Effect of the Inclusion of Dried Bovine Ruminal Contents in the Diet of Growing Sheep on Productive Performance and Meat Quality

Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the productive performance, some rumen variables, carcass yield and physicochemical characteristics of meat, when growing sheep were fed dried bovine ruminal contents (DBRC). Thirty two weaned lambs (16 males, 16 females) of Pelibuey, Dorper and Katahdin breeds with an initial mean body weight of 19.5 ± 1.5 kg, were randomly assigned in a completely randomized design with factorial treatment arrangement, to four treatments with the inclusion of T1: 0, T2: 15, T3: 30, and T4: 45% of DBRC in their ration. The productive behavior trial lasted 60 days, rumen liquor was obtained by esophageal probe at the 60th day of the experiment, animals were slaughtered at the 60th day of the trial, carcass yield and meat quality were evaluated. Data were analyzed by analysis of variance and mean differences were calculated using the Tukey test. The results showed no differences (P>0.05) for DMI and DWG due to treatment, but there were differences (P<0.05) for DMI (1.88 kg males, 1.50 kg females) and DWG (0.33 kg males, 0.26 kg females) due to gender. Ruminal pH, rumen ammonia nitrogen, acetic, propionic and butyric acid were not affected (P>0.05) by treatment or gender. Carcass yield and meat quality indicators for color L*, a * and b *, were similar (P>0.05) among treatments. However there were differences (P<0.05) for a* (11.37 males, 13.69 females) and b* (11.27 males, 13.06 females) due to gender. No differences (P>0.05) were found for pH and water holding capacity (WHC) among treatments or between genders. It is concluded that the addition of DBRC up to 45% in the diet of growing sheep does not affect growth performance, ruminal pH, ammonia nitrogen, VFA concentration, carcass yield and physico-chemical characteristics of meat.