Influence of stall finishing duration of Italian Merino lambs raised on pasture on intramuscular fatty acid composition

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]