Effect of type of suckling and polyunsaturated fatty acid use on lamb production. 1. Productive performances and quanti-qualitative characteristics of the carcass

• Main Authors: Francesco Bozzo, Liborio Melodia, Arcangelo Vicenti, Anna Maria Facciolongo, Francesco Toteda
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2010-01-01
• Series: Italian Journal of Animal Science
• Subjects: Suckling lambs, PUFA, Productive performances, Carcass characteristics, Meat quality
• Online Access: http://www.aspajournal.it/index.php/ijas/article/view/222
• ISSN: 1594-4077; 1828-051X

The aim of the study was to estimate the influence of artificial rearing and of the addition of polyunsaturated fatty acids<br />(PUFA) to an acidified milk replacer on the productive performances and on the quanti-qualitative characteristics of the<br />carcass. Fifty one twin-born Gentile di Puglia lambs were subdivided into three homogenous groups (9 females and 8<br />males) assigned the following feeding treatments: maternal milk (MM); acidified milk replacer (MR); acidified milk replacer<br />+ 10 ml/l of a mixture of linseed and fish oil rich in PUFA (MR+PUFA).<br />Milk consumptions and live weights were recorded weekly. Seven males from each group were slaughtered at 45 days of<br />age and the net warm dressing percentage, the composition of the carcass and the colorimetric characteristics of the<br />Longissimus lumborum muscle were estimated. Artificial rearing improved the daily weight gain (0.182-0.172 vs 0.128<br />Kg; P<0.01) of lambs, provided fatter carcasses and meat with a better red index (6.16-6.43 vs 8.03; P<0.01).<br />The addition of omega-3 fatty acids to the diet did not influence the weight gain, the feed conversion index, the net warm<br />dressing percentage and the incidence of the different meat cuts of the half carcass. However, it significantly increased<br />the half carcass length (37.86 vs 35.0 cm; P<0.05), the thoracic depth (19.71 vs 16.50 cm; P<0.01) while, it compared<br />to the MR group reduced the proportion of lean (63.21 vs 53.98 %; P<0.01) in favour of bone (20.94 vs 29.40 %;<br />P<0.01) in the lumbar region.