Meat quality of Santa Inês and F1 Santa Inês x Dorper Lambs

Abstract

ABSTRACT. Costa R.S., Henriques L.S.V., Tavares E.M., Alves E.N., Henry F.C. & Quirino C.R. [Meat quality of Santa Inês and F1 Santa Inês x Dorper Lambs.] Qualidade da carne de cordeiros Santa Inês e F1 Santa Inês x Dorper. Revista Brasileira de Medicina Veterinária, 36(3):337-343, 2014. Centro de Ciências e Tecnologias Agropecuárias, Universidade Estadual do Norte Fluminense Darcy Ribeiro, Avenida Alberto Lamego, 2000, Parque Califórnia, Campos dos Goytacazes, RJ 28013-602, Brasil. E-mail: [email protected] Fifty intact male ovines breed were randomly assembled, 25 of the Santa Inês breed and 25 F1 Santa Inês x Dorper to evaluation of dental cronology, live weight at slaughter, withers height, hip height, body length and thorax circumference. After exsanguination, were measured temperature and pH at different times (4h; 12h and 24h) of Semitendinosus and Triceps brachii muscles and shear force or tenderness (48h) of Semitendinosus muscle. In parallel was accomplished the sensorial analysis relationships to instrumental values of this muscle. The chilling room temperature varied between 12.2°C (4h) a -0.5°C (24h), and the mean temperature of carcasses was 26.80°C and -0.20°C, respectively. The mean initial pH of Semitendinosus was 6.62 and final 5.64 and of Triceps brachii was 6.50 (4h) and 5.68 (24h). Semitendinosus muscle shear force and tenderness was similar in lambs of Santa Ines breed and F1 Dorper x Santa Ines, demonstrating that the genetic group did not affect meat tenderness. The sensory panel confirmed the results obtained in instrumental analysis. The correlation of instrumental analysis (shear force) when compared different genetic groups, was found a good inversed correlation (r = -0.87). The mean of body length and thorax circumference levels don’t have significant difference between genetic groups. The mean of morphometric measurements analyzed on Santa Inês was higher than F1 Santa Inês x Dorper, but don’t have significant difference between genetic groups.