Search

Abstract: Forty male Italian Merino lambs were used to study the effects of four feeding systems on muscle fatty acids composition: S group—ten lambs were kept indoors, and fed with concentrate for all experimental period (89days); P group—ten lambs were allowed to graze a pasture for all experimental period; PS37 group—ten lambs were allowed to graze a pasture for 52days and shifted indoor, fed with concentrate, 37days before slaughtered; PS14 group, where 10 lambs were fed on pasture for 75days and shifted indoor, fed with concentrate, 14days before slaughtered. Grazing lowered the levels of C12:0, C14:0, C16:0 and n-6 PUFA and increased n-3 PUFA and CLA isomer compared to concentrate feeding. After a short period of indoor finishing with concentrate, the fatty acid characteristics of the meat retain a part of the benefits occurring from grazing, while a longer period seems to erase almost all the benefits from grazing. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Thirty male Merinizzata italiana lambs were divided into three groups after weaning according to live weight. The diet of the three groups differed in the main protein source used in the concentrate, soybean meal for treatment SBM, faba bean for treatment FB and peas for treatment PEA. Lambs were fed ad libitum and slaughtered at about 160days of age. Meat from the PEA group had higher proportions of the essential fatty acids C18:2 ω-6 and C18:3 ω-3 than from FB and SBM lambs and consequently its derivatives, C20:4 ω-6 and C20:5 ω-3 respectively, were higher in meat from PEA animals, compared to SBM and FB ones. The total n-3 fatty acids were highest in meat from PEA lambs and consequently PEA lambs showed a more favourable n-6/n-3 ratio. In conclusion the use of legume seeds such as peas in lamb diets positively affected intramuscular fatty acid composition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The main objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of ewe dietary treatments on the intramuscular fatty acid composition of suckling lambs. Twenty-four pregnant Italian Merino ewes were divided into two equal groups. One group (pasture-fed group) was allowed to graze a natural pasture and the other group (stall-fed group) was penned indoors and fed with hay and concentrate. After lambing, all ewes stayed with their respective lambs for the whole experimental period. Lambs were slaughtered at 100 days of age with an average live weight of 20kg. Fatty acid profiles of milk and lamb meat (longissimus lumborum muscle) were analysed. Intramuscular fat from pasture-fed lambs showed higher (P <0.001) proportions of polyunsaturated fatty acids. The percentage of lauric (C12:0; P <0.05), palmitic (C16.0; P <0.001) and oleic (C18.1; P <0.001) fatty acids were higher in the intramuscular fat from stall-fed lambs, whereas pasture-fed lambs showed greater proportions of linolenic (C18:3; P <0.001), eicosapentaenoic (C20:5; P <0.001) and docosapentaenoic (C22:5; P <0.05) fatty acids. Moreover, the intramuscular fat from pasture-fed lambs displayed a higher (P <0.001) PUFA/SFA ratio, and a lower (p <0.001) n−6/n−3 ratio. The conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) tended to be higher (P =0.07) in the intramuscular fat from pasture-fed lambs. This study confirmed that pasture enhanced the unsaturated fatty acid profile of intramuscular fat in lambs including n−3 fatty acids. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Twenty-seven Italian Merino male lambs, equally divided into three groups, were used to evaluate the effects of the dietary incorporation of citrus pulp dried by exploiting solar energy (solar-dried citrus pulp, SDCP) on growth and carcass and meat quality. The diet consisted of oat hay and concentrate, with a hay/concentrate ratio of 30/70. The concentrates of the SDCP-0, SDCP-30 and SDCP-45 groups were formulated to incorporate 0, 30 and 45% of SDCP, respectively, as partial replacement of cereal grain. The lambs were slaughtered after 80 days of feeding (at 150 days of age) and carcass and some meat quality parameters were measured. No significant differences were found in final live-weights and average daily gains among the groups. Lambs in the SCP-45 group showed impaired (P <0.001) feed conversion efficiency, lower (P <0.05) carcass weight and lower (P <0.05) dressing percentage compared with the other two groups. The majority of SDCP-45 carcasses (88.9%) fell within the bis-grid EU system (light carcasses weighing ≤13kg), while most SDCP-0 (66.7%) and SDCP-30 (77.8%) carcasses fell within the SEUROP system (heavy carcasses weighing >13kg). The bis-grid EU carcass classification highlighted how all carcasses produced an ideal meat colour and fatness, while the SEUROP grid carcass classification showed good carcass conformation and optimal fatness in the SDCP-0 and SDCP-30 groups. Carcass compactness was found to be significantly higher (P <0.05) in groups SDCP-0 and SDCP-30 compared to group SDCP-45. The histological dissection of the pelvic limb evidenced a higher (P <0.01) adiposity in the SDCP-0 and SDCP-30 groups. Chemical analysis of meat did not differ significantly among the groups. Physical analysis of the meat showed higher (P <0.05) redness value and higher (P <0.05) chroma value in the SDCP-0 and SDCP-30 groups. Based on the results of the present study it may be concluded that SDCP can be incorporated in concentrate mixtures for fattening lambs at levels equal to 30% without adverse effects both in growth and slaughter performances as well as in carcass and meat quality and, at this replacement level, it appears also to be economically convenient. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]