Consumer acceptance of ram and wether meat in the U.S.A.

R.A. Field

Ruakura Animal Research Station, Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hamilton

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1984, 44: 209-210

Paired 7-rib roasts from heavy ram and wether lambs fed pelleted diets were evaluated by 70 United States lamb consumers. Forty of the 70 lamb consumers preferred rib roasts from wethers. The 40 consumers preferring meat from wethers listed milder flavours along with more tender and juicier meat as reasons for their selection. The 30 consumers who preferred meat from ram lambs did so because the roasts were less greasy and the more intense flavour was preferred. Therefore, differences in intensity of flavour between meat from rams and wethers did exist but lamb consumers were divided on their preference for a stronger or milder flavour.

Keywords: NZSAPAB; Lamb; flavour; sex; consumer acceptance; palatability

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Last Updated 03-05-1997