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Table 1 Descriptive statistics for growth, carcass and meat quality traits

From: Prediction of genomic breeding values for growth, carcass and meat quality traits in a multi-breed sheep population using a HD SNP chip

Trait (measurement unit)

Abbreviation

N

Mean ± SD

Range

Traits measured in the live animal

 Birth weighta, kg

BWT

1206

4.97 ± 1.01

2.1–8.0

 Weaning weight, kg

WWT

14,781

31.64 ± 6.00

14.0–51.8

 Live weight at 6 months, kg

LW6

14,146

38.47 ± 6.38

19.6–60.5

 Pre-slaughter weight, kg

PRESLT

13,744

41.95 ± 6.55

23.6–61.0

 Ultrasonic eye muscle depth, mm

EMD

7838

25.44 ± 2.87

18.0–35.0

 Ultrasonic eye muscle width, mm

EMW

7853

65.94 ± 6.03

49.0–86.0

 Ultrasonic fat depth, mm

FDM

7767

2.72 ± 1.12

0.0–5.0

Carcass traits

 Hot carcass weight, kg

CWT

13,750

18.04 ± 3.35

7.1–27.9

 Cold carcass weight, kg

CWTC

13,702

17.59 ± 3.27

8.2–27.4

 Dressing out percentage, %

DO%

13,727

42.96 ± 3.09

33.7–52.8

 Butt circumference, cm

CBUTT

13,698

65.22 ± 3.30

54.8–75.0

 GRb, mm

CGRM

13,698

5.48 ± 3.62

0.0–18.0

 X-ray weight, kg

SFWT

13,398

17.49 ± 3.29

7.7–27.66

 X-ray leg weight, kg

SFLEG

13,212

6.07 ± 1.04

2.98–9.34

 X-ray middle weight, kg

SFMID

13,210

5.37 ± 1.14

2.03–8.94

 X-ray number of rib pairs

SFRIB

13,289

13.01 ± 0.33

12–14

 X-ray fore weight, kg

SFFORE

13,228

6.00 ± 1.17

2.65–9.62

Meat quality traits

 Loin meat pH

LPH

10,241

5.80 ± 0.17

5.45–6.40

 Marbling score

MARB

10,617

3.12 ± 0.59

1–5

 Tenderness score

SHF

10,255

6.40 ± 2.14

1.45–12.99

 CIE a* after 24 h

A24

10,472

17.41 ± 2.79

9.62–26.8

 CIE a* after 48 h

A48

10,472

15.56 ± 2.27

9.06–23.82

 CIE a* after 96 h

A96

10,470

13.11 ± 2.06

6.77–19.79

 CIE a* after 168 h

A168

10,105

10.87 ± 2.23

2.25–20.8

 CIE b* after 24 h

B24

10,445

13.64 ± 2.89

4.87–20.08

 CIE b* after 48 h

B48

10,415

12.78 ± 2.59

4.86–18.57

 CIE b* after 96 h

B96

10,444

12.06 ± 2.47

4.74–17.56

 CIE b* after 168 h

B168

9992

10.78 ± 2.75

3.5–17.03

 CIE L* after 24 h

L24

10,134

39.32 ± 3.94

28.79–51.93

 CIE L* after 48 h

L48

10,135

39.33 ± 3.90

29.07–51.46

 CIE L* after 96 h

L96

10,145

39.44 ± 3.91

29.29–51.75

 CIE L* after 168 h

L168

9830

39.09 ± 4.04

28.79–52.06

  1. a: trait measured in a reduced number of flocks; b: Depth of tissue 110 mm off the mid-line in the region of the 12th rib; N number of observations; SD standard deviation