title: The effect of grazing saltbush with a barley supplement on the carcass and eating quality of sheepmeat.
abstract: The carcass and eating quality of sheep grazing a saltbush dominant saline pasture system or on a 'control' dry pasture, stubble plot both supplemented with barley for 14 weeks was investigated (Experiment 1, 50 (2×25) 6 month merino lamb wethers and Experiment 2, 50 (2×25) 18 month old merino hogget wethers). Treatment had no significant effect on eating quality attributes (P>0.05). Saltbush grazed sheep in both experiments had a significantly (P<0.01) lower carcass fat and significantly higher lean (P<0.01) content than the control grazed sheep. This is a positive finding as fat denudation is a significant cost to processors. The long term consumption of saltbush and barley prior to slaughter did increase muscle fluid content (P<0.05) but did not result in a decreased carcass weight loss at slaughter due to confounding changes in body composition. Grazing saltbush resulted in increased urine weight (P<0.001) and decreased urine concentration (P<0.05) at slaughter indicating an improved hydration status at slaughter. However both experiments demonstrated sub-optimal liveweight gains indicating that saltbush with a barley supplement can still be effectively used as a maintenance ration without compromising carcass and eating quality.
authors: CSIRO Livestock Industries and CRC for Plant-based Management of Dryland Salinity, Private Bag 5, Wembley, Western Australia 6914, Australia; Division of Veterinary and Biomedical Science, Murdoch University, Murdoch, Western Australia 6150, Australia.
authors: K L
authors: KL
authors: Pearce
authors: H C
authors: HC
authors: Norman
authors: M
authors: M
authors: Wilmot
authors: A
authors: A
authors: Rintoul
authors: D W
authors: DW
authors: Pethick
authors: D G
authors: DG
authors: Masters