Lipid composition and sensory traits of meat from Pantaneiro lambs slaughtered with different subcutaneous fat thickness

Lipid composition and sensory traits of the meat from female lambs of the Pantaneiro genetic group slaughtered with 2.00, 3.00 and 4.00 mm of subcutaneous fat thickness (SFT) were evaluated by ultrasound. Twenty-four lambs weighing 16.24 ± 1.78 kg were confined in feedlots. These animals were fed with pelleted diet formulated to provide a daily weight gain of 0.30 kg. As the lambs reached the pre-set SFT in the weekly evaluation by ultrasound, they were slaughtered on the day following the measurement, regardless of their weight. The SFT did not alter the fatty acid profile of meat from Pantaneiro lambs. For the sensory analysis, the meat from the animals slaughtered with 4.00 mm SFT received the best score for variables overall acceptance and characteristic flavor as compared with the females slaughtered with 2.00 mm SFT. The treatment with 3.00 mm SFT, however, did not differ from the others. For sensory traits odor and juiciness, no effect of SFT was found. It is recommended to slaughter lambs with 3.00 mm thickness of subcutaneous fat on the loin, because covered better number of favorable attributes in sensory analysis.