Publications > Animal Science > 2002 > Volume 75 Part 1 > View abstract

Animal Science Abstract

Polyethylene glycol in concentrate or feedblocks to deactivate condensed tannins in Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. foliage 2. Effects on meat quality of Barbarine lambs

A. Priolo^1,A, H. Ben Salem², N. Atti³ and A. Nefzaoui²

^AE-mail alessandro@mbox.fagr.unict.it

¹University of Catania, DACPA Sezione di Scienze delle Produzioni Animali, via Valdisavoia 5, 95123 Catania, Italy
²INRA-Tunisie, Laboratoire de Nutrition Animale, rue Hédi Karray, 2049 Ariana, Tunisia
³INRA-Tunisie, Laboratoire de Recherche Ovine et Caprine, rue Hédi Karray, 2049 Ariana, Tunisia

Abstract

Twenty-five male Barbarine lambs aged approximately 150 days were divided into five groups. All the animals received 400 g/day of oat hay and Acacia cyanophylla Lindl. foliage ad libitum. Two groups also received 300 g/day of a mixture (70 : 30) of processed barley and wheat bran, with or without 20 g polyethylene glycol 4000 (PEG), groups C_PEG and C respectively. The three other groups had free access to feedblocks based on olive cake, and containing urea, urea and PEG, or PEG, groups BU, BU_PEG and B_PEG respectively. Lambs were slaughtered at age 230 days and meat quality was determined in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle. Lean colour was significantly affected by dietary condensed tannins. Lightness (L*) was higher in those animals that did not receive PEG (P < 0•001) indicating that condensed tannins can cause lighter meat colour. This difference was not due to the ultimate pH, which was not affected by the inclusion of PEG in the diet. Meat from groups that received supplementation of concentrate had lower values of resistance to the Warner-Bratzler shear device compared with those that received feedblocks. This result was confirmed by a taste panel, that found samples from groups C and C_PEG more tender than samples from groups BU, BU_PEG and B_PEG. Inclusion of PEG in the diet increased intensity of flavour (P < 0•05) but had no effect on overall acceptability. Meat from animals that had received the concentrate had higher overall acceptability (P < 0•05) than meat from animals that received the feedblocks. No differences were found in meat chemical composition.

Keywords: Acacia cyanophylla, meat quality, polyethylene glycol, sheep, tannins

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