Effects of dietary fat sources on the intramuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissue fatty acid composition, and consumer acceptability of lamb.

Background: Lamb diets can alter the fatty acid (FA) profile of muscle and adipose tissue, which may affect the sensory quality and consumer acceptability of the meat. In this study, lambs received one of four pre-slaughter diets: a barley / maize / soya-based concentrate (C), supplemented with a saturated fat source (Megalac®) (SAT), or supplemented with protected linseed oil (PLO); or a by-product (citrus pulp / distillers' grain / soya-based) diet (BPR). Intramuscular FAs and adipose tissue branched-chain FAs were measured and consumer evaluation (hedonic liking and attribute intensity) was undertaken with cooked lamb.

Effect of finishing diet and duration on the sensory quality and volatile profile of lamb meat.

Animal production factors can affect the sensory quality of lamb meat. The study investigated the effect of diet composition and duration of consumption on the proximate analysis, volatile profile and sensory quality of lamb meat. Ninety-nine male Texel × Scottish Blackface lambs were raised at pasture for 10 months before being assigned in groups of 11 to one of the following treatments: 100% Silage (S) for 36 (S36), 54 (S54) or 72 (S72) days; 50% Silage - 50% Concentrate (SC) for 36 (SC36), 54 (SC54) or 72 (SC72) days; 100% Concentrate (C) for 36 (C36) or 54 (C54) or 72 (C72) days.

Volatile Profile of Grilled Lamb as Affected by Castration and Age at Slaughter in Two Breeds.

Unlabelled: The aim of this study was to assess the effect of castration and slaughter age on the volatile profile of cooked meat from Scottish Blackface (SB) and Texel × Scottish Blackface (T × SB) lambs. M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum was sampled at slaughter and subjected to volatile analysis by SPME-GC-MS.

Effect of forage to concentrate ratio and duration of feeding on growth and feed conversion efficiency of male lambs.

Rations (DM basis) for spring-born male lambs consisting of concentrates ad libitum (), 50:50 (50% concentrate:50% forage), and forage ad libitum () were evaluated across feeding periods of three durations (36, 54, and 72 d). Lambs on CON diets were offered ad libitum access to concentrate along with 400 g of fresh weight silage (daily), while 50:50 diets were offered 0.9 and 3.

Effect of breed and castration on production and carcass traits of male lambs following an intensive finishing period.

The practice of crossbreeding using a terminal sire and the use of intact rather than castrated animals has the potential to increase the productivity of lambs produced from the hill sheep sector. The objective of this study was to compare the production and carcass characteristics of purebred Scottish Blackface () and Texel cross Scottish Blackface () ram and wether lambs fed on a concentrate diet and slaughtered at different ages. Two hundred spring born male lambs (average birth age ± SD 9.