Performance and Meat Quality of Local Sheep Administered with Feed Additive Containing Probiotic and Organic Mineral Complex

The experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of probiotic and organic mineral complex (POMC) administration on performance and meat quality of local sheep. In this study, 6 sheep with an average initial body weight of 12.67±0.81 kg were arranged in a completely randomized design with 2 treatments and 3 replications. The treatments were T0: basal diet (control) and T1: basal diet + POMC. The basal diet consisted of forage and concentrate (60:40) with dry matter of feed intake as much as 5% of body weight. Dose of POMC used in this study was 15 g/d/head. The POMC contained lactic acid bacteria, i.e. Lactobacillus sp. (1x108 cfu/g) and S. cereviseae incorporated with micromineral Co (2 ppm), Cu (100 ppm), Fe (2.5 ppm), I (110 ppm) and Mn (100 ppm). The experimental period lasted for 11 wk (1 wk for adaptation and 10 wk for data collection). Data were analyzed using t-Student statistical test to compare the treatments. The results showed that POMC administration did not affect the body weight gain (BWG) (7.46 kg) compared to control (7.13 kg) while concentrate consumption (26.9 kg) of POMC was lower than the control (28.6 kg). Meanwhile POMC administration did not affect the meat quality (pH, moisture, cooking loss and tenderness), whereas the meat cholesterol was lower (34.25 mg/100g) than the control (38.87 mg/100g). It is concluded that administration of probiotic lactic acid bacteria combined with organic minerals decreases concentrate consumption and thereby potentially increases the animals energy utilization efficiency. In addition, the treatment also decreases the meat cholesterol content of local sheep

Male chicken thigh meat quality from fast and slow growing breeds from an organic free-range system

Significant effects of Genotype and Age on several of the technological meat quality attributes measured were found. In general, the meat from fast growing birds (JA) was darker, more tender, had a higher water-binding but a higher cooking loss. Birds with a higher age at slaughter was more red, less tender and had a higher cooking loss. Regarding the protein concentration of the feed, no significant effects could be found on meat quality attributes, however a high protein concentration in the feed showed a tendency towards more tender meat

Meat consumption: Trends and quality matters

peer-reviewedThis paper uses quality theory to identify opportunities for the meat sector that are consistent with trends in meat consumption. Meat consumption has increased and is likely to continue into the future. Growth is largely driven by white meats, with poultry in particular of increasing importance globally. The influence of factors such as income and price is likely decline over time so that other factors, such as quality, will become more important. Quality is complex and consumers' quality expectations may not align with experienced quality due to misconception of certain intrinsic cues. Establishing relevant and effective cues, based on extrinsic and credence attributes, could offer advantage on the marketplace. The use of extrinsic cues can help convey quality characteristics for eating quality, but also for more abstract attributes that reflect individual consumer concerns e.g. health/nutrition, and collective concerns, e.g. sustainability. However, attributes are not of equal value to all consumers. Thus consumer segmentation and production differentiation is needed.The authors acknowledge the financial support of the Irish Department of Agriculture Food and Marine for funding through their Stimulus Fund for the project entitled “Genetic selection for improved milk and meat product quality in dairy, beef and sheep”: project reference no: 11/SF/311

Process redesign for effective use of product quality information in meat chains

To fulfil segmented consumer demand and add value, meat processors seek to exploit quality differences in meat products. Availability of product quality information is of key importance for this. We present a case study where an innovative sensor technology that provides estimates of an important meat quality feature is considered. Process design scenarios that differ with respect to sorting complexity, available product quality information, and use of temporary buffers are assessed using a discrete event simulation model. Results indicate that increasing sorting complexity by use of advanced product quality information results in a reduction of processing efficiency. Use of production buffers was found to increase processing flexibility and mitigate negative effects of high sorting complexity. This research illustrates how the use of advanced product quality information in logistics’ decision-making affects sorting performance, processing efficiency, and the optimal processing design, an area that has so far received little attention in literature

Guaranteeing Canadian lamb meat quality using near-infrared spectroscopy on intact rack

Lamb racks from commercial carcasses were scanned using near-infrared spectroscopy. The prediction accuracies (R 2) for meat quality traits were assessed. Prediction accuracy ranged between 0.40 and 0.94. When predicted values were used to classify meat based on quality, 88.7%–95.2% of samples were correctly classified as quality guaranteed

