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Comparative Study
. 2020 Jan-Dec;91(1):e13394.
doi: 10.1111/asj.13394.

Carcass traits and meat quality of Texel lambs raised in Brachiaria pasture and feedlot systems

Pâmila Carolini Gonçalves da Silva  1 , Camila Celeste Brandão Ferreira Ítavo  1 , Luís Carlos Vinhas Ítavo  1 , Marina de Nadai Bonin Gomes  1 , Gelson Luís Dias Feijó  2 , Kedma Leonora Silva Monteiro Ferelli  1 , Natália da Silva Heimbach  1 , Jonilson Araújo da Silva  1 , Gleice Kelli Ayardes de Melo  1 , Marília Williani Filgueira Pereira  1
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Carcass traits and meat quality of Texel lambs raised in Brachiaria pasture and feedlot systems

Pâmila Carolini Gonçalves da Silva et al. Anim Sci J. 2020 Jan-Dec.

Abstract

Our hypothesis suggests an improvement in carcass and meat quality of pasture-finished animals by introducing concentrate feed into diets. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of different levels of protein-energy supplementation on carcass and meat characteristics of Texel lambs raised on Brachiaria pastures, and compare the results with those obtained from confined animals. Thirty 2-month-old intact lambs were divided into five treatments: pasture with mineral supplementation, pasture containing daily supplies of 0.8, 1.6, and 2.4% BW protein-energy supplementation, and confinement (reference treatment). All animals were slaughtered 104 days after the beginning of the experiment. Lambs submitted to 1.6% and 2.4% BW supplementation presented similar characteristics to animals kept in confinement and were superior to animals treated with 0 or 0.8% of BW supplementation levels (p < .05). Increases of subcutaneous fat thickness were verified for 0.0, 0.8, 1.6, 2.4% BW, and confinement treatments, being respectively of 0.25, 0.74, 1.61, 1.69, and 1.98. Conversely, treatments had no influence on meat physical-chemical characteristics, being all considered moderately soft, juicy (tender), and with mild tastes and odors. Lambs raised on Brachiaria pastures have high-quality meat, but more protein-energy supplementation is needed to be an alternative for the feedlots for young animals.

Keywords: fatty acids; lamb; pasture; rib eye area; supplementation.

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