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Byline: Isam T. Kadim, Osman Mahgoub This study aimed to investigate the effect of camel age on meat quality and muscle composition. Samples of Longissimus thoracis muscle were randomly collected from 14 Arabian one-humped camels (Camelus dromedarius) of two age groups: Group 1 (2-4 year-old) and Group 2 (4-8 year-old) at the Muscat Municipality central slaughterhouse. Meat quality including muscle ultimate pH, W-B-shear force, expressed juice and colour lightness (L*), redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) were determined. Moisture, Crude Protein, fat and ash contents of freeze dried samples were determined mineral content was determined using an Inductively Coupled Plasma Emission Spectrometer (ICP). Group 1 had significantly lower ultimate pH value (5.71) and Warner-Bratzler (WB)-shear force value (6.98) and higher expressed juice (29.60 cm[sup.2] g−1) than those collected from Group 2 (6.91, 13.4 and 21.26 cm[sup.2] g−1, respectively). Camel meat from Group 2 (older camels) had significantly lower L* (31.69 vs. 37.74: p < 0.01), higher a* (16.18 vs. 13.37: p < 0.05) and b* (7.26 vs. 6.09) than meat from Group 1 (younger camels). The protein content decreased whereas that of fat increased with camel age. Mineral content of muscle generally tended to increase with the age of the camel. This study indicated that age had significant effects on quality characteristics of Arabian camel meat and confirmed that camel meat is healthy and nutritionous as it contains low fat (especially young camels) as well as being a good source of minerals.

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Abstract: Brucellosis, one of the most common zoonotic diseases and has significant public health and economic importance worldwide. Few studies and reports have been performed to estimate the true prevalence of animal brucellosis in the Sultanate of Oman; however, no incidence of the disease was previously reported in Al Jabal Al Akhdar. The purpose of this study was to investigate the prevalence of brucellosis in goats in eight villages in Al Jebal Al Akhdar, Sultanate of Oman, namely: Al Aqaieb, Al Helailat, Al Ghilayil, Hail Al Hedap, Da'an Al Hamra, Shnoot, Al Qasha'e and Al Sarah, Al Jabal Al Akhdar in the Sultanate of Oman. In this study we used different diagnostic serological tests, namely, RBT, I‐ELISA and CFT to study the prevalence of Brucella infection in goats in Al Jabal Al Akhdar. Statistical analysis using Kappa statistics was used to compare the performance of the serological tests. Biochemical tests and species‐specific Multiplex PCR were used to identify the brucella species involved in the infection. A structured questionnaire and Chi‐square (x2) statistical analysis was used to identify related brucellosis risk factors. This study is the first to reveal brucellosis infection in goats in eight villages in Al Jebal Al Akhdar, Sultanate of Oman, namely: Al Aqaieb, Al Helailat, Al Ghilayil, Hail Al Hedap, Da'an Al Hamra, Shnoot, Al Qasha'e and Al Sarah, with an overall seroprevalence of 11.1%. The study also compared the performance of three different serological tests, namely, RBT, I‐ELISA and CFT. Statistical analysis using Kappa statistics showed that the degree of agreement was best seen between RBT and CFT (96%), followed by RBT, I‐ ELISA (91.4%) and CFT and I‐ ELISA (89.2%). Biochemical tests and species‐specific Multiplex PCR showed the typical profile for B. melitensis. A structured questionnaire and Chi‐square (x2) statistical analysis indicated that the presence of abortion is the major risk factor for the prevalence of brucellosis, whereas age and sex were not significant factors in the tested animals. Besides, poor knowledge about brucellosis, consumption of unpasteurized milk or milk products, free trade of animals and the introduction of new animal breeds to herds were all contributing risk factors to the prevalence of brucellosis. The prevalence of human brucellosis obtained verbally from pastoralists gave an insight that brucellosis could pose a public health hazard, especially in those high‐risk groups, mainly the pastoralists in the study area. Because of their constant and increasing interaction with their animals, pastoralists could be at a high risk of occupational infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fish wheat bran meal (FWBM) was prepared from ground Indian oil sardines (Sardinella longiceps) using hydrochloric acid and was sun-dried on wheat bran (75:25 w:w). Forty Omani sheep were divided into five groups of eight sheep each and fed with one of five diets for 18 weeks. The diets were formulated from FWBM, soybean meal (SBM), barley, wheat bran, ground date palm leaves, limestone, vitamin and mineral mix, salt and vegetable oil. The objective was to gradually replace soybean with FWBM. The proportions of FWBM in the diet were 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 g/kg, whereas the parallel SBM ranged from 170 to 0 g/kg. Animals were housed in individual pens and daily feed intake and weekly body weights were recorded. Animals were fed with 500 g/d of the concentrates and allowedad libitumaccess to hay, water and trace elements. FWBM diets were well consumed by sheep with no negative effects on feed intake, body weight growth or feed conversion. There were also no negative effects on meat quality parameters. The study indicated that FWBM can be used as an excellent protein and energy source for feeding Omani sheep without compromising performance or meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Sultan Qaboos University Journal for Science is the property of Sultan Qaboos University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)