Carcass and meat quality of different pig genotypes in an organic extensive outdoor fatting system

Carcass, meat, and fat quality were evaluated of 37 castrates of 4 different genotypes [Pi*Du*GLR (10), Pi*AS (7), Du (10), Du*GLR (10)] kept on grass clover and fed with coarse meal made up of farm grown cereal and grain legumes without optimising the amount of amino acids and their relation to the energy content. Due to the energy surplus in the diet and in relation to the diminishing muscularity of the genotypes (corresponding to the above-mentioned sequence) lean meat contents were on a low level whereas intramuscular fat contents increased distinctly. Sensory meat quality was only at a medium level and did not differ noticeably between the genotypes. It is concluded that adipose carcasses associated with increased intramuscular fat contents do not lead automatically to higher sensory meat qualities. Therefore the system boundaries of organic pig fattening cannot be used without further efforts supplying market niches for pork of high eating quality

Effect of Genotype, Gender, and Feed Restriction on Slaughter Results and Meat Quality of Broiler Chickens

Slaughter results and meat quality were evaluated in 768 broilers according to genotype (standard breast yield vs. high breast yield), gender, and feeding systems (ad libitum vs. feed restriction from 13 to 21 d of age). Standard-yield chickens had higher carcass weights (2358 g vs. 2319 g; P < 0.001) and hind legs proportion (31.1% vs. 30.6%; P < 0.01), and lower dressing out percentage (73.6% vs. 74.0%; P < 0.01) compared to high-yield birds, besides lower meat L* index (45.3 vs. 46.2; P < 0.05), higher final pH (5.89 vs. 5.85; P < 0.05) and thawing losses (10.5% vs. 9.43%; P < 0.05). Males showed higher carcass weight (+24%), dressing percentage (+0.7%), and hind leg yield (+4%) (P < 0.001) than females. Restricted birds had lower carcass weight (\u20132%; P < 0.001) and dressing percentage (-0.3%) (P < 0.05) than those always fed ad libitum. As what concerns meat quality, gender and feeding system aff ected only meat final pH, lower in ad libitum group than in restricted one and in females than males. In conclusions, slaughter results and carcass traits changed especially with genotype and gender, coherently with slaughter weight whereas meat quality was mostly affected by genotype

Eating quality of Holstein bull calves fed only grass or purely herbs matches that of concentrate-fed veal calves

Organic meat production from Holstein calves born in dairy herds require that the bull calves are raised outdoor at least 6 months a year, and on large quantities of roughage in the diet. This study aimed at elucidating if Holstein bull calves fed either purely grass or purely herbs prior to slaughter would differ in meat quality traits, fatty acid composition and sensory profile and if they differed in quality aspects from concentrate-fed veal calves

Consumer Appreciation of Carcass Quality of Organic vs Conventional Suckling Lamb Production

Carcass characteristics of sucking lambs (n= 40) of two breeds reared under conventional and organic conditions were analysed including objective and subjective parameters for fatness and conformation, meat and fat colour. Consumer acceptance was also studied using the home-use test. Results showed that the characteristics of the carcass of suckling lamb were similar for both types of production systems pointing out that organic production system did not affect fatness or muscle development. However, organic meat was darker (higher L* and a* values) probably related with the higher amount of exercise, although fat was not more yellow. In contrast consumers did not consider organic meat darker and there were not significant differences in appearance related with the similar conformation. These results reflect that consumer perceive organic meat as at least as good as conventional production not only regarding environmental quality but also regarding carcass quality

Effective use of product quality information in meat processing

This paper presents a case study on use of advanced product quality information in meat processing. To serve segmented customer demand meat processors consider use of innovative sensor technology to sort meat products to customer orders. To assess the use of this sensor technology a discrete-event simulation model is built. Various scenarios were defined for processing strategy (buffered or non-buffered), the number of end product groups to sort to and the availability of product quality information. The performance of these scenarios is measured w.r.t. order compliance, labor consumption and throughput-time. Our results reveal that the current processing and product sorting strategy is in-effective for sorting to a large number of end product groups. Furthermore, the current availability of product quality information is insufficient to ensure high levels of order compliance for advanced product quality products