A description of procedures and associated errors for chemical analyses of whole bodies of sheep.

As part of a comparative slaughter experiment, whole bodies of 24 lambs were analyzed for dry matter, nitrogen, ether-extract, ash and energy content. A large carcass grinder (“Wolfking”) was used to homogenise the carcass and offal components separately. The various mixing, sampling and analytical procedures are described in detail.  Errors expressed as coefficients of variation associated with dry matter, protein, fat, ash, and energy determinations were 0.62; 1,45; 1.39; 1.53; and 1,63%, respectively. Energy values calculated for protein and fat by regression on total energy were close to the values proposed by Brouwer (1965). The average sums of per cent protein, fat and ash in the dry matter of the carcass and offal deviated by less than 1% from 100%. In the wool, however, these fractions added up to only about 95%. This difference is partly ascribed to a nitrogen-free extract fraction coming from accumulated dust from feedstuffs on the wool of the animals.