The objectiveof this study was analyze the colour, pH, weight loss by cooking (PPC) and shearforce (FC) of the Longissimus dorsi (LD) and semimembranosus (SM)muscles of Santa Inês (SI x SI) and Texel x Santa Inês (T x SI)lambs, slaughtered at different live weights. Thirteen males and fourteen femaleswere slaughtered at 15, 25, 35 and 45 of live weight. The carcasses were keptduring twenty-four hours at 2ºC and during that time the pH was measured.A completely randomized design in a latin square (2x2x4) arrange for analyseof colour, PPC and FC was used. Split plot arranged was used for the pH valuesanalysis. The decrease of pH of both muscles (LD and SM) was greater in thelighter animals. T x SI females meat showed higher pH values than SI x SI maleslambs. The lightness values increased and darkness was lower when the slaughterweight increased. The muscles (LD and SM) of the SI x SI males were reader anddarker. The PPC was lower in the heaviest animals and in the LD muscle it waslower in the female lambs. Male lambs muscles lost more water were harder thanof the females muscles. The decrease of the FC was related to the increase inthe slaughtering weight, and this effect was higher in the LD muscle of T xSI animals and in the SM muscle of the SI x SI animals.
