Slaughter value and meat quality of Skudde lambs

The investigations were conducted on 100-day-old lambs of the Skudde breed and were aimed at determining the slaughter value of lambs and quality of their meat. The slaughter value was evaluated based on: body weight before slaughter, dressing percentage, loin "eye" area, perinephric fat content, contribution of valuable cuts in the carcass (leg, loin, steak) and tissue composition of legs. In turn, meat quality was assessed based on samples collected from the muscle of the thigh (M. quadriceps femoris) and included: dry matter, total protein, crude fat, crude ash, pH after 24 h, water/protein index, energy value, water holding capacity, colour brightness, muscle fibre diameter, levels of cholesterol, vitamin A and E, protein amino acid profile, fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat, as well as sensory attributes, namely: aroma, taste, juiciness and tenderness. Analyses conducted in the study demonstrated that the slaughter value of the lambs was at a relatively good level. A low body weight before slaughter (12.56 kg) was compensated for by very low adiposity of carcasses and by a favourable tissue composition of legs, i.e. 76.38% of meat, 5.68% of fat and 17.94% of bones. Dressing percentage accounted for 44.03%, and the percentage of primal cuts in the half-carcass was 38.77%. Meat of the 100-day-old Skudde lambs was found to be of high quality. It was characterized by dark colour and specific sensory attributes, which makes it comparable to game meat. Low contents of fat - 1.56% and cholesterol - 34.47 mg/100g, a high concentration of vitamin A - 5.25 mu g/g as well as a favourable fatty acid profile of intramuscular fat indicate high health-promoting values of that meat. In addition, the fine-fibrous structure of muscles (fibre diameter of 17.24 mu m) suggests that the meat is light and easy digestible. The results obtained in the study substantiate the advisability of a wider application of this breed for meat production purposes.