title: Effect of morning vs. afternoon grazing on intramuscular fatty acid composition in lamb.
abstract: The aim of this study was to assess whether different grazing management affect animal performance and meat fatty acid composition. Thirty-five lambs were divided into three groups: 12 lambs grazed from 9 am to 5 pm (8 h group); 11 lambs grazed from 9 am to 1 pm (4hAM group) and 12 lambs grazed from 1 pm to 5 pm (4hPM group). The trial was conducted over 72 days. The 8 h lambs had greater DMI (P<0.0005) and final body weight (P<0.05) than the 4hPM and 4hAM lambs while carcass weight was not different between the three groups. The meat of the 4hPM lambs contained greater (P<0.05) percentages of polyunsaturated fatty acids, C18:2 cis-9 trans-11 and lower saturated fatty acids and C18:0 than the meat of the 8 h and 4hAM lambs. It is concluded that allowing lambs to graze during the afternoon rather than during 8 h does not compromise the carcass yield and results in a healthier meat fatty acid profile.
authors.affiliation: University of Catania, DISPA, Sezione di Scienze delle Produzioni Animali, Via Valdisavoia 5, 95123 Catania, Italy. vvasta@unict.it
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Vasta
authors.forename: Renato Italo
authors.initials: RI
authors.lastname: Pagano
authors.forename: Giuseppe
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Luciano
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Scerra
authors.forename: Pasquale
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Caparra
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Foti
authors.forename: Caterina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Cilione
authors.forename: Luisa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Biondi
authors.forename: Alessandro
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Priolo
authors.forename: Marcella
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Avondo
mesh_terms: D000822:Animal Husbandry; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000737:chemistry*; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000502:physiology; D012756:Sheep / Q000502:physiology
chemical_list: D005227:Fatty Acids