Fatty acid composition of M-longissimus lumborum, ultimate muscle pH values and carcass parameters in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L) grazed on natural pasture or fed a commercial feed mixture

Citation
E. Wiklund et al., Fatty acid composition of M-longissimus lumborum, ultimate muscle pH values and carcass parameters in reindeer (Rangifer tarandus tarandus L) grazed on natural pasture or fed a commercial feed mixture, MEAT SCI, 58(3), 2001, pp. 293-298
Citations number
45
Categorie Soggetti
Food Science/Nutrition
Journal title
MEAT SCIENCE
ISSN journal
03091740 → ACNP
Volume
58
Issue
3
Year of publication
2001
Pages
293 - 298
Database
ISI
SICI code
0309-1740(200107)58:3<293:FACOML>2.0.ZU;2-5
Abstract
The effects of feeding regimen on the fatty acid composition of M. longissi mus, ultimate pH values in three muscles (Mm. longissimus, triceps brachii and biceps femoris) and carcass quality were studied in15 reindeer bulls. N ine animals came from natural pasture and six had been fed a pelleted comme rcial feed mixture for two months prior to slaughter. The pellet fed reinde er had significantly better carcass grading scores (EUROP conformation), hi gher trim fat content, more intramuscular fat and lower ultimate pH values in all three muscles than the group from pasture. The polar and neutral lip id fatty acid composition of the meat was analysed separately. Meat from pa sture fed reindeer showed a high content of the fatty acid 18:3 n-3 in the polar lipid fraction. In the same lipid fraction, the Fatty acid 18:2 n-6 w as dominant in meat from the pellet fed animals. Similar differences in the neutral lipid fraction were found when comparing fatty acid composition be tween treatment groups, however the abundance of these fatty acids was much less. The present results confirm previous findings that reindeer fed typi cal pelleted commercial feed mixtures generally have an improved nutritiona l status. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.