Componentes do peso corporal e qualidade da carne de ovinos santa inês alimentados com dietas contendo diferentes fontes de carboidratos associadas à ureia

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of diets containing corn grain, cassava scrapings and spineless cactus associated with urea on the qualitative and quantitative characteristics of the carcass, the weights and yields of the non-constituents of the carcass, and the physicochemical parameters of the of the meat of feedlot Santa Inês lambs. Forty Santa Inês sheep were used, with five months of age and average weight of 22.6 ± 2.3 kg in a completely randomized design. The animals of the palm more urea diet had the lowest cold (11.37 kg) and external (55.32 cm) carcass weights and higher losses by cooling (6.96%). The cold carcass yield was not altered when the corn grain more urea diet was used and, together with the cassava scrap more urea diet, did not present difference to the rib-eye area. The control diet provided higher leg weights (2.5 kg) and palette (1.37 kg), but the yields of the main meat cuts were not altered between the diets. Larger liver weights were found for control diets (0.51 kg) and corn grain more urea (0.48 kg), however their yields were not altered. The palm more urea diet provided higher moisture content in meat (78.14%) and higher L * value (37.54). There was no difference between the diets for water holding capacity, cooking losses and shear force. Despite the reduction in the weight of the final product (carcass), the yields of the first-class meat cuts were not modified, which makes the use of cassava and forage palm associated with urea an interesting alternative to the availability and price of the use in sheep diets in tropical regions.