Lambs of "improved Pirot sheep", divided into three groups (6 male and 6 female in each group). The first group of lambs was fattened for 60 days, the second 120 and the third 180 days. At the end of the fattening, the lamb is slaughtered by the usual technique. Objective of this research was measurement of body mass prior to slaughtering, slaughter weight and to determine the meat yield (dressing percentage) depending on the length of the fattening and gender of the lamb. With increasing of

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... tening weights and fattening time, the yield of meat decreases, because the weight of the offal increases. Between all three groups for male and female lambs in a body mass before slaughtering, in a mass of a warm carcass with head and offal, in a body mass of a cold carcass with head and offal, in a body mass of a cold carcass without a head and offal there is a significant difference on the level (Р<0,001). In a dressing percentage of a warm carcass with head and offal, a dressing percentage of a cold carcass with head and offal, as well as a dressing percentage of a cold carcass without head and offal, for male and female lambs, there are a significant difference between the first and the second and the first and the third group levels (P<0.001). The results of examination the slaughtering characteristics show that female lambs of the first group achieved significant (P<0.05) higher yield of meat, compared to male lambs. Differences in other examined properties are not statistically significant. In the second group, the male lambs achieved higher body mass before slauthering and slaughter mass of female lambs (P<0.05), but no significant differences were found in the yield of meat. In the third group, male lambs achieved higher body mass before slauthering and slaughter mass, but female achieved higher yield of meat (P<0.05).