Meat quality of lambs produced in the Mesopotamia region of Argentina finished on different diets

The meat quality of Corriedale lambs (40 kg live weight) produced in the Mesopotamia region (Argentina) was assessed. These lambs had different finishing diets: only native grass pasture, ground alfalfa and alfalfa-linseed pellet (70/30). Carcass yield, longissimus dorsi area, backfat thickness, marbling, pH, meat and subcutaneous fat color, cooking loss, Warner-Bratzler shear force, fat, protein and moisture content were determined. Lambs finished on alfalfa-linseed pellet had the highest carcasses yield and backfat thickness and their meat had a lighter color (higher L∗ value), higher marbling and tenderness than meat from lambs reared on native grass pasture. Grass-based finishing can lead to the production of leaner meat, with a more reddish color (higher a∗ value). The ground alfalfa finishing diet seems to be intermediate between native grass pasture and alfalfa-linseed pellet with respect to carcass yield, backfat and meat color. In addition, the animals fed on ground alfalfa showed the highest muscle area.