This study aimed to evaluate the effects of supplementation with sunflower seeds and vitamin E for fattening lambs, on the chemical composition, cholesterol, vitamin E level, fatty acid profile and lipid oxidation of meat from sheep. Four treatments were evaluated, as follows: SC – basal diet consisting of sugarcane + concentrate; SCS – basal diet supplemented with sunflower seed; SCE – basal diet supplemented with 1000 mg vitamin E; SCSE – basal diet supplemented with sunflower seed and 1000 mg vitamin E. The Longissimus lumborum muscle of 32 Ile de France lambs, which were slaughtered when their bodyweight reached 32 kg, was used. The chemical composition of the lamb meat was not significantly different (P > 0.05) between the treatments. Sunflower seed supplementation increased (P < 0.05) the levels of linoleic acid, vaccenic acid and conjugated linoleic acid. Inclusion of vitamin E in the diet increased (P < 0.05) the concentration of vitamin E in the meat while decreasing lipid oxidation. Considering the current demand for healthy foods, inclusion of sunflower seeds and vitamin E in the diet of sheep is a viable possibility.

-The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the weight and percentage of the non-carcass components and the mineral content (macro minerals and trace minerals), crude protein, ether extract, moisture and vitamin E of the heart, liver, tongue, lungs, reticulum, kidneys and meat from the longissimus dorsi of lambs in feedlot finishing. Thirty-two noncastrated Ile de France male lambs, fed diets containing sunflower seeds and vitamin E from 15 to 32 kg of body weight were allotted in a completely randomized design in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. The weight of the gastrointestinal tract was higher in the lambs fed diets containing vitamin E (10%). No difference was observed in the liver as to the mineral matter, crude protein, ether extract, moisture (2.01; 20.03; 2.39 and 74.78 g/100 g, respectively), the macro minerals and trace minerals, except iron. In the tongue, lungs, reticulum, kidneys and meat there was no in fluence of diets in the studied variables. The liver and the meat presented different values of crude protein (20.01 and 18.34 g/100 g, respectively), and the heart (1.03 mg/100 g) showed a higher content of vitamin E. High contents of manganese, zinc and copper were observed in the liver. The evaluated non-carcass components were nutritionally equal to the sheep meat, once, in addition to their high yield in relation to the body weight at slaughter, the non-carcass components are sources of nutrients.

The objective of the study is to evaluate meat quality from Ile de France lamb fed diets supplemented with sunflower seeds and vitamin E. Thirty-two lamb weighing initially 15kg were housed in individual stalls and slaughtered when body weight reached 32kg. The treatments consisted of four experimental diets: D1) sugarcane + concentrate without sunflower seeds; D2) sugarcane + concentrate with sunflower seeds; D3) sugarcane + concentrate without sunflower seeds plus 1000mg vitamin E kg-1 diet dry matter (DM); and D4) sugarcane + concentrate with sunflower seeds and 1000mg vitamin E kg-1 diet DM. The parameters temperature, pH, color, cooking loss, shear force and water holding capacity were determined at maturation times of 0, 7 and 14 days on the Longissimus dorsi muscle. Qualitative characteristics of the meat were not affected by the sunflower seed combined with vitamin E diet; however, pH 24 hours was affected (P<0.05) by the sunflower seed combined with vitamin E diet. Cooking loss was not significantly influenced (P>0.05) by diet or maturation times. On the other hand, shear force and water holding capacity were significantly affected (P<0.05) by the treatments. The use of vitamin E resulted in lamb meat with higher water holding capacity. Maturation time influenced the parameters pH, color and shear force. Lamb meat that matured for 7 days displayed the lowest shear force.

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The objective of this study was to evaluate the nutritional characteristics of meat from lambs fed diets containing 0%, 12.5% and 25.0% (dry matter (DM)) mulberry hay as a substitute for the concentrate. Twentyfour feedlot Île-de-France lambs with an average age of 60 days and bodyweight (BW) of 15 kg were fed in individual stalls and slaughtered at 32 kg BW, at approximately 130 days old. The chemical composition of the experimental diets contained, respectively, 584.4, 569.4 and 571.8 g DM/kg; 188.8, 185.1 and 184 g crude protein (CP)/kg and 29.9, 29.5 and 25.5 Mcal/kg DM for the mulberry hay inclusion levels of 0%, 12.5% and 25.0%, with a dietary forage to concentrate ratio of 50 : 50. The chemical composition of the meat was 757.9 g moisture/kg DM, 208.6 g CP/kg DM, 22.9 g crude fat/kg DM and 10.5 g ash/kg DM. Cholesterol concentration (36.07 mg/100 g) in the meat was not influenced by mulberry hay inclusion of the diet. An increase was observed in the concentrations of saturated pentadecanoic, heptadecanoic and arachidic acids; monounaturated heptadecenoic acid; and polyunsaturated α-linolenic, ɣ-linolenic and eicosapentaenoic acids. Nervonic and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) concentrations responded quadratically, representing 3.7 g/kg and 5.9 g/kg of the meat when mulberry hay was included at 16.98% and 12.56%. Omega-3 acid concentrations increased, while the omega-3 : omega-6 ratio decreased in the meat of mulberry hay-fed animals. Inclusion of mulberry hay in lamb diets increases the amount of desirable fatty acids in their meat, whose nutritional characteristics are improved.

