Lamb meat quality and intramuscular fatty acid composition as affected by concentrates including different legume seeds

Abstract

The aim of the experiment was to study the effect of concentrates including legume seeds (Vicia faba var. minor or Pisum sativum) on lamb performances and on meat quality, with an emphasis on intramuscular fatty acid composition. Thirty lambs (14.5 ± 3.45 kg live weight) were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments: PEA group (concentrate including 400 g/kg of peas); FB group (concentrate including 380 g/kg of faba bean); SBM group (concentrate including 180 g/kg of soybean meal). Growth and slaughter performances were not affected by treatments as well as physical and proximate chemical meat characteristics. FB and SBM meat showed higher (P<0.001) vaccenic acid levels compared to PEA meat. Oleic acid was higher (P<0.05) in PEA meat compared to SBM meat while its level in FB meat was similar to counterparts. Linoleic acid levels tended to increase (P<0.10) in SBM lambs compared to PEA animals. PEA group showed higher (P<0.001) α-linolenic acid proportions compared to FB and SBM groups and a tendentially higher (P<0.10) eicosapentaenoic acid content compared to SBM meat. As a result, total n-3 fatty acids were higher (P<0.05) in PEA meat compared to SBM one while the proportions in FB meat were at intermediate level. These findings accounted for a lower and more favourable (P<0.001) n-6/n-3 ratio in PEA group compared to counterparts. Peas based-concentrate seemed to be more effective than faba bean- or soybean meal-included concentrates to improve the acidic profile of meat leading to higher α-linolenic acid levels and a lower n-6/n-3 ratio.

Keywords

• Sheep
• Legume seeds
• Meat quality
• Intramuscular fatty acid composition.