Meat Qualities and Sensory Characteristics of Hararghe and Afar Rams Fed on Varying Energy and Protein Levels in the Diets

This study aimed to evaluate instrumental and eating qualities of meat from Afar and Hararghe Highland Rams subjected to different energy and protein levels in the diet. Fifty yearling rams with a mean IBW of 19.31 ± 1.7 kg (Mean±SD) was randomly distributed into five dietary treatments i.e., minimum energy and protein (mEmP), medium energy and protein (MEMP), medium energy and high protein (MEHP), high energy and medium protein (HEMP), and high Energy and high protein (HEHP) diets in randomized com-plete block design with 2 × 5 factorial arrangements. The minimum, medium, and high energy diets were: 2.388, 2.866, and 3.344 Mcal/kgDM with the corresponding 10, 16, and 20% crude protein (CP) diets. The diets were formulated in a total mixed ration from wheat bran, maize grain, peanut cake, and pasture hay feed ingredients. There was significant (P<0.01) effects of breed and diets on meat physicochemical pa-rameters (dissected lean, fat, bone, water holding capacity, and chemical compositions), eating qualities (flavor, juiciness and tenderness) and instrumental qualities (Warner–Brazilier shear force and meat color index values [(red (a*); light (L*); yellow (b*)]. Hararghe rams had higher (P<0.01) fat composition, water-holding capacity (WHC), light (L*; 32.4 vs. 29.8) and yellow (b*; 9.4 vs. 8.4) color index values, and tender meat (19.60 vs. 23.38 N/cm2) as compared to Afar rams. MEHP and HEMP diets were appropriate in pro-moting better meat quality while MEMP was optimum resulting in desirable meat qualities in both sheep breeds. Meat from both breeds and rams fed on all diets was in the acceptable ranges set for meat quality parameters. Major meat quality defects (dark cutting) observed on slaughtering of free grazing animals di-rectly bought from highland areas has been improved by this feeding and management systems.