Qualidade da carne de cordeiros “pantaneiros” de diferentes pesos corporais

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the quality of lamb meat "Pantaneiros" feedlot and slaughtered at different body weights (15 - 35 kg). Forty-five "Pantaneiros" lambs, male, no-castrated, were distributed in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and nine replicates. The animals were housed in individual pens and slaughtered when they reached the target weights. For instrumental and proximal chemical analysis, muscles as Semimembranosus, Gluteobiceps, Longissimus dorsi and Triceps brachii were used; for fatty acid analysis, samples of Longissimus dorsi muscle were used. The different body weights did not influence (P≤0,001) the pH of the meat (R2 = 0.16), they were within the range considered normal for sheep meat. With increasing of the body weight of the lambs, increasead the water retention capacity (R2 = 0.28), the intensity of the color (R2 = 0,22) and the ether extract content of the meat (R2 = 0,38), leaving it softer (R2 = 0,21), but less luminous (R2 = 0,20). In the fatty acid profile, there was an increase in the saturated fatty acid content (R2 = 0,94) and reduction on monounsaturated (R2 = 0,96) and polyunsaturated fatty acid content (R2 = 0,89), raised the hypercholesterolemia rate (R2 = 0,98), and the atherogenicity (R2 = 0,92) and thrombogenicity index (R2 = 0,95). It was concluded that the quality of lamb meat "Pantaneiros" was better in the animals slaughtered with lower body weight.