Lambs supplemented with Amazonian oilseed co-products: Meat quality and fatty acid profile

PLoS One. 2023 Dec 19;18(12):e0293897. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0293897. eCollection 2023.

Abstract

The Amazon has a wide variety of oilseeds that generate a huge amount of co-products with potential for use in animal nutrition. The objective was to use alternative resources (oilseed cakes) in the feeding of lambs to assign a sustainable destination to this biomass, and evaluate its influence on the quality and fatty acid (FA) profile of the meat. Twenty-four lambs, male, castrated, crossbred Dorper × Santa Inês, weighing 30 ± 1.3 kg of initial body weight, were distributed in a completely randomized design in 4 treatments (diets) with six replications (animals). The control diet (Control) contained corn and soybean meal as main ingredients, which were partially replaced in the other diets by cupuassu cake diet (Cup), palm kernel cake diet (Palm) and tucuma cake diet (Tuc). The inclusion of Amazon cakes influences the lipid (P = 0.02) and protein (P < 0.01) composition of meat (longissimus lumborum); reduces cooking losses (P < 0.01); influences the colors (L, a, b), chroma, and Hue Angle (P < 0.01); promotes changes in total FA composition and FA profile (P < 0.05); reduces hypocholesterolemic FA (h) (P = 0.01), but does not influence hypercholesterolemic (H) and indices h:H, AI and TI (P > 0.05). The inclusion of oilseed cakes influences the chemical composition, physical parameters, composition and fatty acid profile of the meat, but does not influence the indicators of atherogenicity, thrombogenicity and cholesterolemia.

Publication types

  • Randomized Controlled Trial, Veterinary

MeSH terms

  • Animal Feed* / analysis
  • Animals
  • Diet / veterinary
  • Dietary Supplements
  • Fatty Acids*
  • Male
  • Meat / analysis
  • Sheep
  • Sheep, Domestic

Substances

  • Fatty Acids

Grants and funding

We would like to thank the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (CAPES) - Brazil. Dean of Research and Postgraduate Studies (PROPESP/UFPA) for financial support for the manuscript publication fee; and Graduate Program in Animal Science (PPGCAN, UFPA/Embrapa/UFRA). The funders had no role in studying design, data collection and analysis, decision to publish, or preparation of the manuscript.