Inclusão de grãos de girassol na ração de cordeiros sobre as características quantitativas da carcaça e qualitativas da carne

This study aimed to evaluate the carcass quantitative characteristics, tissue composition of carcass cuts and meat quality of lambs receiving sunflower seeds in the diet. Twenty-one lambs 7/8 Ile de France 1/8 Ideal, not castrated, with initial body weight of 17 kg were housed in individual pens and distributed in three diets (0,7.5 and 15% of sunflower seeds inclusion) in a completely randomized design in 3 x 2 factorial arrangement (three diets and two carcass cuts). At the end of the experimental period, the animals were slaughtered; weights and hot and cold carcass yields and commercial and biological carcass dressing were collected. The carcasses were split lengthways and left half carcass divided into six anatomical parts. The leg and loin were removed for evaluation of tissue composition, meat color, water holding capacity, cooking losses and shearing force. Difference was detected in the commercial carcass yield; with higher value (46.82% of total weight) for carcasses of lambs fed without sunflower seeds when compared with carcass yield (44.11%) of lambs fed with 15% of sunflower seed inclusion. The proportion of muscle and total fat, as muscle:fat ratio were affected (P