A note on the effect of docking on fat deposition in fat-tailed sheep

Abstract

SUMMARYThe deposition of body and subcutaneous fat was compared in two groups of fat-tailed sheep, the one group docked shortly after birth and the tails of the other left intact. The slightly heavier live and carcass weights of the latter animals could be accounted for almost entirely by their significantly heavier weights of caudal fat, there being no firm evidence in support of increased internal or subcutaneous fatty deposition following amputation of the cauda.