of crossbred lambs Hampshire Down x Corriedale: 13 castrated at 45 days of age and 13 non-castrated (all born in August 1996 and slaughtered when five months old). The flock was raised on natural pasture, under an extensive grazing system, in Aceguá, Bagé, State of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The characteristics research were meat production, morfology "in vivo" and carcass, living weight components, regional and tissue composition .There is no significant difference between castrate lambs and not castrate lambs. The results showed that there is not advantage in to castrate very young lambs, when the purpose is meat production
effect of castration; sheep meat; carcass; lamb
