Avaliação sensorial da carne suína e bovina embaladas a vácuo e sob atmosfera modificada / Sensorial evaluation of swine and bovine meat packed in vacuum and under modified atmosphere

O consumidor cada vez mais, busca alimentos que lhe proporcione segurança, praticidade, sabor, cor, odor, maciez e qualidade. Em busca de satisfazer essas demandas, as indústrias adquirem maneiras e tecnologias para suprir as necessidades do mesmo, e uma delas é a utilização de embalagem com atmosfera modificada, método que proporciona conservação e aumento da validade comercial de carnes. Para o trabalho proposto, utilizou-se a avaliação do efeito da embalagem com atmosfera modificada e à vácuo nas características sensoriais do músculo longíssimus dorsi de suínos e bovinos. Cinco suínos foram abatidos e retirados 10 contrafilés (Longissimus dorsi), assim foram utilizadas 10 amostras (contrafilés) divididas em dois tratamentos: Controle (EVC) embalado à vácuo e com uso de atmosfera modificada (EATM). Para o tratamento de EATM as amostras foram acondicionadas em bandejas de poliestireno recobertas em filme de poli (cloreto de vinila), com a seguinte composição de gases, 0,5% de CO, 49,5 CO2 e 50% N2. Da mesma forma que 5 bovinos da raça Angus foram abatidos e seus contrafilés divididos nos mesmos 2 tratamentos: EVC e EATM. Os bovinos foram mantidos em semi-confinamento, e suplementados à pasto, possuíam até quatro dentes e 3 a 6 mm de acabamento de gordura. Durante a análise sensorial as amostras foram avaliadas por um painel de dez degustadores treinados, que atribuíram valores em uma escalada de 0 a 10. Não foram observadas diferenças significativas entre os tratamentos para os atributos sensoriais avaliados na carne suína, assim indicando que o tipo de embalagem (atmosfera modificada) usada no estudo não afetou as características sensoriais do produto. Já carnes bovinas embaladas com atmosfera modificada apresentaram-se mais duras, menos suculentas e menos aceitas pelos julgadores. E devido aos resultados encontrados neste trabalho, recomenda-se novos estudos com novos níveis de gases em diferentes espécies. 

Carcass and Meat Quality at different ages of goats of Region Palmas - Alto Camaquã.

