Elsevier

Small Ruminant Research

Volume 195, February 2021, 106234
Small Ruminant Research

Lambs fed with increasing levels of grape pomace silage: Effects on meat quality

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.smallrumres.2020.106234Get rights and content

Highlights

  • Inclusion of grape pomace silage increased bioactive compounds in diets.

  • Meat lambs fed with grape pomace silage had higher concentrations of n-6 acids.

  • Lambs fed with grape pomace silage had greater lipidic and proteic meat stability.

  • No changes in sensory parameters of meat were observed.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the quality of the meat of lambs submitted to diets with grape pomace silage (GPS) in substitution of the whole plant corn silage. Twenty four male lambs were distributed in four diet treatments with increasing levels of GPS, using a forage:concentrate ratio of 50:50. The diet treatments were characterized for chemical composition, and the lamb meat was evaluated for proximate composition, fatty acids profile, oxidative stability, color and sensory attributes. Changes in the lipid fraction, fatty acid profile, cholesterol levels and oxidative parameters of meat (p < 0.05) were observed as a function of the inclusion of GPS, with no changes (p > 0.05) in the sensory parameters. The GPS used in this study may be an alternative as a forage feed in the diet of lambs with benefits in the quality and oxidative stability of lamb meat, without affecting the sensory attributes.

Introduction

Global meat consumption has undergone several changes over the last few years, especially in relation to price and sensory attributes of the products (Troy and Kerry, 2010), with a growing demand for the appearance, safety, and health benefits (Christensen et al., 2019; Mortimer et al., 2014). Meat is a rich source of high-quality protein, minerals, vitamins, and fat with an source of essential fatty acids for the human diet (Cabrera and Saudon, 2014). Although different factors can influence the meat quality such as the genetic and breeding method, the animal feed can provide the characteristics expected for a product of excellence (Jiang and Xiong, 2016).

Currently, there is a growth regarding the fact that the greater consumption of fats from red meats can impact consumer health, with the dissemination of negative and non-scientific information (Martins et al., 2018). The relationship between polyunsatured fatty acids (PUFA) n6 and n3, as long as it is balanced (average values <10:1), is a beneficial indicator of ruminant meat (Scollan et al., 2006; Schaefer, 2002). PUFA (n6 and n3) have suppressive effects such as inhibition of lymphocyte proliferation, production of antibodies and expression of cytokines (Givens et al., 2006). In another sense, due to the higher consumption of saturated fats and processed meats, there is a greater risk of cardiovascular disease, colon cancer and obesity (Kontogianni et al., 2008).

One of the great alternatives to produce shelf-stable feed with high nutritional value when compared to fresh feed is the production of silage (Kung et al., 2018). The main objectives of the use of high-quality silages in animal feed include energy supply, digestible nutrients, dry matter, and reduction of agroindustrial waste and producer losses (Mohd-Setapar et al., 2012). In this context, corn silage has been traditionally used to feed ruminants, despite a large amount of other agroindustrial residues produced annually (Stefanello et al., 2018). Meat science has been focusing on the nutritional importance of the n6/n3 and PUFA/SFA ratios, demonstrating that in intensive systems that use silages or concentrated feed, the ratios are different from those recommended (Realini et al., 2004). However, sheep production offers the producer relatively small profit margins, and there is a need for reduced handling and feeding costs (Rogerio et al., 2019). In this context, it is necessary to evaluate and search for alternative feeds in the diets of small ruminants, as investments on herd nutrition represents about 50–70% of the total production costs (Nasr et al., 2002). Due to greater exploration and intensification of the productive system, sheep farmers have opted for systems that prefer concentrate based models seeking target weights (30−40 kg) for slaughtering animals (Ekinz et al., 2020). When lambs are slaughtered at the same age, animals finished in concentrate-based tend to have a greater slaughter weight and more fat deposited in the carcass than animals finished in pasture systems (Ekinz et al., 2013). However, due to greater weight gain and carcass finishing, this production model can produce a fat composition with inadequate n6/n3 and PUFA/SFA ratios (Enser et al., 1998).

