L. Biondi

Dietary tannins improve lamb meat colour stability

Fourteen male Comisana lambs were divided into two groups at 45days of age: lambs fed a concentrate diet (C), or lambs fed the same concentrate with the addition of quebracho (Schinopsis lorentzii) tannins (T). Sheep were slaughtered at 105days of age. Lipid oxidation, colour coordinates, haem pigment concentration, and metmyoglobin percentages were measured on minced semimembranosus muscle (SM) over 14days of refrigerated storage in a high oxygen modified atmosphere. Tannin supplementation increased (P<0.01) a(∗) values and reduced (P<0.01) b(∗) values of the SM when compared to C. Lower hue angles (P<0.001) and metmyoglobin formation (P=0.07) were observed in lamb from T-fed compared to C-fed sheep during the 14-days storage period. Furthermore, feeding T resulted in greater (P<0.001) haem pigment concentrations in the SM during refrigerated storage; however, diet had no (P=0.28) effect on lipid oxidation. Therefore, including quebracho tannins in sheep diets can improve meat colour stability of fresh lamb during extended refrigerated storage.

Bacterial and protozoal communities and fatty acid profile in the rumen of sheep fed a diet containing added tannins.

ABSTRACT This study evaluated the effects of tannins on ruminal biohydrogenation (BH) due to shifts in the ruminal microbial environment in sheep. Thirteen lambs (45 days of age) were assigned to two dietary treatments: seven lambs were fed a barley-based concentrate (control group) while the other six lambs received the same concentrate with supplemental quebracho tannins (9.57% of dry matter). At 122 days of age, the lambs were slaughtered, and the ruminal contents were subjected to fatty acid analysis and sampled to quantify populations of Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, which converts C18:2c9-c12 (linoleic acid [LA]) to C18:2c9-t11 (rumenic acid [RA]) and then RA to C18:1t11 (vaccenic acid [VA]); we also sampled for Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus, which converts VA to C18:0 (stearic acid [SA]). Tannins increased (P < 0.005) VA in the rumen compared to the tannin-free diet. The concentration of SA was not affected by tannins. The SA/VA ratio was lower (P < 0.005) for the tannin-fed lambs than for the controls, suggesting that the last step of the BH process was inhibited by tannins. The B. proteoclasticus population was lower (−30.6%; P < 0.1), and B. fibrisolvens and protozoan populations were higher (+107% and +56.1%, respectively; P < 0.05) in the rumen of lambs fed the tannin-supplemented diet than in controls. These results suggest that quebracho tannins altered BH by changing ruminal microbial populations.

Effect of ewe feeding system (grass v. concentrate) on intramuscular fatty acids of lambs raised exclusively on maternal milk

Twenty pregnant Comisana ewes were divided into two groups of 10. One group was allowed to graze a vetch pasture (grass). The second group of animals was housed collectively in a pen and was given hay and concentrates (concentrate). After lambing, all the ewes were allowed to stay with the respective lambs between 18:00 h and 07:00 h of the following day in two different pens. Therefore all the lambs were raised exclusively on maternal milk. The lambs were slaughtered at 38 days of age. Milk and lamb meat ( longissimus dorsi muscle) fatty acids were analysed. Ewes on grass produced milk with a lower ( P < 0·001) proportion of saturated fatty acids and with a higher proportion of both monounsaturated ( P < 0·05) and polyunsaturated fatty acids ( P < 0·01) than ewes given concentrates. Trans-vaccenic acid was significantly higher ( P < 0·001) in milk from grass-fed animals compared with ewes given concentrates. Linoleic acid (C18 : 2 n-6) tended to be higher ( P = 0·06) in milk from ewes on concentrates while linolenic acid (C18 : 3 n-3) was significantly higher ( P < 0·001) in milk from animals grazing pasture. Conjugated linoleic acid (cis-9, trans-11 C18 : 2) was almost double in milk from grass-fed ewes compared with animals given concentrates ( P < 0·001). Regarding lamb tissue, trans-vaccenic acid (C18 : 1 trans-11) was higher ( P = 0·01) in the fat from lambs raised by grazing ewes. Linoleic acid (C18 : 2 n-6) was at higher concentration ( P < 0·001) in the fat from lambs raised by ewes given concentrates. Linolenic acid (C18 : 3 n-3) was increased three-fold ( P < 0·001) in the fat of lambs from the grass group compared with lambs suckled by ewes given concentrates. The isomer cis-9, trans-11 of conjugated linoleic acid was present at double concentration ( P < 0·001) in the fat from animals raised by grazing ewes. Eicosapentaenoic (C20 : 5 n-3; EPA) and docosaesaenoic (C22 : 6 n-3; DHA) acids were higher (respectively P < 0·001 and P = 0·01) in the intramuscular fat from lambs from the grass group compared with animals from the concentrate group. The n-6/n-3 ratio was lower ( P < 0·001) in the meat from lambs raised by grazing ewes. Overall this trial showed that ewe feeding system strongly affects intramuscular fatty acids even in lambs raised exclusively on maternal milk.

