Characteristics of Canary Hair Sheep´s Breed
Carcass Fed Banana (Musa acuminate) By-Products:
Effects on Regional Tissue Composition, pH and Color
Sydia Ahmed1, Victor Navarro1, Jose Raduan Jaber2,
Esther San-Juan1, Eligia Ponce1 and Myriam R Ventura1*
1Departamento de Patología
Animal, Producción Animal, Bromatología y Tecnología de los Alimentos,
Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35413, Arucas, Spain
2Departamento de Morfologia,
Campus de Arucas, Universidad de Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, 35413, Arucas,
Spain
*For correspondence: Myriam.rodriguezventura@ulpgc.es
Received
06 April 2021; Accepted 17 June 2021; Published 18 September 2021
Abstract
The contributions of replacing rye-grass (Lolium spp.) hay with banana (Musa acuminata) by-products on carcass
and tissue characteristics, pH and color, in the Canary hair sheep breed were
studied. Twenty-two lambs with an initial live weight of 14.8 ± 2.5 kg were
individually housed and fed two different diets for 58 days: The first group
(experimental diet) received as forage a mixture of fresh banana (Musa acuminata) by-products composed by
leaves and pseudo-stem. The other one got commercial rye-grass (Lolium spp.) hay (conventional diet) as a fiber source. The two groups got an
additional commercial concentrate food (CON). After the 58 days growing trial (24.3 kg ± 1.0
kg), seven lambs of each group (n=14) were slaughtered in the experimental
slaughterhouse. The muscle, the pH, and the color were measured at the time
immediately after slaughter and 24 h later, using the muscles Longissimus thoracis et lumborum and semimembranosus. At that time (after 24
h), the remaining semi-carcass was butchered and dissected for analysis of the carcass´s
regional and tissue composition. Although there is no significant difference on
the tissue composition, carcass regional and the muscle pH, there are
significant differences in the color in the
Longisimus toracis et lumborum between
the two assessed diets. The incorporation of banana by-products in a diet
to fatten lambs Canary hair sheep breed would not grossly alter the carcass
quality, at least based on the assessed parameters. Banana by-products as a
feeding resource can maintain animal productivity and meat quality. ©
2021 Friends Science Publishers
Keywords: Banana by-products; Carcass
traits; Hair sheep; Meat quality; Pelibuey sheep
Introduction
The potential use of
non-conventional feeds (alternative feeds) in animal nutrition, in particular
for the ruminant species, is being recommended by different international
organizations in order to develop a more sustainable system of animal
production (Ben Salem et al. 2008; Archimède
et al. 2012). Conventional
concentrate and forages are scarce, expensive, and irregular in arid and
tropical areas. The cost of many traditional
feeds is restricting their use in many countries, and producers are now turning
to alternative feed sources (Blache et al.
2008).
A good approach to solve this
problem is to find alternative feeds as local feeds and by-products, not used
for the local human population, as a resource for animal nutrition (Ben Salem et al. 2008). However, animal health,
animal production, and product quality should be preserved (Vasta et al. 2008).
Materials and Methods
Animals and feeding supervision
A total of 22 Canary hair sheep breed were
collected. After weaning (mean weight 14.8 ± 3.1 kg), they were reared in
individual pens and classified into two groups of eleven animals each
(equilibrated based on body weight (BW). Lambs were individually fed ad
libitum. After adapting the animals (10 days), they were dewormed and housed in
individual corrals and fed for 58 days; each group received different forages.
The first group (experimental diet) got a fodder comprised of 50% leaves and
50% pseudo-stem of banana by-products. The second group got commercial
rye-grass (Lolium spp.) hay
(conventional diet) as a fiber source. The groups got a supplement commercial
concentrate feed (CON). The chemical compositions and ingredients are shown in Table
1; mineral blocks and water were ad libitum for all the lambs. By-products
of banana were collected daily, chopped, and mixed on the experimental farms.
Fodders were offered ad libitum. Fodder offered and rebuffs were
weighed and noted daily in the two groups. The animals were fed for 58 days
to reach slaughter weight (approximately 24 kg
BW). The live weight of lambs was noted initially and at five days’ intervals
until slaughtered. Feed intake, daily gain and feed conversion ratio were
determined in a recent study (Barbera et
al. 2018). Finally, fourteen animals (n=14) were randomly selected (seven
lambs of each group) and slaughtered.
Analytical methods of feedstuffs
Analyses of the fodder provided (leaves and
pseudostems of banana, commercial diets, and rye-grass) were calculated
according to those described in AOAC (2003). In vitro digestibility of organic matter (IVOMD) was determined
using the technique developed by Van Soest et al. (1966), following the
modification by Ankom Technology Corporation, and digestible energy (DE) was
estimated at 0.0185 x IVOMD (NRC 1988).
