Physicochemical and sensory traits of meat from Santa Inês lambs slaughtered with different subcutaneous fat thicknesses

Abstract

-Physical (pH, color, tenderness, and cooking weight loss), chemical (moisture, crude protein, ash, and lipids) and sensory (odor, flavor, juiciness, and overall acceptance) characteristics of meat from Santa Inês lambs slaughtered with 2.0, 3.0, and 4.0 mm of subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) were evaluated. Samples of the longissimus dorsi muscles were removed from 24 male uncastrated lambs distributed in a completely randomized design with three treatments and eight replicates. Weightings and ultrasound evaluations were performed every 14 days. No significant differences were observed for pH 0h , which averaged 6.24. Lambs slaughtered with 4.0 mm SFT differed from the treatments with 2.0 and 3.0 mm as to the pH 24h values. The meat from lambs slaughtered with 3.0 and 4.0 mm SFT showed a greater lightness (L*) value. Meat tenderness (2.21 kgf/cm 2 ), cooking weight loss (13.90%), moisture (74.39%), and crude protein (22.10%) contents were not affected by the SFT. For the total lipid contents of the meat, significant differences were observed between the lambs slaughtered with 2.0 mm and those with 3.0 and 4.0 mm SFT. The sensory traits were not affected by the SFT with which the lambs were slaughtered. Lambs slaughtered with 4.0 mm SFT remained 33 days longer in feedlot and showed similar live weights at slaughter to those with 3.00 mm. It is recommended to slaughter Santa Inês lambs with a subcutaneous fat thickness of 3.00 mm.

Characteristics of Canary Hair Sheep´s Breed Carcass Fed Banana (Musa acuminate) By-Products: Effects on Regional Tissue Composition, pH and Color

“…Similar results were reported by (Al-Owaimer et al 2008) that found that muscle pH was in the range of 5.6 to 5.7 of sheep fed Atriplex. Andrade et al (2015) also reported an average of 6.24 initial pH (pH0) and an average of 5.5, 24 h after slaughter (pH1) of the meat from Santa Inês hair breed lambs. The values found are normal and are indicative of meat quality, higher values can affect other characteristics such as color.…”

Evaluator effect on the ultrasound measurement of subcutaneous fat deposition and loin eye area from weaning to slaughter lambs

“…Ultrasound is a non-invasive technique that enables animal evaluation and body condition classification of animals into those for slaughter and those for reproduction. Livestock production systems have started to assess subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) using ultrasound imaging to predict carcass tissue composition of animals in vivo and to indicate slaughter time [1]. Ultrasound also helps in the breeding stock selection and can indicate precocity and earning potential of weights, feed efficiency, and income from contemporary animal cuts.…”