Abstract :
The effects of two lambs rearing systems – suckling from stall-fed (hay and concentrate)
or pasture-fed mothers – on carcass characteristics, meat quality, fatty acids composition,
vitamin E content and collagen characteristics, were studied in eighteen lambs. The effect
of consumer knowledge about the lamb-rearing system on the hedonic ratings of meat was
also assessed through consumer testing. Lambs subdivided into two experimental groups
(No. 9) of different maternal feeding system received exclusively maternal milk and were
slaughtered at 45 days of age. A higher leg weight with a higher proportion of fat and a lower
proportion of lean resulted from the lambs of pasture-fed mothers, while total muscle
protein content was higher in lambs of stall-fed mothers. Intramuscular saturated fatty
acids (SFA) were lower in lambs from pasture-fed mothers, while polyunsaturated fatty
acids (PUFA), conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), linolenic acid (18:3 n-3), and n-3 fatty acids
were higher, displaying more favourable indexes for human health (n-6/n-3, SFA/PUFA,
thrombogenic index). Maternal pasture feeding also caused higher -tocopherol content
and different collagen characteristics. The consumer test showed that when information on
the animal rearing system was provided, the meat from lambs of pasture-fed mothers was
preferred to meat from lambs of stall-fed mothers. In conclusion, this study has shown that
maternal feeding system in the stall or in pasture affects the nutritional value of suckling
lamb meat and consumer acceptability after they are given information on the production
system.
