Carcass quality of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) finished in silvopastoral system in the Eastern Amazon, Brazil

Abstract

The influence of the diet on the quality of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) carcasses of crossbred Murrah and Mediterranean, concentrate fed on traditional (corn/soybean) or on agro-industrial residues (palm oil and coconut cakes) was studied. The animals were sacrificed in a slaughterhouse, and physical and physical-chemical analyses in the carcasses were carried out after 24 hours, and instrumental color and texture analyses of the Longissimus dorsi were carried out 48 hours after cooling. The animals supplemented with palm oil cake had better carcass conformation and fat trim, and differences (P<0.05) in the percentage of fat in the carcass fat thickness and coverage were observed.

Meat quality of buffaloes finished in traditional or silvopastoral system in the Brazilian Eastern Amazon

“…The values of subjective tenderness and liver texture confirm the results for shear force (Table ). The meat from both treatments was considered tender, showing values similar to previous studies . The factors related to meat tenderness, such as muscle fiber degradation and the contractile state of the muscle or the amount of intramuscular fat (marbling), are susceptible to changes because of genetic variability, the environment and/or age at slaughter .…”

“…However, the values are at the threshold between normal and dark cuts (pH 6.0), which characterizes the meat as DFD (dark, firm, dry). Other studies reported a greater pH when evaluating meat from buffaloes reared in a silvopastoral system and supplemented with corn meal (meat pH 6.14), coconut bran (meat pH 6.05) and palm oil (meat pH 6.11) in Belém, Pará, Brazil. The results obtained for water holding capacity and weight loss by cooking are similar to those previously described …”

“…The meat from both treatments was considered tender, showing values similar to previous studies. 31,53 The factors related to meat tenderness, such as muscle fiber degradation and the contractile state of the muscle or the amount of intramuscular fat (marbling), are susceptible to changes because of genetic variability, the environment and/or age at slaughter. 43 The juiciness index, which received scores slightly above the average on a scale from 1 (slightly juicy) to 9 (very juicy), may have been hampered by the low intramuscular fat content (Table 2).…”

The behaviour and productivity of water buffalo in different breeding systems: a review

“…Recently, Peixoto et al (2012) evaluated buffaloes raised in a silvopastoral system supplemented with agro-industrial sub-products (eg. corn, coconut and palm oil) and observed a weight gain of as much as 1 kg/day (± 0.3), with in-canal yields of 57-59%.…”

“…2 milkings per day) (Borghese 2013) ↓ Plasma cortisol concentration (2.14 vs. 3.38 ng/ml) (Khongdee et al 2013) ↑ Body condition (P ≤ 0.01) (Braghieri et al 2011b) ↓ Lower age at slaughter (400 kg at 15 months of age, approximately) (Borghese 2013) ↑ Food consumption (5.88 vs. 6.44 kg/ head/day) (Khongdee et al 2013) Weight gain of 706 g/day (Braghieri et al 2011b) ↑ Increased production indexes improve weight gain (Andrighetto et al 2008) ↑ Ruminant movements (22.6 vs. 48.4 mov/min) (Khongdee et al 2013) ↑ Space for walking with positive effects on claw conformation (Loberg et al 2004) Weight gain in the fattening phase of up to 1135 g/day (Spanghero et al 2004) ↑ Weight gain of 757 vs. 337 g/ animal/day (27); up to 1 kg/day with supplements (Peixoto et al 2012) ↑ Higher milk production (8.12 ± 0.002 vs. 7.77 ± 0.002 kg) (Lopes et al 2013) ↑ Higher cleanliness scores (2.80 ± 0.05 vs. 2.41 ± 0.05) (Lopes et al 2013) ↑ Antibody titres (P ≤ 0.05) (Grasso et al 1999) ↓ Time at rest (P ≤ 0.01) (Grasso et al 1999) …”