Feeding influence on the quality of sheep meat: from the farm to the fork

Abstract

In this paper we will review research in the field of animal nutrition, and define the nutrients that sheep has. Using this information, we will be able to formulate meals that will meet their requirements. These meals should be productive and effective. Sheep meat quality parameters are important at different levels, from consumers, producers and industry. Nevertheless, all participants in the meat production chain must ensure quality and improve competitiveness. The quality of meat is affected by type of feed. Sheep meat is increasingly used in the diet, which has increased the focus of analysis of various factors that affect quality, with special reference to sensory analysis. The analysis of the 32 composition of food (concentrate), which we used during the research, we made in the laboratories of the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, with accredited (ISO) methods. Concentrate we analyzed chemically for crude protein, crude fiber, crude fat, mineral constituents and dry matters. The organic constituents (crude protein, crude fibre) can vary as much as 15 percent, the mineral constituents as much as 30 percent. The goal of feed analysis is to predict the productive response of animals when they are fed rations of a given composition. Inclusion of concentrates in the diet improved the meats sensory quality and was related to the lowering of undesirable odor and flavor intensity. Sheep fed only on concentrates produced meat that had the highest fat flavor intensity and the best overall acceptability.