The effects of diets containing different levels of common vetch (Vicia sativa) seed on fattening performance, carcass and meat quality characteristics of Awassi male lambs

Abstract

The experiment was carried out to evaluate the effect of common vetch seed (CVS), used at various levels (0, 15 and 25%), as a protein source in diets replacing different proportion of barley, wheat bran and soybean meal on fattening performance, carcass and meat quality characteristics of Awassi male lambs at approximately 8 months of age. The lambs were divided into three treatment groups, T1 (control, fed a diet without CVS; n = 12), T2 (15% CVS; n = 12) and T3 (25% CVS; n = 12), at the beginning of the fattening period. The T2 and T3 lambs were fed with a concentrate including 15 and 25% of ground CVS. The main protein source was soybean meal in T1 diet treatment, partially replaced by vetch in T2 and T3 diet treatments. All groups were fed a diet consisting of concentrate mixture offered ad libitum, and 300 g of grass hay per lamb per day during the 60 day fattening period. Daily feed intake, daily weight gain and feed conversion efficiency (concentrate and hay consumption for 1 kg of live weight gain) were 1.716 kg, 0.26 kg and 6.60 for T1, 1.756 kg, 0.28 kg and 6.27 for T2 and 1.806 kg, 0.29 kg and 6.23 for T3, respectively. Growth, carcass and meat quality traits were almost the same across the groups. In conclusion, CVS supplementation to diets of Awassi lambs at a 0, 15 and 25% rates showed no statistical differences in fattening performance, wholesale cuts of carcasses, meat color parameters (L * = lightness, a * = redness, b * = yellowness, H = huge angle and C = chroma) and pH values, but there were numerical differences (improvement) in feed conversion efficiency.

A study on possibility of Rosa canina seed use as feed ıngredient in diets of Morkaraman male lambs

“…The results from present study on meat color parameters except for hue angle values are in agreement with findings of Lanza et al (2003) and Gül et al (2004).…”

“…The effect of diets on yield grade of lambs and proportion yield of boneless retail cuts was found nonsignificant. Similar findings were reported by Esenbuga et al (2001) for fat-tailed genotypes such as Awassi, Morkaraman, and Tushin and Gül et al (2004) for Awassi male lambs.…”

“…There were no differences among the groups in pH values from LD muscles. Similar results on pH values from LD muscle were determined by Lanza et al (2003) for Barbaresca lambs and Gül et al (2004) for Awassi lambs fed diets supplemented with peas and common vetch, respectively.…”

Effect of breed on fattening performance, slaughter and meat quality characteristics of Awassi and Morkaraman lambs

“…Moreover, TB muscle was redder (higher a⁎ value; P b 0.01) than LD and ST muscles. Similar findings were reported by Macit et al (2003a) for Morkaraman; Macit et al, (2003b) for Awassi and Gül et al (2005) for Awassi male lambs.…”

“…In the experiment, the influence of breed on yield grade and percent yield of boneless retail cuts was not significant (Table 2). Similar findings were reported by Esenbuga et al (2001) for fat tailed breeds such as Awassi, Morkaraman and Tushin; Macit et al, (2003a) for Morkaraman and Gül et al, (2005) for Awassi male lambs. The colour of the meat is one criterion by which consumers judge meat quality.…”