Replacement of corn silage with spineless cactus in sheep diet: carcass and meat sensory characteristics

Julimar Do Sacramento Ribeiro,Carolyny Batista Lima,Luana Lira Santos,Marianna Suellen Bispo Vieira,Dorgival Morais De Lima Júnior,Greicy Mitzi Bezerra Moreno,Maria Josilaine Matos Dos Santos Silva,Tobyas Maia De Albuquerque Mariz

doi:10.4025/actascianimsci.v42i1.48832

Julimar Do Sacramento Ribeiro, Carolyny Batista Lima + Show 6 more

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https://doi.org/10.4025/actascianimsci.v42i1.48832

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Abstract

This study evaluated the effect of replacing corn silage with spineless cactus, in combination with Tifton 85 hay or sugarcane bagasse, on the carcass measurements and sensory properties of the meat of lambs finished in feedlot. Twenty-one, intact, Santa Inês males, with an initial body weight of 22.86 ± 2.87 kg and an average age of 150 days, were individually confined for 74 days and fed at will three treatments diets: Corn silage (CS); Spineless cactus + Tifton 85 hay (CT) and Spineless cactus + sugarcane bagasse (CB). Lambs fed CT had a wider croup (p < 0.05) compared to animals fed CS. The replacement of corn silage with CT or CB did not influence (p > 0.05) the body length, withers height or chest circumference of the lambs. Values of carcass length and compactness index were similar (p > 0.05) between treatments. There was a high and positive correlation (p < 0.05) between chest width (0.82) and chest circumference (0.81) of animals with cold carcass weight. The odor and taste of sheep meat fed CT or CB was more accepted when compared to the meat of animals fed corn silage. The replacement of corn silage with spineless cactus in combination with Tifton 85 hay or sugarcane bagasse improves the sensory quality of sheep meat, but does not interfere with carcass measurements.

Highlights

In northeastern Brazil, sheep farming stands out as one of the most important livestock activities, due to prolonged droughts and a short rainy season there is a deficit in the supply of native forage for herds, resulting in poor animal performance (Pereira Filho et al, 2013)
The objective was to evaluate the effect of replacing corn silage with spineless cactus combined with Tifton 85 hay or sugarcane bagasse on the carcass characteristics and acceptance of confined sheep meat
The replacement of corn silage (CS) with spineless cactus combined with Tifton 85 hay (CT) or sugarcane bagasse (CB) did not influence (p > 0.05) body length, withers height, chest circumference or conformation of animals (Table 2)

Summary

Introduction

In northeastern Brazil, sheep farming stands out as one of the most important livestock activities, due to prolonged droughts and a short rainy season there is a deficit in the supply of native forage for herds, resulting in poor animal performance (Pereira Filho et al, 2013). Corn silage has a high nutritional value for sheep (Moreno et al, 2010a), but the cultivation of corn for making silage is hampered by drought in northeastern Brazil, which encumbers the use of silage as a food resource for herds in this region. In this context, the use of xerophyte forages, such as spineless cactus (Nopalea cochenillifera Salm-Dick), is sustainable alternative for sheep meat production systems developed in semiarid areas (Awawdeh, 2011). The objective was to evaluate the effect of replacing corn silage with spineless cactus combined with Tifton 85 hay or sugarcane bagasse on the carcass characteristics and acceptance of confined sheep meat

Material and methods

Results and discussion

Conclusion