Diets containing cunhã (Clitoria ternatea L.) hay and forage cactus (Opuntia sp.) meal on production and meat quality of Boer crossbred goat.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of association of forage cactus meal (CM) and cunhã hay (CH) on carcass traits, meat quality, and fatty acid (FA) profile of goats. Twenty-four goats were finished on diets composed with the association of CM and CH (83% CH + 17% CM, 67% CH + 33% CM, or 50% CH + 50% CM), corresponding to 60% of the total diet; the remainder was composed of 10% elephant grass and 30% concentrate. The control treatment consisted of 70% elephant grass and 30% concentrate. Carcass yield and commercial cut weight were higher in the animals fed CH and CM at any concentration (P < 0.05). Animals fed with intermediate and high CM content resulted in meat with better proportions of unsaturated FA (P = 0.0281), desirable FA (P = 0.0024), omega 6/omega 3 ratio (P = 0.0340), and hypo-/hypercholesterolemic index (P = 0.0140). The inclusion of CH and CM provided carcass yield and FA profile more favorable for consumer market and human health.

Fatty acid profile of beef from immunocastrated (BOPRIVA(®)) Nellore bulls.

Twenty Nellore bulls (ABW=357.7±9.65kg) were divided into 2 groups: intact and immunocastrated - Bopriva®. After the trial period, the cattle were slaughtered and carcass fat thickness was evaluated, ether extract and fatty acid composition of the longissimus thoracis analyses were performed, and the activity indices of relevant enzymes were calculated. The means were calculated and compared by Student's t-test and Pearson's correlation coefficients (p<0.05). The immunocastrated group showed higher back fat thickness, ether extract, monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs), and activity index of Δ(9) desaturase C18 and lower polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs) and n-6 fatty acids when compared to the intact group. The correlations between ether extract and the saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids were positive, and negative with polyunsaturated, n-3, n-6 and PUFA/SFA. Therefore, immunocastration may improve the fatty acid profile in the longissimus thoracis by increasing MUFAs, mainly oleic acid that is the most representative fatty acid in the meat and is considered beneficial to health.