Differentiation between carcasses from suckling lambs reared with ewe milk or milk replacers by near infrared reflectance spectroscopy of perirenal fat

Near infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) was used to discriminate between carcasses from Churra breed suckling lambs reared with ewe milk or milk replacers. Samples were scanned over the NIR spectral range (1100–2500 nm). The results showed that NIRS could be used successfully to discriminate the suckling lambs depending on milk source, with a 100% of correctly classified samples. NIRS technology would be a good method, since it is a rapid, economical and little complex method. © 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.