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Feed supplementation with alpha-linolenic acid (ALA) and linoleic acid (LA) increases their content in muscle, ALA increases n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and decrease n-6/n-3 ratio in muscle, and LA increases rumenic acid. However, high LA supplementation may have negative effects on lambs'' lipid oxidative stability of meat. When the sources of ALA and LA are fed as fresh forage, the negative effects are counterbalanced by the presence of other bioactive compounds, as vitamin E (mainly alpha-tocopherol) and polyphenols, which delay the lipid oxidation in meat. There is a wide consensus on the capability of vitamin E delaying lipid oxidation on lamb meat, and its feed content should be adjusted to the length of supplementation. A high dietary inclusion of proanthocyanidins, phenolic compounds and terpenes reduce the lipid oxidation in muscle and may improve the shelf life of meat, probably as a result of a combined effect with dietary vitamin E. However, the recommended dietary inclusion levels depend on the polyphenol type and concentration and antioxidant capacity of the feedstuffs, which cannot be compared easily because no routine analytical grading methods are yet available. Unless phenolic compounds content in dietary ingredients/supplements for lambs are reported, no specific association with animal physiology responses may be established.

The significant genes identified by SAM in VE vs. CON contrast. (DOCX 62 kb)

Hierarchical clustering analysis in subcutaneous fat using 330 SAM genes. (DOCX 290 kb)

DAVID Functional Annotation Clustering of SAM genes in VE vs. CON muscle L. Thoracis. Only is shown the 2 most enrichment cluster. (DOCX 16 kb)

DAVID Functional Annotation Clustering of SAM genes in VE vs. CON muscle L. Thoracis. Only is shown the 2 most enrichment cluster. (DOCX 16 kb)

The Pampa-Corte model developed to simulate growth of beef cattle was adapted to simulate lamb growth. This paper has the objective to describe the main modifications and the fitness of model in the simulations of lamb growth. To validate the model two datasets from Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón (Zaragoza, Spain) were used. The first one used data from 29 male and 10 female lambs of Rasa Aragonesa breed born in spring of years 2005, 2006 and 2008. The second data came from 32 male lambs of Churra Tensina breed born in spring of years 2004 and 2007. The model showed good fit between observed and simulated data in intensive finishing lamb systems, although small deviations were observed after slaughtering the first animals that reached the commercial live-weight (LW) of 22kg. O modelo Pampa Corte, que foi desenvolvido com a finalidade de simular o crescimento corporal de bovinos de corte, foi adaptado para a simulação do crescimento de ovinos. Este artigo tem como objetivo descrever as principais modificações e o desempenho do modelo na simulação do crescimento de cordeiros. Para a avaliação do modelo, foram utilizados dois conjuntos de dados de dois experimentos do Centro de Investigación y Tecnología Agroalimentaria de Aragón, Zaragoza, Espanha. O primeiro conjunto contém dados de 29 cordeiros e 10 cordeiras da raça Rasa Aragonesa, nascidos na primavera dos anos 2005, 2006 e 2008. O segundo conjunto com dados experimentais de 32 cordeiros da raça Churra Tensina, nascidos na primavera de 2004 e 2007. Os resultados simulados pelo modelo, quando comparados com os dados experimentais, demonstraram um ótimo desempenho do modelo, principalmente até o início do abate dos primeiros animais que alcançavam o peso meta experimental de 22kg. O modelo Pampa Corte adaptado para a simulação de crescimento de ovinos demonstrou alta precisão na simulação em sistemas intensivos de engorda de cordeiros.

Se sacrificaron 129 corderos tipo Ternasco de las razas Churra Tensina y Rasa Aragonesa a un peso vivo entre 22 y 24 kg. Se midieron los espesores de grasa subcutánea y el ancho y profundidad del músculo en la 10ª vértebra torácica a tres distancias de la línea media dorsal por medio de ultrasonidos en la canal caliente. Estas mismas medidas se realizaron con calibre en la canal fría y se realizó la disección en músculo, grasa total y hueso. Las medidas de ultrasonidos y de canal fría se compararon y se desarrollaron ecuaciones de predicción de la composición de la canal. El objetivo de este trabajo fue estudiar la exactitud de las medidas de ultrasonidos realizadas en canal caliente y su utilidad para estimar la composición de la canal en el rango de pesos del cordero tipo Ternasco. Las medidas de ultrasonidos en canal subestimaron los espesores medidos en canal fría. Los espesores de grasa medidos por ultrasonidos con interfase tuvieron menor diferencia que los medidos sin interfase con el espesor de la grasa de la canal fría en cualquiera de los tres puntos usados. El peso de la canal caliente explicó en mayor porcentaje la composición de la canal. Para mejorar la fiabilidad de las ecuaciones sería necesario ampliar el rango de pesos utilizados.

