This study configures a first report regarding the variability of meat quality of locally adapted Pantaneiro sheep depending on different physiological stages and breeding systems. Pantaneiro sheep are raised in Brazil under a tropical wetland ecosystem denominated Pantanal. Twenty-nine Pantaneiro sheep from different sex and physiological stages were sorted into three groups, simulating three of the most representative ovine meat products commercialized by South American industries: a) non castrated male lambs (n = 11); b) wethers (n = 9); c) cull ewes (n = 9). Animals from each physiological stage were submitted to different breeding systems, resembling farming strategies adopted in several developing countries of South America. The effect of physiological stages on the quality of meat was accessed using 16 variables measured in the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LM) and the semimembranosus (SM) muscles. The variables were related to brightness, color, physical aspects, soluble and total collagen as well as chemical traits. The physiological stage was defined as a classification variable in order to proceed ANOVA tests and comparison of means (P<0.05). Multivariate analysis was used to identify patterns of similarity and differentiation between samples of different physiological stages (a, b, c). The results revealed that meat quality varies according to different physiological stages, especially between lambs (a) and cull ewes (c). As a consequence, the physiological stage at slaughter should be taken into consideration to cote the quality of meat from indigenous sheep raised in tropical regions. The results contribute towards sensorial evaluation and the characterization of potential food products derived from indigenous sheep bred under tropical climate in developing countries.

We evaluated the effects of the inclusion of copaíba (Copaifera officinalis L.) essential oil at 0.05 and 0.1% as a possible replacement of synthetic additive butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in sheep burgers during 14 days of storage in a refrigerated display case (4°C). During the shelf life days, analyzes of antioxidant activity, lipid oxidation, pH, color, cooking loss, texture and consumer acceptability were carried out on refrigerated burgers. The addition of copaíba essential oil showed an antioxidant effect in sheep burgers (P > 0.05), reducing lipid oxidation. Copaiba essential oil added at 0.05% showed the highest antioxidant activity, decreased cooking losses and delaying discoloration (loss of redness) during storage; it further improved, the tenderness of sheep burgers (P < 0.05). The treatments had no effect (P > 0.05) on consumer acceptability. Copaiba essential oil is a promising natural antioxidant to increase the shelf life of meat products, as well as being a viable solution to replace synthetic antioxidant BHT, thereby promoting the fresh‐like quality appeal of sheep burgers.

This study aimed to assess and compare the non-carcass components, carcass measurements and meat cut production of Pantaneiro (P) sheep and their Texel (TP) and Santa Inês (SIP) crossbreds. Ninety-six lambs, of which 51 were male and 45 were female, with a mean weaning weight of 15.21 ± 1.25 kg and age of 78 ± 13 days were slaughtered at 32 kg of body weight. TP lambs had greater leg compactness and weight and percentage of pelt, whereas genotypes (G) P and SIP had higher carcass depth. P and SIP females had weights omental fat percentages that were superior to the other animals, whereas SIP females had higher mesenteric fat. TP males had higher production of white viscera. There was no effect of sex, G or interaction for production and percentage of all meat cuts. Pantaneiro lambs and their crosses with meat breeds could be useful in meat production systems under Savannah environmental conditions.

A B S T R A C TThe genetic diversity of the local breeds can contribute to the maintenance of traits that are economically important to the genetic improvement of sheep. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of genotype and sex on the fatty acid profile, shear force, and sensory traits of the longissimus lumborum muscle of lambs. Ninety-six lambs with a weaning weight of 15.21 ± 1.25 kg were finished in feedlot until they reached the slaughter weight of 32 kg. Lambs Pantaneiro male (uncastrated) and female, Texel × Pantaneiro, and Santa Inês × Pantaneiro were used in a completely randomized 2 × 3 factorial design. Pantaneiro lambs had a higher proportion of C14:0 than Texel × Pantaneiro and Santa Inês × Pantaneiro, while Texel × Pantaneiro had a higher proportion of C18:3ω6. Males had a higher proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) and ω3. Generally, the meat from all lambs showed high proportion of unsaturated fatty acids (UFA). There was interaction between genotype and sex for C14:1 and C16:1. Santa Inês × Pantaneiro males had a higher proportion of C14:1than Pantaneiro females and Texel × Pantaneiro males and females. Pantaneiro males had a higher C16:1 than Texel × Pantaneiro males and females. The sex had an effect only for tenderness, with tender meat for females. Based on the fatty acid profile, the genotypes were discriminated with high accuracy, with 88.9%, 90.1% and 100% classified correctly for Pantaneiro, Santa Inês × Pantaneiro, and Texel × Pantaneiro, respectively. The use of Pantaneiro sheep for meat production provides the same fatty acids and sensory traits, and the crossbreeding shows a tendency to reduce the proportion of C14:0, C14:1, and C16:1, and to increase the proportion of C18:3ω6, highlighting the Texel × Pantaneiro lambs.⁎ Corresponding author at: Rodovia Dourados à Itahum, km 12,

The objective of this work was to evaluate the yields, morphometric measures, carcass, and non-carcass components, and carcass regional and tissue composition of an indigenous sheep (Pantaneiro) of different physiological stages (gender, age, system production. Thirty sheep, eleven lambs, nine wethers, and ten cull ewes were used. The lambs were finished in feedlots, the wethers were maintained on pastures and supplementation, and the cull ewes were maintained on an extensive pasture system with mineral salt ad libitum. Slaughter ages were defined to simulate the most representative products and farming systems. Animals were slaughtered and classified as non- castrated lambs, wethers, and cull ewes. The criteria to slaughter lambs and wethers were the body condition, which ranged from 2.5 to 3.0. Cull ewes were slaughtered based on negative pregnancy diagnosis, regardless of their body condition, which ranged from 4.0 to 4.5. All animals were slaughtered after 16-hours of fasting (solids). The ewes presented the greatest fat thickness, differing significantly from the lambs. The morphometric measures were higher in ewes and lambs. The muscle to fat ratio of the animal’s cuts from different physiological stages presented no significant differences. The indigenous Pantaneiro sheep have good potential for meat production regardless of their physiological stages. The ewes stood out, presenting carcasses with good performance considering their potential and longer permanence in the herd due to their reproductive function.