Abstract
Simple SummaryBypass fat supplementation has been shown to influence the carcass and meat qualities of large ruminants, especially cattle. However, limited information is available on the influence of bypass fat on carcass characteristics and the meat proximate and fatty acid compositions of buffaloes. The objective of this study was to evaluate both the effects of bypass fat on carcass traits and meat proximate and fatty acid compositions, and the profitability of Murrah cross and swamp buffaloes. Bypass fat supplementation improved the proximate and fatty acid compositions of buffalo meat without affecting the carcass characteristics. Although the mixture of the concentrate and bypass fat supplement (26:4) used in this study was found to increase the feed cost, the eventual overall returns resulted in a greater profit.The deposition and distribution of buffalo body fats play a vital role in the quality of the buffalo carcass and are of great commercial value, since the carcass quality influences the profitability and consumer acceptability of ruminant meat. The current study examined the effect a mixture of 4% bypass fat and 26% concentrate supplementations in buffalo basal diet had on both the carcass characteristics and the proximate and fatty acid composition in longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL), supraspinatus (SS) and semitendinosus (ST) muscles of Murrah cross and swamp buffaloes. In addition, profit and loss analyses were performed to determine the profitability. This study employed a completely randomized 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with two diets, two breeds and four replicates per treatment. A total of sixteen buffaloes (eight buffaloes per breed, bodyweight 98.64 ± 1.93 kg) were randomly assigned into two dietary groups. The first group was given Diet A, which consisted of 70% Brachiaria decumbens + 30% concentrate, whereas the second group was given Diet B, which consisted of 70% Brachiaria decumbens + 26% concentrate + 4% bypass fat. The buffaloes were fed for 730 days before slaughter. The results showed that supplemented bypass fat significantly (p < 0.05) increased the pre-slaughter weight, hot and cold carcass weights, meat:fat ratio, pH at 24 h, moisture and crude protein of LTL, ST and SS, the ether extract of LTL and ST and the meat fatty acid of C16:0, C16:1, C18:1, PUFA n-6/n-3 and total MUFA. The carcass yield and carcass fat percentages, the ash content in ST, the EE in the SS muscle and the meat fatty acid of C18:3, total PUFA n-3, UFA/SFA and PUFA/SFA were significantly (p < 0.05) decreased. Furthermore, Murrah cross showed a significantly (p < 0.05) higher pre-slaughter weight, hot and cold carcass weights, carcass bone percentage and total fatty acid, but a lower (p < 0.05) meat:bone ratio, ash of LTL and CP of LTL and ST when compared to swamp buffaloes. No significant changes were found in the proximate composition of different types of muscle, but the ST muscle revealed significantly high C14:0, C16:0 and C18:1, and the SS muscle had high C18:2 and total fatty acid (p < 0.05). Supplementing using bypass fat increased the cost of buffalo feeding but resulted in a higher revenue and net profit. In conclusion, the concentrate and bypass fat supplementations in the buffalo diet could alter the nutrient compositions of buffalo meat without a detrimental effect on carcass characteristics, leading to a higher profit.
Highlights
Buffalo meat was obtained from retired draft animals of more than 10 years of age [1]
Buffaloes of Group A were fed with Diet A, which consisted of 70% Brachiaria decumbens grass and 30% concentrate (Control) (DM: 90.31%, ash: 5.69% DM, crude fiber (CF): 23.73% DM, ether extract (EE): 2.92% DM, crude protein (CP): 8.08% DM, neutral detergent fiber (NDF): 57.96% DM, acid detergent fiber (ADF): 28.70% DM, acid detergent lignin (ADL): 3.32% DM, nonfiber carbohydrate (NFC): 24.84% DM, gross energy (GE): 12.10 MJ/kg, hemicellulose: 29.25% DM and cellulose: 25.38% DM), which is the common practice of buffalo feeding by farmers [13]
B were significantly higher in the live weight, the weights of the hot and cold carcass, the meat:fat ratio and the pH at 24 h, and were lower in the carcass fat percentage when compared to those fed with Diet A (p < 0.05)
Summary
Buffalo meat was obtained from retired draft animals of more than 10 years of age [1]. The fatty acid compositions of buffalo fat has been reported to affect the nutritional value and the various aspects of buffalo meat quality traits, including flavor and shelf-life [10], and the compositions of meat fatty acids [11]. An improvement in the ratio of polyunsaturated:saturated fatty acids (PUFA:SFA) in favor of the former is essential in maintaining the consumers’ health [12]. Fat supplements, such as palm, coconut and corn oils, given together with pasture, was shown to increase the percentage of fat in the carcass, thickness of meat-covering fat and marbling of the meat [7]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Free) 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