Slaughter and carcass evaluations
After 58 days growing trial, the slaughter weight was 24 kg ± 1.0 kg live body weight (LWT). The lambs were slaughtered in the experimental slaughterhouse available
in the College of Veterinary Medicine of Las Palmas de
Gran Canaria University.
Carcass characteristics
After the slaughter, bleeding,
skinning, and evisceration of the carcasses were done and the carcass was
located in a room at 5ºC, during
24 h.
After 24 h slaughter, the carcasses
were sagittally cut with an electric saw. Then, the
left semi-carcass was butchered and left back to be dissected for the
estimation of the carcass regional and tissue composition, following the
methodology described by Colomer-Rocher et
al. (1987).
After that, these carcasses were
divided into five parts: cervical area, shoulder area, ribs (section between the
1st and 12th thoracic vertebrae), loin (section between
the 1st and 6th lumbar vertebra) and leg (section between
the last lumbar and the first sacral vertebra). The five cuts were weighed and
added to obtain the weight of the cold half-carcass.
For tissue assessment,
subcutaneous fat and intermuscular fat, muscles, bones, and other structures,
such as lymph nodes, tendons, vessels, and nerves, were pulled apart and
weighed individually to be expressed as a percentage relative to each cut.
The experiments described in
this study meet requirements of the European Union Council (2010/63/EU) for
animal experimentation.
Meat quality: muscle pH and color parameters
The muscle pH and the color were
measured immediately after slaughter (pH0, L0, Chroma0,
Hue0) and 24 h later (pH1, L1, Chroma1,
Hue1) using the muscles Longissimus
thoracis et lumborum and semimembranosus.
The pH was performed with an electronic pH-meter equipped with a combined pH
surface electrode (Model MP 220, Mettler Toledo, USA), and the results were
averaged and recorded. The meat color was measured in 5.0-cm-thick steaks between the 12th and
13th ribs using Minolta Model CR-300 chromameter.
Statistical study
The information obtained from
the carcass and meat quality traits were subjected to analysis of variance.
Statistical analysis was based on mean comparison using the LSD test, with a
minimum of P < 0.05 for
statistical significance (SAS 2000).
Results
Carcass characteristics
Parameters related to regional
and tissue composition of the carcasses are summarized in Table 2. No
statistical differences (P < 0.05)
were observed on composition of the carcasses (shoulder, breast, leg, neck,
ribs, and loin) and tissue composition (bone, muscle, and fat) between animals
receiving banana by-products and conventional diets.
Total fat ranged from 10.2% on
lambs fed banana by-products to 10.8% from conventional diet; the subcutaneous
fat contents (6.8 and 7.0%) were similar in both groups, whereas the
inter-muscle fat (3.1 and 3.9%) and total fat (10.2 and 10.8%) percentage was
higher in the conventional diet but not significantly different (P < 0.05).
Meat quality: muscle pH and color parameters
Regarding the meat quality, the
muscle pH (Table 3) showed similar levels independently of the diet received (P < 0.05); the muscle pH for the two groups analyzed was in
the range of 5.5 (average initial pH0) to 6.5 (average
pH 24 h after slaughter pH1) in the Longissimus toracis et lumborum muscle, and in the semimembranosus muscle as well.
The meat color results (Table 3)
showed that lightness (L*) was between 33.8 and 41.4; Chroma between 15.8 and
26.0 and Hue between 11.5 and 28.0 being higher on semimembranosus muscle 24 h after
slaughter (L1; Chroma1; Hue1).
Nevertheless, the meat color
(Table 3) was affected by the diet ingested but only showed a significant
difference (P < 0.05) at the time
of slaughter (Chroma 0; Hue 0) and 24 h after slaughter
(lightness L1; Chroma1) in the Longissimus toracis et lumborum muscle, as semimembranosus muscle color did not show color differences Thus,
luminosity coordinate (Chroma0; lightness L1; Chroma1)
was lower in the banana by-products group compare to a conventional diet.
Discussion
The nutritive value of the
experimental diet used in this study seems to be promising as forage for the
livestock, as values shown in Table 1 determined by (Barbera et al. 2018) in a previous study and
values found by González-García et al.
(2008) and Pieltain et al. (1999).
