title: A comparison of the carcass and meat quality of Martina Franca donkey foals aged 8 or 12 months.
abstract: The effects of slaughter age (8 vs 12 months) were investigated on meat and carcass quality obtained from Martina Franca donkey foals. Sixteen male foals were used, eight were slaughtered at 8 months of age with a mean (±s.e.) final body weight of 101±18kg and the remaining 8 foals slaughtered at 12 months of age with a mean final body weight of 122±13kg. Carcass weight and dressing percentage were higher (P<0.05) in older foals. Shear force value was lower (P<0.05) in donkeys slaughtered at 8 months of age (54.03N) compared to the same muscle Longissimus Thoracis et Lumborum (LTL) collected in older animals (62.66N). Muscle glycogen content was higher (P<0.05) in foals slaughtered at 12months of age. Donkey foal meat showed an interesting content of essential amino acids and a notable percentage of unsaturated fatty acids in both groups of animals, giving a high nutritional value to this alternative red meat.
authors: Scuola di Scienze del Farmaco e dei Prodotti della Salute, Università di Camerino, Via Circonvallazione 93, 62024 Matelica, MC, Italy. Electronic address: paolo.polidori@unicam.it.
authors: Paolo
authors: P
authors: Polidori
authors: Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Via Circonvallazione 93, 62024 Matelica, MC, Italy.
authors: Stefania
authors: S
authors: Pucciarelli
authors: Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Via Circonvallazione 93, 62024 Matelica, MC, Italy.
authors: Ambra
authors: A
authors: Ariani
authors: Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Via Circonvallazione 93, 62024 Matelica, MC, Italy.
authors: Valeria
authors: V
authors: Polzonetti
authors: Scuola di Bioscienze e Medicina Veterinaria, Via Circonvallazione 93, 62024 Matelica, MC, Italy.
authors: Silvia
authors: S
authors: Vincenzetti
mesh_terms: D000596:Amino Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D000601:Amino Acids, Essential / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D000818:Animals; D017849:Animals, Inbred Strains; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated / Q000032:analysis* / Q000378:metabolism; D018397:Equidae / Q000254:growth & development*; D005227:Fatty Acids / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D063427:Food Quality; D006003:Glycogen / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007558:Italy; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D024510:Muscle Development; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000254:growth & development* / Q000378:metabolism; D009753:Nutritive Value; D033081:Shear Strength; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D000596:Amino Acids; D000601:Amino Acids, Essential; D004042:Dietary Fats, Unsaturated; D005227:Fatty Acids; D006003:Glycogen
keywords: Amino acids; Donkey carcass; Donkey meat; Fatty acids; Meat quality