Influence of feeding on the quality of young lamb meat.

This work was realised under special conditions of collaboration with a lig ht weight lamb producer organisation. The aim of this study was to aid this organisation in a choice of feeding resources. In a first trial, suckling lambs until slaughter were judged to have more tender meat than weaned lamb s. They also showed a higher fat yield. The volatile compounds analysis did not indicate a difference between the two kinds of lamb. A second trial di d not establish a negative effect of sugar beet pulp, as a concentrate feed compared with wheat, on the organoleptic quality of lamb meat. These resul ts allowed more possibilities for the lamb producer organisation to improve their feeding system and produce better quality meat. ((C) Elsevier/Inra).