Table 1:
Ingredients, chemical composition and nutritive characteristics of the
ingredients of the diets*
|
Banana diet |
Conventional diet |
|
Ingredients (%) |
|
|
|
Rye-grass |
0 |
35 |
|
Banana pseudostems |
18 |
0 |
|
Banana leave |
18 |
0 |
|
Corn |
35 |
35 |
|
Barley |
14 |
15 |
|
Soybean meal |
10 |
10 |
|
Minerals premix |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
|
BBP |
RGHAY |
CON |
Chemical composition |
|
|
|
Dry matter
(DM, g/kg fresh weight) |
138 |
914 |
898 |
Chemical composition of
DM (g/kg DM) |
|
|
|
Crude Protein |
99.5 |
100 |
140 |
Estimated digestible energy (MJ/kg DM) |
10.8 |
11.1 |
13.5 |
BBP: by-products
banana plant; RGHAY: Ray-Grass hay; CON: concentrate. * Barbera et al. (2018)
Table 2: Effect of the assessed diets on the carcass regional and tissue
composition (% weight semi-carcass)
% Weight (semi-carcass) |
Type of diet |
||
|
Banana by-products |
Conventional |
P |
Shoulder |
16.9 ± 0.97 |
17.1 ± 1.14 |
NS |
Breast |
10.4 ± 1.20 |
10.7 ±1.16 |
NS |
Leg (pelvic limb) |
32.3 ± 2.17 |
32.9 ± 2.02 |
NS |
Neck |
8.4 ± 1.12 |
8.0 ± 1.35 |
NS |
Anterior Ribs |
7.5 ± 0.78 |
7.3 ± 1.13 |
NS |
Ribs + Loin |
19.0 ± 0.76 |
19.2 ± 1.18 |
NS |
Bone |
24.8± 3.45 |
23.5 ± 1.17 |
NS |
Muscle |
64.3 ± 3.44 |
65.2 ± 1.94 |
NS |
Subcutaneous fat |
7.0 ± 3.49 |
6.8 ± 1.74 |
NS |
Inter-muscle fat |
3.1 ± 4.59 |
3.9 ± 1.05 |
NS |
Total fat |
10.2 ± 3.80 |
10.8 ± 1.80 |
NS |
Waste material |
0.74 ± 0.38 |
0.69 ± 0.14 |
NS |
NS: No statistical significance P <
0.05
Table 3: Effect of the assessed diets on the muscle pH and color
|
Type of diet |
||
|
Banana by-products |
Conventional |
P |
Longissimus thoracis et
lumborum |
|
|
NS |
pH0 |
6.5 ± 0.12 |
6.4 ± 0.2 |
NS |
pH1 |
5.5 ± 0.07 |
5.5 ± 0.08 |
NS |
L0 |
33.8 ± 1.86 |
34.2 ± 0.84 |
NS |
Chroma0 |
15.8 ± 1.31 |
17.5 ± 2.14 |
0.081 |
Hue0 |
13.4 ± 1.44 |
11.5 ± 0.95 |
0.047 |
L1 |
36.6 ± 3.90 |
41.4 ± 2.94 |
0.021 |
Chroma1 |
21.5 ± 1.10 |
26.0 ± 3.79 |
0.043 |
Hue1 |
27.7 ± 2.91 |
28.4 ±2.60 |
NS |
Semimembranosus |
|
|
|
pH0 |
6.4 ± 0.27 |
6.4 ± 0.22 |
NS |
pH1 |
5.5 ± 0.05 |
5.6 ± 0.09 |
NS |
L0 |
36.0 ± 1.99 |
35.8 ± 1.74 |
NS |
Chroma0 |
17.6 ± 0.81 |
17.3 ± 0.83 |
NS |
Hue0 |
14.2 ± 1.47 |
12.8 ± 1.05 |
NS |
L1 |
38.33 ± 1.43 |
36.6 ± 1.91 |
NS |
Chroma1 |
21.7 ± 2.13 |
21.7 ± 3.47 |
NS |
Hue1 |
26.7 ± 9.45 |
28.9 ±7.49 |
NS |
NS: Non
statistical significant P < 0.05
pH0: pH at the time of slaughter; pH1:
pH 24 h after slaughter; L0: lightness at the time of slaughter;
Chroma 0:at the time of slaughter; Hue0:at the time of
slaughter; L1: lightness 24 h after slaughter; Chroma1:
after 24 of slaughter; Hue1: after 24 h after slaughter
Means slaughter weight (24. 3 ± 1.0 kg) was gained in 58
days, reach in both cases in less time than the results described by
Marie-Magdeleine et al. (2009) which
Ovin Martinik sheep, where lambs spend 90 days to reach 22–24 kg feeding also
with banana by-products.
Values of slaughter and carcass
weights were similar to values reported for tropical-sheep fed low-energy diets
(Mahgoub et al. 2000; Santana-Andrade
et al. 2017). Shoulder, breast, leg, neck, anterior ribs, and ribs + loin were not significantly affected by banana by-product based
diet as compared to a conventional diet, whereas the percentage of shoulder
weight on the carcass was lower than that described by Marie-Magdeleine et al. (2009) using similar experimental
diet. Additionally, (Santana-Andrade et al. 2017) reported, with the similar breed and breeding conditions, a low
percentage of the neck weight, a highs percentage of the shoulder weight
and a similar percentage of the legs weight on the regional composition of the
carcasses of Santa Ines hair sheep breed.
