Effect of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) inclusion in the diet for fattening lambs on animal performance, ruminal characteristics and meat quality

Abstract

Thirty male merino lambs were fed with a pelleted total mixed ration (TMR) alone or supplemented with hop (Humulus lupulus L.) cones at two different doses (1.5 and 3.0 g hop cones/kg pelleted TMR, respectively), to study the effects of this dietary source of antioxidants on animal performance, ruminal parameters and meat quality attributes. The results showed that dietary supplementation with hop cones decreased lambs' growth rate (P < 0.05) due to a shift in ruminal fermentation, towards a more acetic and less propionic acid production (P < 0.05). These changes in animal growth rate might have promoted microstructural modifications in the quantity and size of muscle fibres, thereby inducing the differences observed in meat chemical composition, colour and texture (P < 0.05), regardless of the lack of differences in meat antioxidant status (P > 0.10).

The Effect of Supplementing Pig Diet with Chestnut Wood Extract or Hops on Fresh Meat and Dry-Cured Products

“…Processing losses in the salting phase are negatively correlated with carcass fatness due to the effect of fat as a barrier for water migration [48]. In our study, no significant differences were observed in fat depots (subcutaneous fat or IMF) in agreement with other studies where sweet chestnut wood extract [19,33] or hops [18] were included in the animals' diet. A lower WHC can also be associated with higher oxidation rates [49], which lead to denaturation of proteins thus hindering the ability to bind water [50].…”

“…A higher oxidative stability of LT muscle after six months of storage at −20 • C was reported in pigs supplemented with hops water extract [16,39]. A lower oxidation of proteins in broiler chickens dietary supplemented with hop β-acids was reported by Zawadski et al [52], while no differences in muscle or liver TBARS were observed in hop supplemented rabbits [18]. The oxidative stability of dry-cured products was evaluated my means of TBARS (BF muscle of dry-cured hams), and Rancimat (subcutaneous fat of dry-cured hams and dry-cured bellies).…”

“…Regarding the supplementation with hops, no studies were performed in fattening pigs, however, a positive effect of hops supplementation was reported for growing pigs [40,41]. The studies in other species reported positive effects in chickens [42,43], no major effect in fattening steers [44] and heifers [45], and even a negative effect on the growth rate in lambs [18].…”

“…Hop cones contain many active phenolic compounds, which have been shown to exert antioxidant activities in vitro [13,14] or after their addition to meat products [15]. However, only a few studies have examined the stability of meat with controversial results; reduced lipid oxidation rates [16,17], no effect [18], or even pro-oxidant activity [19].…”

Headspace‐solid phase microextraction and GC‐MS followed by multivariate data analysis to study the effect of hop processing type and dry hopping time on the aromatic profile of top‐fermented beers

“…Cones or hop flowers ( Humulus lupulus ) are formed only by female plants, secreting resins and essential oils into the bracts or bracteoles as a defense mechanism. These cones are cultivated almost exclusively for the beer industry , finding other relevant applications such as antibiotic drugs and as food for the diet of some animals, aiming to improve meat quality .…”