Dietary quebracho tannins are not absorbed, but increase the antioxidant capacity of liver and plasma in sheep.

A total of sixteen lambs were divided into two groups and fed two different diets. Of these, eight lambs were fed a control diet (C) and eight lambs were fed the C diet supplemented with quebracho tannins (C+T). The objective of the present study was to assess whether dietary quebracho tannins can improve the antioxidant capacity of lamb liver and plasma and if such improvement is due to a direct transfer of phenolic compounds or their metabolites, to the animal tissues. Feed, liver and plasma samples were purified by solid-phase extraction (SPE) and analysed by liquid chromatography-MS for phenolic compounds. Profisitinidin compounds were identified in the C+T diet. However, no phenolic compounds were found in lamb tissues. The liver and the plasma from lambs fed the C+T diet displayed a greater antioxidant capacity than tissues from lambs fed the C diet, but only when samples were not purified with SPE. Profisetinidin tannins from quebracho seem not to be degraded or absorbed in the gastrointestinal tract. However, they induced antioxidant effects in animal tissues.

Vitamin E and polyunsaturated fatty acids in bovine muscle and the oxidative stability of beef from cattle receiving grass or concentrate-based rations.

The present study was designed to assess the balance between antioxidant and prooxidant components and the oxidative stability of beef from cattle fed exclusively grazed pasture (PAS) or a barley-based concentrate offered indoors (CONC) for 11 mo, or fed grass silage indoors for a 5-mo winter period, followed for the remaining 6-mo summer period by grazed pasture (SiP) or by grazed pasture plus concentrate at 50% of the dietary DM (SiPC). Muscle prooxidant and antioxidant components were determined by measuring fatty acids and α-tocopherol concentration of LM, respectively. Lipid oxidation and color stability were monitored in ground LM, packaged in a high-oxygen modified atmosphere, over 11 d of refrigerated storage. Vitamin E concentration decreased (P < 0.0005) with an increasing proportion of concentrate in the diet (2.59, 2.45, 1.76, and 1.15 μg/g for PAS, SiP, SiPC, and CONC, respectively). A greater proportion of PUFA was found in LM from cattle in the PAS, SiP, and SiPC groups compared with animals in the CONC group (9.62, 11.04, 8.96, and 6.94%, respectively; P < 0.0005). A greater concentration of highly peroxidizable PUFA was found in LM from heifers in the PAS, SiP, and SiPC groups compared with those in the CONC group (0.84, 0.85, 0.87, and 0.65 mg/g of muscle, respectively; P = 0.02). Dietary treatment affected lipid oxidation (P < 0.0005), with greater 2-thiobarbituric acid reactive substance values in beef from heifers in the SiPC group than in beef from those in the PAS, SiP, and CONC groups. Dietary treatment affected myoglobin oxidation (P = 0.002) during storage, with greater metmyoglobin accumulation in beef from animals receiving concentrate (CONC and SiPC treatments) than in beef from cattle in the PAS and SiP groups. Consequently, feeding concentrate impaired meat color stability over the storage duration, with greater H* (hue angle) values (P < 0.0005) in meat from heifers in the SiPC and CONC groups compared with meat from those in the PAS and SiP groups. The results of the present study confirm a positive effect of grass-based feeding systems on meat color stability compared with concentrate-based dietary strategies. It appears that vitamin E in muscle alone does not explain the resistance of meat to oxidative deterioration because a clear interaction with highly peroxidizable PUFA exists.

Meat odour and flavour and indoles concentration in ruminal fluid and adipose tissue of lambs fed green herbage or concentrates with or without tannins.

