Meat quality of Pantaneiro lambs at different body weights

The aim of this study was to assess the meat quality of Pantaneiro lambs finished in confinement and slaughtered at different body weights (15, 20, 25, 30, and 35 kg). Forty-five non-castrated male Pantaneiro lambs were distributed in a completely randomized design, with five treatments and nine replicates. The animals were housed in individual pens and slaughtered when they reached the target weights. For instrumental and centesimal analyses, the Semimembranosus, Longissimus lumborum, Gluteobiceps, and Triceps brachii muscles were used, whereas for fatty acid profile analysis only the Longissimus lumborum muscle was used. The different body weights influenced the final pH of the meat, but this still remained within the recommended values; however, the meat of heavier lambs had increased water-holding capacity (WHC), redness (a*), and fat content, making it the tenderest but least luminous and humid meat. Greater body weight led to a higher saturated fatty acid (SFA) content, reduction of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA), higher hypercholesterolemic fatty acid content (H), and higher atherogenicity (AI) and thrombogenicity indexes (TI). Therefore, it was concluded that the meat of lambs slaughtered at lower body weight presented better nutritional quality, making it more suitable for human consumption.