The region known as Territory "Alto Camaquã" in the State of Rio Grande do Sul is distinguished by the preservation of a landscape on which an extensive cattle ranching has been consolidated over the years. This activity is reflected in the current context as a high dependence on renewable natural resources. Thus, one could envisage an opportunity for the region to develop an image as a producer of quality meat, linked to production processes of its own, in an original environment and with high ecological value. Therefore, the aim of this study is to characterize the production system and evaluate the influence of 8-9 and 11-12 months as slaughtering ages on carcass characteristics, as well as the meat of naturalized goats from the region called Territory "Alto Camaquã , in the county of Bagé, seeking to build the technological bases for the creation of a "quality mark" for goat meat. 34 castrated male goats were used, from which 20 were aged 11-12 months and 14 aged 8-9 months. All animals remained with their mother until one day before slaughtered. pH and carcass traits (marbling, fat condition, color and texture) were measured in the carcass. Next, the Longissimus dorsi was removed for instrumental (water holding capacity, color, shear force) and sensory analysis. There were no differences regarding the subjective characteristics of the carcass between the two lots of slaughtered ages. Animals slaughtered at 8-9 months of age presented meat with higher ultimate pH value, greater staining intensity and lower values of shear force. Concerning sensory evaluation, the meat was characterized by attributes of weak intensity, presenting lower values for the animals slaughtered at 8-9 months of age. In the overall evaluation of the samples, values were higher for goats slaughtered at 8-9 months of age. Despite the influence of age, the meat quality of both ages are suitable for the establishment of a "quality mark" for the meat of naturalized goats from the region Territory "Alto Camaquã".A região denominada Território Alto Camaquã , situada no Estado de Rio Grande do Sul, se destaca pela conservação de uma paisagem, sobre a qual ao longo dos anos foi consolidando-se uma atividade pecuária extensiva. Esta atividade se traduz em uma alta dependência dos recursos naturais renováveis, com isso, pode-se vislumbrar uma oportunidade para a região de desenvolver uma imagem como produtora de carne de qualidade, vinculado a processos produtivos próprios e com ambiente original e de alto valor ecológico. O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar o sistema de produção e avaliar a influência da idade de abate de 8-9 e 11-12 meses, sobre as características da carcaça e da carne de caprinos naturalizados, procedentes da região do Alto Camaquã do município de Bagé, com vistas à construção de bases tecnológicas para criação de marca de qualidade para carne de caprino. Foram utilizados 34 caprinos machos castrados, sendo 20 com idade entre 11-12 meses, e 14 com idade entre 8-9 meses. Todos os animais permaneceram com suas mães até um dia antes do abate. Na carcaça foram realizadas medidas de pH e análises subjetivas (marmoreio, estado de engorduramento, cor e textura). Após foi retirado o músculo Longissimus dorsi, para análise instrumental (capacidade de retenção de água, cor, força de cisalhamento) e sensorial. Não foram encontradas diferenças em relação às características subjetivas da carcaça entre os dois lotes de idade de abate. Animais abatidos aos 8- 9 meses de idade apresentaram carne com maior valor de pH final, maior intensidade de coloração e com menores valores de força de cisalhamento. Sensorialmente a carne foi caracterizada com atributos de intensidade fraca, com menores valores para a carne de animais abatidos aos 8-9 meses de idade. Na avaliação global das amostras os valores foram superiores para os cabritos abatidos aos 8-9 meses de idade. Apesar da influência da idade, as características de qualidade da carne, de ambas as idades, são adequados para a construção de uma marca de qualidade para a carne de caprinos naturalizados, procedentes da região do Território do Alto Camaquã

Performance Efficiency of Pasture-raised Primiparous Beef Cows of Three Different Biotypes and Two Milk Production Levels

Background: Productivity and efficiency of beef production systems should be estimated based on cow size, calf growth rate and cow reproduction rate, which are critical factors for the evaluation of production characteristics of beef cattle of different biological types. One of the ways to measure beef cow productivity is based on the ratio of calf weaning weight to cow weight. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance and reproductive efficiency of primiparous beef cows of three different biotypes and two milk production levels, from calving to weaning, in pasture-raised beef systems. Materials, Methods & Results: Forty-two primiparous Angus cows were classified according to body weight at calving, as follows: Heavy (431 kg); Medium (388 kg); and Light (348 kg). Cow efficiency as a function of biotype was evaluated at two different moments: calving and weaning, based on the ratio of calf weight to cow weight*100 (in kilograms). Calf production efficiency was determined based on the ratio of calf weaning weight (CWW) to cow pregnancy rate (PR), resulting in the calf production index = kg of weaning calves per cow (CWW*PR/100).  The experimental design was a completely randomized factorial 3 x 2 x 2 design (three biotypes x two calf sexes x two milk production levels). The results were subjected to ANOVA and F-test. The Light and Medium cow groups produced more (P < 0.05) kilograms of calf per kilogram of cow (16.0 and 15.1 kg, respectively) than the Heavy group (14.0 kg). Light cows showed lower (P < 0.05) milk production and, as a result, lighter (P < 0.05) calves at weaning (151.9 ± 4.3 kg) than Medium and Heavy groups, 166.0 ± 3.7; 166.5 ± 4.0 kg, respectively. At beginning of the breeding season, cows of the Lower milk production group were on average 27.49 kg heavier than cows in the Higher milk production group. There was an interaction (P < 0.05) between total milk production and calf sex on characteristics of performance in calves and performance efficiencies of the system. Light and Medium cows showed 51 and 25 kg total weight gain from calving to weaning, corresponding to 14.7 and 6.4% of body weight, respectively. The Heavy group, however, showed a 3 kg loss (0.5% of body weight) during the same period. Discussion: A higher growth rate was observed in the pre-weaning period of the calves of heavy cows; as a result, these calves were heavier at weaning. To achieve this result, heavier cows may compensate this higher nutritional requirement using body reserves. This biological adjustment may not be economically efficient, since the subsequent reproduction of these cows could be impaired by increases in milk production. Therefore, the target cow in a pasture-raised beef system is one whose low nutritional requirements enable her to produce milk, resulting in heavier calves, and whose physiological conditions enable her to conceive again during the breed season. Light cows can be considered an efficient group, since their pregnancy rate enabled them to create a positive difference for the group, notwithstanding their lower milk production and lighter calves (P < 0.05) at weaning.  This tendency is expected, since increased growth rates are associated with a decrease in puberty and early finishing age. It is essential to select animals according to their efficiency in order to reduce the cow’s requirements, since this favors the increased productivity of cows of lower maintenance cost in relation to their body weight, leading to higher biological and economic efficiency in the beef production system. In conclusion, because of their lower nutritional requirements, cows of small and moderate biotypes and lower total milk production are more efficient than cows of larger biotypes and higher milk production in pasture-raised beef systems