A 2 × 2 factorial experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of herbage or concentrate feeding system and tannin addition to diet on skatole and indole in ruminal fluid and adipose tissue and meat sensory properties. Twenty-eight male lambs aged 45 days were randomly assigned to one of two feeding systems (vetch green herbage or concentrates, n = 14) and within feeding system to one supplement (quebracho tannins added to the diet or none). Animals were kept in singular pens and slaughtered at the age of 105 days. Indole (P < 0.05) and skatole (P < 0.01) concentrations in ruminal fluid were higher in lambs fed herbage compared to those given concentrates. Skatole in ruminal fluid tended to be present at lower concentrations in animals that received the tannin supplementation (P = 0.07). Indole was also higher in the caudal fat of animals fed green vetch compared to those fed concentrate (P = 0.04). Skatole concentration was lower in the fat of lambs fed concentrates compared to those given herbage (P = 0.05) and was lower in the fat of animals supplemented with tannins compared to the animals not supplemented (P = 0.01). Sheep meat odour was lower in meat from animals supplemented with tannins compared to those not supplemented (P < 0.01). It is concluded that tannins are more effective in reducing skatole formation in ruminants when they are associated with concentrate diets than green herbages.

Effect of partially replacing dietary barley with 20% carob pulp on post-weaning growth, and carcass and meat characteristics of Comisana lambs

Sixteen male Comisana lambs were divided into two groups of eight at age 45 days. One group received a commercial pelleted diet (control) and the other group (carob) received a diet in which 20% carob pulp was used in partial replacement of barley. The animals were slaughtered at 100 days. No significant differences were observed for live weight, although the carob group ate 14% more dry matter, showing a higher conversion index (2.68 and 3.22kg dry matter per kg weight gain respectively for control and carob). The dressing percentage was higher (p < 0.05) for the control group; however, the carcasses showed no differences in the European classification system. Lightness (lean colour) was the only meat quality parameter (p < 0.05) affected by diet treatment: the carob group lambs had a higher L (∗) value. This could not be attributed to ultimate pH, which was not significantly different between the two groups. In triangle tests, sensory panelists were unable to distinguish one diet treatment from the other. Instrumental tenderness was also unaffected by diet treatment.

Dietary citrus pulp reduces lipid oxidation in lamb meat.

This study investigated the effect of replacing cereal concentrates with high levels of dried citrus pulp in the diet on lamb meat oxidative stability. Over 56 days, lambs were fed a barley-based concentrate (Control) or concentrates in which 24% and 35% dried citrus pulp were included to partially replace barley (Citrus 24% and Citrus 35%, respectively). Meat was aged under vacuum for 4 days and subsequently stored aerobically at 4 °C. The Control diet increased the redness, yellowness and saturation of meat after blooming (P<0.01). Regardless of the level of supplementation, dietary dried citrus pulp strongly reduced meat lipid oxidation over 6 days of aerobic storage (P<0.001), while colour parameters did not change noticeably over storage and their variation rate was not affected by the diet. In conclusion, replacing cereals with dried citrus pulp in concentrate-based diets might represent a feasible strategy to naturally improve meat oxidative stability and to promote the exploitation of this by-product.

Effect of morning vs. afternoon grazing on intramuscular fatty acid composition in lamb.

The aim of this study was to assess whether different grazing management affect animal performance and meat fatty acid composition. Thirty-five lambs were divided into three groups: 12 lambs grazed from 9 am to 5 pm (8 h group); 11 lambs grazed from 9 am to 1 pm (4hAM group) and 12 lambs grazed from 1 pm to 5 pm (4hPM group). The trial was conducted over 72 days. The 8 h lambs had greater DMI (P<0.0005) and final body weight (P<0.05) than the 4hPM and 4hAM lambs while carcass weight was not different between the three groups. The meat of the 4hPM lambs contained greater (P<0.05) percentages of polyunsaturated fatty acids, C18:2 cis-9 trans-11 and lower saturated fatty acids and C18:0 than the meat of the 8 h and 4hAM lambs. It is concluded that allowing lambs to graze during the afternoon rather than during 8 h does not compromise the carcass yield and results in a healthier meat fatty acid profile.

The restriction of grazing duration does not compromise lamb meat colour and oxidative stability.

Over 72 days, 33 lambs were fed: concentrates in stall (S), grass at pasture for 8 hours (8 h), or grass at pasture for 4 hours in the afternoon (4h-PM). The 4h-PM treatment did not affect the carcass yield compared to the 8h treatment. Meat colour development after blooming was unaffected by the treatments. The 4 h-PM treatment increased the proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; P<0.0005) and of the highly peroxidizable fatty acids (HP-PUFA; P<0.001) in meat compared to the 8h treatment. The S treatment increased lipid oxidation (higher TBARS values) and impaired colour stability (higher H* values) of meat over storage compared to the 8h and 4 h-PM treatments (P<0.0005 and P=0.003, respectively). No difference in meat oxidative stability was found between the 8h and the 4h-PM treatments. In conclusion, growing lambs can tolerate a restriction of grazing duration without detrimental effects on performances and meat oxidative stability.