Comparison of the meat quality and fatty acid composition of traditional fat-tailed (Chall) and tailed (Zel) Iranian sheep breeds.
The aim of this study was to compare the meat quality of a traditional fat-tailed breed, Chall, to a tailed Iranian sheep breed, Zel. Lambs were grazed on pasture until weaning, and then were finished until slaughter at 10-12 months. Meat quality traits were measured on the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle. Zel lambs accumulated more intramuscular fat (IMF) (p<0.01) and had lower shear force and drip loss than Chall lambs (p<0.05). The meat color of Zel lambs was higher for both a* (p<0.001) and b* (p<0.01) compared to Chall lambs. Meat from Zel lambs was more tender (p<0.01) and more juicy (p<0.05) than Chall lambs. The PUFA:SFA fatty acid ratio (P:S) was higher (p<0.05) and the n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio was lower in Chall compared to Zel lambs (p<0.05). Overall, these results show that the eating quality of Zel lambs was better, but that this was at the cost of less favorable fatty acid profiles and poorer meat color.
Department of Animal Sciences, College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Tehran, Karaj, Iran. rezayousefi@ut.ac.ir
Ali Reza
AR
Yousefi
Hamid
H
Kohram
Ahmad
A
Zare Shahneh
Ali
A
Nik-khah
Anna W
AW
Campbell
D000818:Animals; D017849:Animals, Inbred Strains; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6 / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D063427:Food Quality; D006358:Hot Temperature; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D024510:Muscle Development; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000737:chemistry / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D010858:Pigmentation; D012677:Sensation; D034561:Sheep, Domestic / Q000254:growth & development / Q000378:metabolism*; D013045:Species Specificity; D014867:Water / Q000032:analysis
D005227:Fatty Acids; D015525:Fatty Acids, Omega-3; D043371:Fatty Acids, Omega-6; D014867:Water