en عمومى General پژوهشي Research <span style="font-size:11pt"><span style="line-height:120%"><span style="font-family:Calibri,sans-serif"><span lang="EN" style="font-size:12.0pt"><span style="line-height:120%"><span style="font-family:&quot;Times New Roman&quot;,serif">Efficiency in the red meat supply chain is a key determinant of the economic performance and sustainability of livestock production systems. This study presents a comparative evaluation of fattened male lambs and beef cattle using key performance indicators, including live weight, carcass yield (dressing percentage), processing losses, and the distribution of primal cuts. The analysis was based on a dataset obtained from livestock procurement records and commercial slaughterhouse operations in 2021. The results indicate that beef cattle exhibit higher dressing percentages and greater efficiency in converting live weight into saleable carcass mass compared with lambs. In contrast, lamb carcasses provide a higher proportion of premium retail cuts relative to total carcass weight. Differences in carcass composition, fat distribution, and chilling losses highlight species-specific processing characteristics within the meat supply chain. These findings provide practical insights for optimizing procurement strategies and improving processing efficiency in red meat production systems.</span></span></span></span></span></span> Meat supply chain, Lamb, Beef cattle, Carcass yield, Dressing percentage, Meat processing efficiency. 15 21 http://injvr.com/browse.php?a_code=A-10-87-1&slc_lang=en&sid=1 A.A. Avarseji amirali.avarseji@ut.ac.ir 10031947532846001609 10031947532846001609 Yes Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran A.H. Avarseji vetamiraliavarseji@gmail.com 10031947532846001610 10031947532846001610 No Graduate of Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM),Islamic Azad University, Garmsar Branch, Garmsar, Iran F. Bakhtiarynia farbakhtiarynia@ut.ac.ir 10031947532846001611 10031947532846001611 No Doctor of Veterinary Medicine Student, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran