Meat production traits of a new sheep breed called Bafra in Turkey 2. Meat quality characteristics of lambs

Trop Anim Health Prod. 2010 Apr;42(4):743-50. doi: 10.1007/s11250-009-9482-9. Epub 2009 Nov 6.

Abstract

Meat quality characteristics of Bafra ram lambs slaughtered at different weights were investigated. A total of 24 lambs fattened intensively was slaughtered at four slaughter weights of 30, 35, 40, and 45 kg. Water-holding capacity, cooking loss, tenderness, color, as well as protein content did not vary significantly among the slaughter weight groups, although the 30-kg slaughter weight lambs displayed the greatest postmortem pH fall in musculus longissimus dorsi (P < 0.05). As slaughter weight increased, intramuscular fat of musculus longissimus dorsi showed an increasing nutritive value (P < 0.05), total unsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids ratio (P < 0.05), and n6/n3 ratio (P < 0.05). However, atherogenic index and thrombogenic index values decreased with increasing slaughter weight, although this effect was not significant. The effect of slaughter weight on total cholesterol was not pronounced.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Body Weight / physiology
  • Cholesterol / analysis
  • Crosses, Genetic
  • Fatty Acids / analysis
  • Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
  • Male
  • Meat / standards*
  • Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry
  • Muscle, Skeletal / physiology*
  • Sheep / genetics
  • Sheep / physiology*

Substances

  • Fatty Acids
  • Cholesterol