Protected or Unprotected Fat Addition for Feedlot Lambs: Feeding Behavior, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality

Simple Summary The use of lipids in ruminant diets aims to increase energy density without affecting the animal's performance; however, its use can be toxic to the ruminal microbiota, which can be avoided with the use of protected fats. Diets with the inclusion of different fat sources (whole soybean grain, corn germ, calcium salt of fatty acids, and soybean oil) were tested to evaluate the effects of unprotected or protected fats on feeding behavior, carcass characteristics, and quality of the meat of feedlot lambs. The use of calcium salts from fatty acids in feedlot lambs' diets improves the quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the carcass and meat. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of protected or unprotected fats in the diet of feedlot lambs on feeding behavior, productive characteristics, carcass traits, and meat quality. Forty male Dorper x Santa Ines lambs (22.27 +/- 2.79 kg) were randomly assigned to treatments in a completely randomized design. The experimental treatments consisted of five diets: no added fat (NAF), whole soybeans (WSB), calcium salts of fatty acids (CSFA), soybean oil (SO), and corn germ (CG). The total intake of dry matter (DMI) (p < 0.001) and neutral detergent fiber (NDFI) (p = 0.010) were higher in the CSFA and NAF diets. Feeding behavior, morphometric measurements, physicochemical characteristics, and centesimal composition of the Longissimus lumborum muscle were similar between treatments (p > 0.05). The CSFA diet provided higher production (p < 0.05) and better-quality carcasses. The inclusion of fat sources increased the concentration of polyunsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.05). The use of calcium salts of fatty acids in feedlot lambs' diets provides better quantitative and qualitative characteristics of the meat and carcass.