EFFECT OF AMP-50 AMINO-ACID SUPPLEMENT ON PERFORMANCE AND QUALITY OF MEAT IN VEAL CALVES

The aim of this work was to estimate effect of the AMP-50 amino acid s upplement (Jaminex, Jablonec n. N., Bohemia) on qualitative and econom ic aspects of veal production. Fourteen male calves (Black and White S potted), four weeks of age at the beginning of the trial were used. Tl e average live weight of calves in control and experimental group was 53.4 and 54.9 kg, resp. All calves received a commercial milk replacer Biosan. Calves of the experimental group received 1 ml of the AMP-50 per 100 kg of live weight, according to manufacturer's instruction. Tl e supplement nonsignificantly increased daily weight gains by 9.1 % on average.Tables present qualitative parameters of meat (Tab. I), nutri tive and technological parameters of meat (Tab. II) and contents of mi neral elements in meat (Tab. III). Sensory parameters of meat are pres ented in Tab. IV. Tables document high quality of meat. Chemical score of meat was the best in musculus longissimus dorsi samples (MLD) in e xperimental group (85.6). In these samples there was significantly low er content of hydroxyproline (0.51 +/- 0.01 vs 0.58 +/- 0.06 g/kg). Lo w caloric value of samples of MLD can be related to low fat content (3 .79 g/kg vs 5.52 g/kg; P < 0.05). In sensory evaluation of meat (Tab. IV), samples of MLD of control group were better than samples of MLD o f experimental group (4.7 vs. 4.4; P < 0.05). It can be explained by c ontent of fat in meat, which was 8.27 g/kg in the control and 5.52 g/k g in the experimental group (S k r i v a n o v A et al., 1991). In sam ples of meat of the leg, differences in fat content were small (9.97 g /kg in control and 10.7 g/kg in experimental group). Sensory evaluatio n reflects these data (4.6 in control and 4.7 in experimental group). Cholesterol in samples of leg was slightly lower in control group (0.5 3 vs. 0.55 g/kg) and ash lower in experimental group (9.34 vs 10.07 g/ kg). Leg of the experimental group contained significantly more Ca and Na and less Mg. In MLD samples Ca was lower in experimental group (0. 025 vs. 0.028 g/kg) and Mg slightly higher in experimental group (0.23 9 vs. 0.236 g/kg). The use of the AMP-50 amino acid supplement is bene ficial also from the economic point of view.