BROOKINGS, S.D. – Vernon Meinberg of New Hampton, Iowa, exhibited the champion carcass of the 2008 National Lamb Performance Classic held at South Dakota State University (SDSU).

Ken Hykes of Adel, Iowa, consigned the Reserve Champion pen of three lambs.

SDSU Shepherd Rob Zelinsky said the National Lamb Performance Class (NLPC) is a progeny performance test designed to evaluate genetic superiority for growth and carcass merit.

This year, 96 lambs in 24 pens of four started the test March 28, 2008, at SDSU. Average daily gain, feed intake and pen feed efficiency were calculated for a 63-day test period.

A record average daily gain of 1.06 pounds was set for the 96 lambs in the test. The top performing lamb reached 1.33 pounds of average daily gain.

Pen feed efficiency (F:G) for all 24 pens was 4.41 pounds of feed per pound of gain. Several pens of lambs posted test period feed efficiency below 3.85, and outstanding carcass merit values were recorded on these high-performance lambs.

The final live test weight was 128 pounds yielding an average fat depth of 0.19 inches, which correlates to a U.S. Department of Agriculture Yield Grade 2.

Ribeye area average was 3.06 square inches, and more than two-thirds of the lambs produced ribeyes measuring more than 2.9 square inches.

These objective measures, along with body wall thickness and hot carcass weight, were used to predict the percent boneless closely trimmed retail cuts, or BCTRC, which serves as an index of carcass leanness.

Meinberg’s winning carcass posted a 3.55 square inch loin eye, one-tenth-inch fat depth at the 12th rib, and a 50.33 percent BCTRC.

Open Class individual division winners included Rufus DeZeeuw, Elkton, S.D., who took both first and fourth place; Ken Hykes, Adel, Iowa, second; and Mike Kaufman, Dysart, Iowa, third.

Sired by a Suffolk ram, Hykes’ pen feed efficiency for these lambs was 3.84 pounds of feed per pound of gain throughout the 63-day finishing period.

DeZeeuw exhibited the Open Class Champion pen of three lambs, and Hykes showed the Reserve Champion in this class.

Tanner Lundberg, Pilot Mound, Iowa, took the top four spots in the junior division, and also exhibited the junior division Champion Pen of three lambs. Caleb Englin, Bruce, S.D., exhibited the Reserve Champion Pen of three lambs.

Sheep producers from Iowa, Minnesota and South Dakota consigned the lambs.

The 2009 National Lamb Show now is being planned. Call SDSU Shepherd Rob Zelinsky, (605) 693-3808, or SDSU Sheep Specialist Jeff Held, (605) 688-5433. Zelinsky also can be reached at Robert.Zelinsky@sdstate.edu.

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