Physical-Chemical Composition, Fatty Acid Profile and Sensory Attributes of Meat of Lambs Fed With Saccharine Sorghum Silage

Abstract

The objective of this work was to evaluate the qualitative and sensory characteristics and the fatty acid profiles of the meat of lambs fed with silages of two saccharine sorghum varieties and compare them with forage sorghum and maize silages. Twenty non-castrated male Suffolk lambs were arranged in a completely randomised block design, and the treatments consisted of the following silages: forage sorghum (FORSOR), saccharine sorghum (‘BRS506’), saccharine sorghum (‘BRS511’) and maize (MAIZE). The animals were slaughtered after 70 days in the feedlot. The carcasses were cooled at 4 °C for 24 h. The longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle was removed for analysis. No differences (p > 0.05) between treatments were found for chemical composition and qualitative and sensory characteristics of the evaluated meat. Lambs fed with ‘BRS506’ presented muscles with higher total unsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and with higher percentages of oleic acid. The BRS506 saccharin sorghum silage increased the meat total unsaturated and monounsaturated fatty acid contents, which are beneficial to human health; thus, this silage can replace maize silage in the feed for finishing lambs.