Carcass Traits and Meat Quality of Fat-Tailed Lambs Fed Rosemary Residues as a Part of Concentrate.

Abstract

Simple SummaryThis study aims to investigate the carcass and meat quality from lambs fed a dietary treatment including rosemary residues obtained after distillation as cereal substitute in concentrate knowing that cereals are the main component of concentrate. Twenty-four male lambs from local fat-tailed Barbarine breed were allocated into three groups. They received individually oat hay as roughage and as complementation standard concentrate for control group (C) and two concentrate types containing rosemary residues (RR) for the other groups. The protein source was soybean (S) for RRS group while faba bean (F, Vicia Faba) which is a legume was the protein source for RRF group. The results suggest a positive action of rosemary by-products in improving phenolic and tocopherol compounds given their richness in these components. In addition, growth, the non-carcass and carcass traits and the meat physical properties were not altered. Facing climate change implications on feeds unavailability, unconventional resources are being considered with a growing interest such as aromatic plant distillation residues with a two-fold object, enhancing meat quality by increasing the antioxidant properties and reducing feed prices which are often imported though expensive. Hence, this study aims to assess the effects of rosemary distillation residues (RR) incorporation in concentrate associated to two nitrogen sources as a substitute for standard concentrate on lamb’s growth, carcass traits and meat quality. For this, 24 Barbarine male lambs (3 months old, 17.83 ± 2.6 kg body weight) were divided into three groups. All lambs received individually 600 g of oat hay as roughage and 600 g of standard concentrate for control group, 600 g of concentrate based on RR and soybean meal for RRS group and 600 g of concentrate based on RR and faba bean for RRF group. After 65 days of experiment, all lambs were slaughtered. Phenolic and tocopherol intakes were significantly higher for both RR groups compared to control (p < 0.05). Growth, carcass weights, dressing percentages and non-carcass component weights were unaffected by the diet (p > 0.05). Moreover, regional and tissular compositions and meat physical properties were similar irrespective of the diet (p > 0.05). All color parameters were similar among groups (p > 0.05). However, meat produced by lambs receiving RR-based concentrate was richer on vitamin E and polyphenol contents than control lambs (p < 0.05). Rosemary by-products may substitute the standard concentrate resulting in similar lamb’s growth and carcass traits, while improving meat quality by increasing vitamin E content, which could improve its antioxidant power.