On the other hand, the animals belonging
to the banana by-product-based diet did not show variations concerning fat
content or other tissue characteristics in the back muscles compared to the
conventional-diet group. Total fat ranged from 10.2% on lambs-fed banana by-products
to 10.8% from the conventional diet. Although animals feeding rye-grass hay on
a conventional diet ingested a higher level of digestible energy (11.1 MJ/kg
DE) compared with banana by-product groups (10.8 MJ/kg DE), the subcutaneous
fat contents (6.8 and 7.0%) were similar in both groups whereas the
inter-muscle fat (3.1 and 3.9%) and total fat (10.2 and 10.8%) percentage was
higher in the conventional diet but not significantly different (P < 0.05). Despite all, it seems
necessary to evaluate the fatty acid profiles in order to estimate the quality
of the fat content in the carcass. Combellas (1982) studied the tissue
composition for similar sheep breeds (West African) and similar slaughter
weight (24 ± 1.0 kg.), reporting a lesser percentage of muscle tissue and bones
but the higher fat content of the carcass. However, when the West African is
raised in crossbreeding with more productive breeds like Dorset Horn, the
tissue composition is similar to those observed by Combellas (1989).
Regarding the meat quality, the
muscle pH (Table 3) showed similar levels independently of the diet received,
not showing significant differences between different diets (P < 0.05); the muscle pH for the different groups was in
the range of 5.5 (initial pH0) to 6.5 (24 h after slaughter pH1)
in the Longissimus toracis et lumborum muscle
and in the semimembranosus muscle as
well. These pH results were expected given the low difference in energy intake
levels by both groups, as the lack of nourishment is the main reason for
elevated pH in meats (Priolo et al.
2001).
Similar results were reported by
(Al-Owaimer et al. 2008) that found
that muscle pH was in the range of 5.6 to 5.7 of sheep fed Atriplex. Andrade et al. (2015) also reported an
average of 6.24 initial pH (pH0) and an average of 5.5, 24 h after slaughter (pH1) of the meat
from Santa Inês hair breed lambs. The values
found are normal and are indicative of meat quality, higher values can affect
other characteristics such as color.
Nevertheless, the color of the
meat of the lambs from this study can be considered light, as their lightness
(L*) was between 33.8 and 41.4 and lightness values for sheep are considered to
vary from 30.0 to 49.5 (Leão et al.
2012). The meat color was affected by the diet ingested but only was
significantly different (P < 0.05)
in the Longissimus toracis et lumborum muscle,
as semimembranosus did not show color
differences. Otherwise, luminosity coordinate (Chroma0; lightness L1;
Chroma1) was lower in the banana by-products group, in agreement
with other studies described by Morbidini et
al. (2001) but opposite to results reported by Priolo et al. (2001), which found that meat from ruminants fed on pasture
is darker than meat from animals fed concentrates. As an example,
tannin-containing feeds produce opposite effects on meat, depending on the
number of condensed tannins eaten by the sheep; meat color is paler when
condensed tannins are showed in the diet (Vasta et al. 2008); further studies would be necessary to determine the
condensed tannins contents on banana by–products.
Conclusion
The inclusion of banana by-products in a diet for growing Canary hair
sheep breed lambs would not grossly alter the carcass
quality, at least from the assessed parameters. Banana by-products as feed
resources can preserve sheep productivity and meat quality. Nonetheless, diets
supplemented with banana by-products should be carefully formulated, in order
to guarantee to ruminants their nutritional requirements. Finally, it is
important to emphasize that mixed-farming
systems can improve the possibilities of better recycling of nutrients within
systems, limiting expensive feeding inputs, and safeguarding the biodiversity
of agricultural ecosystems by taking advantage of manure of the animals and
by-products waste of crops.
Acknowledgements
Technical assistance and support of Dr. C. Gutierrez is gratefully acknowledged.
Author contributions
MRV designed the
investigation, interpreted the results and wrote the manuscript. SA and VN
carried out the growth trial and the analysis of the carcasses characteristics.SA, EP and ES performed the
statistical analysis and analysed the data. JRJ helped performed analysis and
co-wrote the paper.
Conflicts of Interest
All authors declare no conflicts of interest
Data Availability
The data generated during the current study are
available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Ethics Approval
The experiments described in this study
meet requirements of the European Union Council (2010/63/EU) for animal
experimentation.
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