Características da lactação de vacas Hereford criadas em um sistema de produção extensivo na região da campanha do Rio Grande do Sul

A produção de leite de vacas Hereford primíparas e multíparas manejadas sobre campo nativo foi estudada utilizando-se 144 lactações em um período de quatro anos (1995, 1998, 2000, 2001). A estimativa da produção de leite foi realizada em intervalos de 21 dias pela técnica da pesagem antes e após a mamada, do nascimento à desmama (189 dias). Foram considerados os fatores fixos ano, ordem de parto, prenhez, sexo do bezerro e raça do touro. As vacas multíparas produziram mais leite (8,27+0,26) que as primíparas (5,81+0,25 kg dia-1) no pico de lactação (42 dias). A produção total de leite em multíparas também foi superior (158,34+25,51) à das primíparas (915,44+24,47 kg). A produção de leite não foi influenciada pelos demais fatores. A maior produção de leite durante o pico de lactação consiste na principal diferença entre as curvas de lactação de vacas multíparas e primíparas, que, no entanto, apresentam amplitude de produção de leite similar nas condições estudadas. O leite fornece a energia suficiente para atender às exigências de mantença e ganho dos bezerros durante os dois primeiros meses da lactação e, apenas para mantença, até o quarto mês de lactação

Meat quality of white and natural colored male lambs raised in the Pampa Biome

ABSTRACT Sheep meat quality is influenced by a number of factors either intrinsic (species, breed, sex, and age) or extrinsic (nutrition, environment, and pre- and post-slaughter handling) to the animal. However, it is not known whether wool fibre color variations within the same breed can influence the instrumental and sensory characteristics of the meat. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of the genetic group on the instrumental and sensory characteristics of meat of white and natural colored Corriedale lambs. The 29 lambs (13 natural colored and 16 white) used in the experiments were raised on natural pasture under extensive grazing conditions in the region of the Pampa Biome, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. The animals were slaughtered at average age of 18 months. Meat evaluations were performed on samples from longissimus dorsi muscles. The analysis of variance was used to evaluate the effect of the genetic group and the means were compared by the F test. The instrumental analysis showed that meat of natural colored lambs had darker red color, higher 24 h pH, and higher scores for fat cover and texture. Sensory profiling was performed by nine trained panelists in four sessions. The sensory evaluation showed that natural colored lambs had darker red color, higher scores of fat taste and characteristic taste to the species. Despite significant differences in some sensory aspects, the samples were equally accepted by the panelists. Meat of natural colored Corriedale lambs had different instrumental and sensory profiles from that of white lambs