CCW, the assess of FC on two scores (1-5) and (1-15) and the assess of KKCF amount on two scores (1-3) and (1-9) were used as predictors of leg and rib tissue composition of 31 Blanca Celtibérica kids, with an average CCW of 6,9± 2,1 Kg. Proportionately 97% of the variation in muscle weight was accounted for by variation in CCW and the inclusion of KKCF amount scored from 1 to 9 improve the precision of the prediction 1%, reducing the RSD in 11,8%. The inclusion of KKCF amount (scored 1-3) did not improve the precision of the rib muscle composition but reduced the RSD in 6,2%. In relation to bone composition of both joints, 95% and 73% of the variation of the leg and rib bone weight, respectively were accounted for by variation on CCW. The 87 and 85% of the leg and rib fat weight variation were accounted for by variation in CCW associated with fat score (1-15) and KKCF amount (1-3) with a RSD of 17 and 32,4 g, respectively. El peso canal fría, grado de engrasamiento con dos escalas de (1-5) y de (1-15) puntos y cantidad de grasa pélvico renal con dos escalas de puntuación (1-3) y (1-9) fueron utilizados como predictores de la composición tisular de la pierna y costillar de 31 cabritos de raza Blanca Celtibérica, con una media de peso canal fría de 6,9± 2,1 Kg. La variación del peso canal fría explicó el 97% de la variación en el peso del músculo de ambas piezas y la entrada en el modelo de la cantidad de grasa pélvico renal (1-9) incrementó un 1% la precisión de la estimación del peso del músculo del costillar con una reducción asociada del RSD de un 11,8%. A su vez la entrada en la ecuación de predicción del peso del músculo del costillar, de la cantidad de grasa pélvico renal (1-3) no mejoró la precisión de la estimación, pero sí que supuso un 6,2% de reducción del RSD. Respecto a la predicción del peso del hueso en ambas piezas, el 95% de la variación en el peso del mismo en la pierna, fue explicado por la variación en el peso de la canal fría, mientras que la variación en el peso de esta misma variable tan solo explicó el 73% de la variación en el peso del hueso del costillar. Finalmente, la variación del peso canal fría, engrasamiento (1-15) y cantidad de grasa pélvico renal (1-3) explicó el 87 y 85% de la variación en el peso de la grasa total de la pierna y costillar con unas RSD asociadas de 17,0 y 32,4 g, respectivamente.

Forty six single male lambs of Churra Tensina mountain breed with a live weight ranging from 19.9 to 24.4 Kg producers of carcass type Temasco, were scanned by ultrasound (ALOKA model SSD-900, with a 7.5 MHz sounder) to determine M. Longissimus dorsi depth and subcutaneous fat thickness between the I Olh_l ]lh, 12th_13th dorsal vertebra and PI_2nd, 3rd_4lh lumbar vertebra. Lambs were slaughtered after 24 h. fasting. Carcasses were cooled at 4' C for 24 h. and halved. The left side was divided according to a standardised jointing procedure, based on six anatom ically regions: shoulder. long leg, anterior ribs, ribs, flank and neck. Each joint was then dissected into muscle, bone plus remainder and subcutaneous, inter-muscular, kidney and pelvic fat. The in vivo ultrasound measurements plus slaughter weight were fitted to predict carcass tissue composition by Stepwise regression analysis. All the developed models were highly significant (P

Published

Sheep farming systems in Spain are experiencing an intensification process, characterised by a general selection criteria of enhancing prolificacy in ewes, and by increasing indoor feeding with concentrates to the detriment of grazing. This study evaluated the effects of concentrate supplementation and prolificacy on productive and economic performance of a local sheep breed in different price scenarios. Ewes were fed forage hay ad libitum, without (in pre-partum period, PRE-HAY; and in post-partum period, POST-HAY) or with concentrates (300 g/d in pre-partum period, PRE-CON; and 750 g/d in post-partum period, POST-CON). The inclusion of concentrate during the pre-partum period (last 10 weeks of pregnancy) had no effect on the productive performance of the ewes. In contrast, the inclusion of concentrate in the post-partum period (6 weeks), resulted in greater milk yield (1009 vs. 1275 ± 89 g/d), lamb average daily gain (151±12 vs. 225±19 g/d) and lamb output (kg of lamb LW weaned). However, the greater productivity thanks to the use of concentrates did not always turn into greatest profitability, since the economic margin was highly influenced by the cost of the diet and extremely subjected to variability in price of concentrates. Hence, the inclusion of concentrates in sheep meat production was not always justified in economic terms. In conclusion, the use of concentrates should only be considered as long as prices of commodities remain low, and inadvisable when prices reach a certain threshold or are subject to certain volatility in markets. This study was supported by the Ministry of Science and Innovation of Spain and the European Union Regional Development Funds (INIA PET2007-06-C03-01; RZP2009-005) and the Research Group Funds of the Aragon Government (A49 and A11).