The aim of this study was to evaluate performance, nutrient digestibility, and carcass quantitative traits of lambs fed diets with and without sunflower seeds and vitamin E. Thirty-two uncastrated lambs at approximately 60 days of age, with 15 ± 0.2 kg, were housed in individual stalls and slaughtered at 32.0 ± 0.2 kg body weight. Treatments consisted of the following four diets: C = sugarcane + concentrate; CS = sugarcane + concentrate with sunflower seeds; CE = sugarcane + concentrate with 1,000 mg vitamin E kg-1 diet dry matter (DM); and CSE = sugarcane + concentrate with sunflower seeds and 1,000 mg vitamin E kg-1 diet DM. The experimental design was completely randomized, in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement (with and without sunflower seeds and with or without vitamin E, on the diet DM basis), and means were compared by Tukey’s test at 5% significance level. Consumption of vitamin E intake by the lambs provided (P &lt; 0.05) the highest ether extract intake (20.91 g day-1) and consequently the highest (P &lt; 0.05) digestibility of this nutrient (85.34%); however, it reduced (P &lt; 0.05) the intakes of total carbohydrates (394.81 g day-1) and non-fibrous carbohydrates (242.47 g day-1) as a direct consequence of the diet composition. Inclusion of sunflower seeds and vitamin E in the lamb diets did not influence (P &gt; 0.05) carcass morphological or quantitative measurements. Sunflower seeds and vitamin E showed to be satisfactory alternatives for inclusion in the concentrate for feedlot lambs, providing good performance and quality carcasses.

This study aimed to evaluate the influence of aerobic and anaerobic conditions on hydrolyzed sugarcane, over the in vivo morphological measurements, quantitative traits of carcass and non-carcass components of lambs. Twenty four Ile de France lambs, from 15 to 32 kg of body weight (BW) were used. Treatments were: in natura sugarcane (IN), sugarcane hydrolyzed using 0.6% calcium oxide (CaO) under aerobic condition (AER), and sugarcane hydrolyzed using 0.6% CaO under anaerobic condition (ANA). Treatments were supplied to animals along with concentrate. Before slaughtering, the lambs were weighed and morphological measurements were taken. After slaughtering, carcasses were evaluated for weight, dressing, non-carcass components, as well as their morphological measurements and weight loss by cooling. A completely randomized design with three treatments and eight replicates was used and the means were compared by Tukey test at 5% of significance. Lambs fed hydrolyzed sugarcane in aerobic condition had higher leg length (32.21 cm) and lower rump height (55.23 cm) in vivo, whereas empty body weight (24.84 kg) was lower for lambs fed in natura sugarcane. No difference for the other variables was observed. Sugarcane hydrolyzed under aerobic and anaerobic conditions is not an important factor affecting the in vivo, neither the carcass measurements of the animals. The choice between supplying in natura or hydrolyzed sugarcane will depend on an economic analysis. Key words: Hydrolysis, morphology, dressing, Saccharum officinarum ResumoEste estudo teve como objetivo avaliar a influência das condições aeróbicas e anaeróbicas da cana-deaçúcar hidrolisada sobre as medidas morfológicas in vivo, características quantitativas da carcaça, e os não-componentes da carcaça de cordeiros. Foram utilizados 24 cordeiros Ile de France dos 15 aos 32 kg de peso corporal (PC). Os tratamentos foram: cana-de-açúcar in natura (IN), cana-de-açúcar hidrolisada com 0,6% de óxido de cálcio (CaO) em condição aeróbica (AER), e cana-de-açúcar hidrolisada com 0,6% de CaO em condição anaeróbica (ANA). Os tratamentos foram suplementados com concentrado. Antes do abate, os cordeiros foram pesados e foram obtidas as medidas morfológicas. Após o abate, as carcaças foram pesadas e avaliadas para rendimento, não-componentes, assim como suas medidas morfológicas e perda de peso por resfriamento. Foi utilizado o delineamento inteiramente casualizado com três tratamentos e oito repetições. As médias foram comparadas pelo teste de Tukey a 5% de significância. Cordeiros alimentados com cana-de-açúcar hidrolisada em condição aeróbica, que tiveram maior comprimento de perna (32.21 cm) e menor altura de garupa (55.23 cm) in vivo, Enquanto que o peso corporal vazio (24.84 kg) foi inferior para cordeiros alimentados com cana-deaçúcar in natura. Não foi observada diferença para as demais variáveis. A cana-de-açúcar hidrolisada em condições aeróbica e anaeróbica não é um fator importante em afetar as características in vivo, nem as medidas da carcaça de cordeiros. ...

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo quantitative traits of carcass and commercial cuts of lambs fed diets containing 0, 12.5, and 25.0% mulberry hay replacing the concentrate. ResumoObjetivou-se avaliar as características quantitativas in vivo, da carcaça e dos cortes comerciais de cordeiros alimentados com dietas contendo 0; 12,5 e 25,0% de feno de amoreira em substituição ao concentrado. Foram utilizados vinte e quatro cordeiros Ile de France, com aproximadamente 60 dias de idade e 15 kg de peso corporal, confinados em baias individuais e abatidos aos 32 kg. Houve efeito linear crescente (R2 = 0,84) para a profundidade do tórax, índice de musculosidade da perna (R2=0,71) e para a relação músculo:osso (R2=0,95); decrescente (R2 =0,75) para o índice de compacidade da carcaça, peso da paleta (R2 = 0,78) e peso (R2=0,99) e comprimento (R2=0,86) do fêmur à medida que se aumentou o feno de amoreira na dieta; e comportamento quadrático para perdas por resfriamento (R2=1,0) e porcentagem de gordura intermuscular. O feno de amoreira pode ser utilizado na alimentação de cordeiros confinados sem prejudicar as características quantitativas da carcaça. Palavras-chave: Cortes. Morfologia. Nutrição. Ovino. Rendimento.