Fatty acid, physicochemical composition and sensory attributes of meat from lambs fed diets containing licuri cake.

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of feeding licuri cake to lambs on the sensory characteristics, physicochemical characteristics and fatty acid (FA) profile of meat from lambs. Forty-four crossbred Santa Ines lambs (21.2 ± 2.70 kg body weight; 6 months old) were housed in individual pens and fed 4 experimental diets, containing 0, 8, 16 or 24% licuri cake (DM basis). The averages concentrations of ash (11.4), pH (5.82), lightness (38.1), cooking loss (26.8) or shear-force resistance (2.48) of lamb meat were not affected by the licuri cake diets. However, there was a linear decrease (P < 0.01) of redness and chroma indexes, lipid and protein contents, whereas the moisture content of the meat (P < 0.001) increased linearly due to the inclusion of licuri cake in lambs' diets. The licuri cake inclusion in the lambs feed linearly increased (P < 0.05) the fatty acids concentrations of C12:0, C17:0, C20:0, C20:1, C18:3, C20:3, C20:4 and ΣPUFA/ΣMUFA ratio, Σω-3 and atherogenicity index (AI). However, C18:1 cis, C20:2, C20:5, ΣMUFA, ΣMUFA/ΣSFA and Σω-6:Σω-3 ratios in the longissimus lumborum of lambs linearly decreased by licuri cake inclusion. There was a quadratic increase (P < 0.05) on C14:0 (maximum point 4.94 g/100 g FAME to 14.5% licuri inclusion), C16:1 (maximum point 8.59 g/100 g FAME to 10.7% licuri inclusion) and enzymatic activities of Δ9-desaturase C16 (maximum point 27.5 g/100 g FAME to 10.6% licuri inclusion) in the longissimus lumborum of lambs fed due to increased concentrations of licuri cake. However, there was a quadratic decrease (P = 0.04) in ΣPUFA/ΣSFA ratio with minimum concentration of 0.63 g/100 g FAME to 11.1% inclusion. The inclusion of licuri cake in the lambs diet did not change (P > 0.05) the concentrations of SFA C10:0, C15:0, C16:0, C18:0, C14:1, MUFA C18:1 trans, PUFA C18:2 cis, CLA, total sum of ΣSFA and ΣPUFA, desirable fatty acids (DFA), hypocholesterolemic:hypercholesterolemic index, and elongase and Δ9-desaturase C18 enzymes. Licuri cake in the lamb diet improved (P < 0.05) meat aroma, flavor and overall acceptance by consumers. Licuri cake inclusion in the diet of lambs improves sensory attributes of meat and the meat fatty acid profile becomes nutritionally healthier for the human diet because do not affect major FA of meat; however, the growth performance of finishing lambs is reduced.

Liver metabolic and histopathological profile in finishing lambs fed licuri (Syagrus coronata(Mart.)Becc.) cake.

The objective of this study was to determine the impact of including licuri cake in the diet of Santa Inês crossbred finishing lambs by examining their liver metabolic and histopathological profile. Forty-four uncastrated lambs with an average age of 6 months and an average weight of 21.2 kg ± 2.7 kg. The animals were fed diets with 40 % Tifton 85 hay and 60 % of a mixture consisting of corn and soybean meal, 1 % urea, a mineral-vitamin premix, and an inclusion of licuri cake at a level of 0, 8, 16, and 24 % of the dietary dry matter (DM), which composed the treatments. The experimental design was completely randomized, and the data were analyzed by variance and regression analyses. The animals were confined in individual stalls for 70 days. Blood was collected on the last day of the experimental period, and metabolite, protein, energy, and enzyme profiles of the liver were determined for these samples. Histopathological evaluations of the liver parenchyma were also undertaken. The increase in the level of the licuri cake in the diet caused a linear increase (P < 0.05) in the serum urea content. The protein metabolism was not affected by the licuri cake inclusion levels in the diet. Regarding energy metabolism, a linear increase (P < 0.01) was observed in the serum triglyceride concentrations, but there were no effects on serum cholesterol levels. Regarding the functioning of the liver and muscle, the inclusion of the licuri cake had no effect on the enzymatic activities, except on gamma-glutamyltransferase, which decreased linearly (P < 0.05). The values found for the evaluated parameters varied within a range considered normal for this species. In the postmortem examination at slaughter, no macroscopic alterations in the liver were observed. Histopathological analysis revealed the presence of discrete and nonspecific alterations common to all treatments, suggesting no effect of the level of inclusion of the licuri cake. The use of the licuri cake in composing up to 24 % of the diet did not cause metabolic or liver disorders in the lambs.