Physicochemical characteristics and centesimal composition of ewe lambs meat cuts with different ratio forage:concentrate

Abstract

It was aimed to evaluate the physicochemical characteristics and centesimal composition of ewe lambs meat fed different forage (F):concentrate (C) ratio (80F:20C, 60F:40C, 40F:60C and 20F:80C) and meat cuts these animals (shoulder, loin and leg). Twenty-four of ewe lambs (crossbred) recently weaned with initial weight of 23.1 ± 2.1kg was feedlot period was 120 days. After the slaughter, Triceps brachii (shoulder), Longissimus dorsi (loin) and Semimembranosus (leg) muscles were removing to represent the respective meat cuts. Increased levels of C didn’t influence the chemical composition of meat cuts and decreased the lightness (L *) and increased red color (a *). The loin had the lowest moisture content (M) (699.7g/kg) and higher content of ether extract (EE) (64.5g/kg), while the shoulder showed a higher content of M (738.7g/kg) and lower content of CP (214.0g/kg). The leg had the highest value for CP (232.8g/kg) and intermediate values for M (716.3g/kg) and EE (40.1g/kg). For the physicochemical characteristics, the loin and the shoulder had meat with more b* while leg and the shoulder had more a*. The leg meat was less tender (SF = 2.98kgf). The different ratios V:C doesn’t alter the composition and provide different values for L* and a*. The meat cuts differ in chemical composition and physical characteristics.