Carcass and noncarcass components of Santa Inês lambs fed mango meal replacing corn

This study aimed to evaluate carcass and noncarcass components of Santa Inês lambs fed diets containing different proportions of mango meal (MF) replacing corn. Twenty four Santa Inês lambs, castrated, with initial live weight of 23.3 kg, were used. Animals were housed in individual pens and fed isonitrogenous diets containing four levels of corn replaced by mango meal for 77 days. Roughage:concentrate ratio was 40:60 and Pennisetum purpureum Schum. in natura was used as roughage source. The completely randomized experimental design with four treatments and six replications was used. Considering the carcass weight and yield components, influences of corn replacement were not observed (P> 0.05), except for brisket and hindquarter weights and hindquarter yield. Quantitative characteristics of eye-muscle area (fat thickness and tissue composition) of Santa Inês lambs were also unchanged. Thus, the MF can be used as food for Santa Inês lambs without damage to quantitative and qualitative carcass and noncarcass characteristics.