Continued development of a tool to measure intramuscular fat of Australian lamb carcases in commercial situations.

Despite the importance of intramuscular fat (IMF) to eating quality, as yet no methodology has been widely adopted by the whole of industry in Australia to measure it routinely. Thus, a study was conducted to investigate the potential for a Near Infra-Red (NIR) device to predict the IMF content of the loin from spectra collected on the topside which is externally located on a hanging carcase and therefore easily accessible. To this end, NIR spectra were collected from topsides (m.

There is no relationship between lamb particle size and consumer scores for tenderness, flavour, juiciness, overall liking or quality rank.

With the aim to define an objective threshold for consumer satisfaction, this study investigated the relationship between lamb particle size data and consumer scores for tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall liking (sensorial properties). Data were sourced from the longissimus lumborum muscles of 273 Australian Merino lambs, these being aged for 5-d and then analysed for particle size and sensorial properties - the latter using untrained consumer sensory panels. Pearson's correlation and principal component analyses identified no significant relationship between particle size and consumer sensory scores.

Partial least squares and machine learning for the prediction of intramuscular fat content of lamb loin.

Given the paucity of lamb carcase grading tools, there is a distinct need for the development of rapid, non-destructive grading tools for Australian lamb carcases, particularly fat content given its importance to meat and eating quality. The aim of the current study was to determine the potential for Near Infrared (NIR) spectroscopy to predict IMF using Partial Least Squares (PLS) and machine learning analysis methods. As such, 299 lamb loins were measured using a NIR fibre optic device, a sample was excised for Soxhlet determination of IMF content and prediction models were created using either PLS or machine learning analyses methods.

Genetic correlations between meat quality traits and growth and carcass traits in Merino sheep1.

Genetic correlations between 16 meat quality and nutritional value traits and live weight at various ages, live ultrasound fat and muscle depth, carcass measures, and carcass dissection traits were estimated for Merino sheep in the Information Nucleus (IN). Genetic correlations between live weight at various ages and the carcass traits are also reported. The IN comprised 8 genetically linked flocks managed across a range of Australian sheep environments.

Sources of variation of health claimable long chain omega-3 fatty acids in meat from Australian lamb slaughtered at similar weights.

The sources of variation of health claimable omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (eicosapentaenoic acid, EPA+docosahexaenoic acid, DHA) in 2000 Australian lambs were investigated using 98 sires (Merino, maternal or terminal breeds) that were mated to about 5000 Merino or crossbred (Border Leicester×Merino) ewes. Pasture was supplemented with feedlot pellets, grains or hay as necessary, when the availability of quality green pasture was limited. Lambs were grown at 8 sites across Australia and when slaughtered the longissimus lumborum muscle was collected.

A genomics-informed, SNP association study reveals FBLN1 and FABP4 as contributing to resistance to fleece rot in Australian Merino sheep.

Background: Fleece rot (FR) and body-strike of Merino sheep by the sheep blowfly Lucilia cuprina are major problems for the Australian wool industry, causing significant losses as a result of increased management costs coupled with reduced wool productivity and quality. In addition to direct effects on fleece quality, fleece rot is a major predisposing factor to blowfly strike on the body of sheep. In order to investigate the genetic drivers of resistance to fleece rot, we constructed a combined ovine-bovine cDNA microarray of almost 12,000 probes including 6,125 skin expressed sequence tags and 5,760 anonymous clones obtained from skin subtracted libraries derived from fleece rot resistant and susceptible animals.