Ruminants have a high efficiency of the intestine in absorbing saturated fatty acids due to the great capacity of bile salts and the micellar lysophospholipids to solubilize fatty acids (Pereira and Vicente, 2013). Diets rich in bioactive compounds have demonstrated the ability to manipulate ruminal biohydrogenation through modifications in the ruminal microbiota (Correddu et al., 2016). Specifically, flavonoids, phenolic acids, and tannins (Balasundram et al., 2006), such as those present in grape by-products, may inhibit the action of microorganisms that are involved in the biohydrogenation of PUFAs, allowing their accumulation and increasing rumen extravasation for muscles and fats (Buccioni et al., 2015). The inclusion of silage, seeds, and dry grape residue in ruminant feed can significantly increase mono and polyunsaturated fatty acids, such as vaccenic (Correddu et al., 2015), linolenic (Santos et al., 2014) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) (Tsiplakou and Zervas, 2008). The significantly higher values of vaccenic reflect the pattern of intake of its precursors linoleic and linolenic. The highest concentration of rumenic in diets with grape pomace is likely associated mainly with the intake of its precursor (linoleic) and, to a lesser extent, with the presence of polyphenols in grape by-product (Correddu et al., 2015). The accumulation of rumenic and vaccenic in the rumen is increase by tannins which can inhibit the last step of the biohydrigenation process of vaccenic to stearic (Vasta et al., 2010).

Fatty acids are involved in various meat quality aspects, affecting the appearance of meat fat such as color, texture, and firmness. However, the propensity of PUFA to be rapidly oxidized, due to the presence of two or more double bonds in its structure, makes it an important regulator of the shelf life of meat (Wood, 2003). The oxidative process can shorten the shelf life of fresh meat and negatively affect its consumption by the formation of off-flavors and discoloration (Falowo et al., 2014). Concomitant to lipid modifications, the protein oxidation has negative effects on the nutritional value and the sensory attributes of meat (Zhang et al., 2015, 2013).

Several plant materials used in the ruminant diet are generous sources of phenolic compounds, which are natural antioxidants to preserve and enhance meat quality (Shah et al., 2014). The residues of wine and grape juice production are rich in phenolic compounds, particularly mono, oligo, and polymer anthocyanins (Botelho et al., 2018), which have a recognized antioxidant activity, with health benefits by modulating the inflammatory response and circulatory disorders (Ky et al., 2014). The evaluation of meat quality from different animal species submitted to a diet containing grape residue has shown positive effects on the lipid oxidative stability. Several authors (Garrido et al., 2011; Guerra-Rivas et al., 2016a; Goñi et al., 2007; Jeronimo et al., 2012) have shown that the use of extract and dry extract of grape pomace contributed to a lower lipid oxidation profile in meat, when compared to the control groups. To the best of our knowledge, there are no studies that investigated the effects of the inclusion of increasing levels of grape pomace silage (GPS) to replace corn silage in diet of lambs on the oxidative profile and the sensory attributes of lamb meat. Thus, the objective of the present study was to evaluate the proximate composition, fatty acid profile, oxidative stability of lipids and proteins and the sensory parameters of meat from lambs fed diets with increasing levels of grape pomace silage in replacement of corn silage.

Section snippets

Materials and methods

The animal experimentation was carried out at the Farroupilha Federal Institute, Campus São Vicente do Sul, Central Region of Rio Grande do Sul, Southern Brazil, coordinated 29°41′30″S and 54°40′46″ W, with an altitude of 129 m. According to the Brazilian Wine Institute (2020), the largest wine producing regions are located in the northeast and south Brazilian regions, wich main grape-growing areas established in the south region produced more than 600 tons of grapes in the last year.

The

Characterization of lamb meat

No significant effect (p < 0.05) of the inclusion of GPS was observed for moisture, protein, and ash contents of the lamb meat (Table 2), with a positive linear effect (p < 0.05) on the total lipids of LTL. This result corroborates the data in Table 1, which shows an increase in ether extract levels in the diet, which directly affected the total lipids of LTL. Guerra-Rivas et al. (2016b) also found similar results and suggested that the grape residue has predominantly PUFA in the seeds, which

Conclusion

The inclusion of increasing levels of pomace silage from fine red grapes (Vitis vinifera cv. Bordeaux) to replace whole plant corn silage, with a forage: concentrate ratio of 50:50 in diet of lambs provided the production of meat with higher total lipids levels, higher participation of polyunsaturated fatty acids (18:2n6 and CLA) and greater oxidative stability, with no changes in the sensory parameters.

Declaration of Competing Interest

The authors report no declarations of interest.

Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank the financial support from the Foundation for Research of the State of Rio Grande do Sul (FAPERGS- process 02/2017 PqG), the Coordination for the Improvement of Higher Education Personnel (Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES, Brazil) for the scholarship provided by the social demand program (DS, Brazil) for the first author, and the National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento

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