Aspectos nutricionais da carne de ovinos alimentados com óleos de Babaçu e Girassol.

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the physicochemical parameters and some nutritional characteristics of meat from sheep finished in confinement and fed with diets containing a combination of babassu and sunflower oils. Thirty-five castrated lambs (mean initial weight 18±3 kg), ½ Santa Inês x ½ Dorper, were allocated in a completely randomized block design. The treatments consisted of five isonitrogenous diets, with a roughage: concentrate ratio of 30:70, as follows: control (without adding oil); 0G: inclusion of 45 g.kg-1 of babassu oil in the diet; 30G: inclusion of 30 g.kg-1 of babassu oil associated with 15 g.kg-1 of sunflower oil in the diet; 22G: inclusion of 22.5 g.kg-1 of babassu oil associated with 22.5 g.kg-1 of sunflower oil in the diet; 15G: inclusion of 15 g.kg-1 of babassu oil associated with 30 g.kg-1 of sunflower oil in the diet. The animals were confined for 60 days, with the first 10 days for adaptation to the environment and diets. At the end of the confinement period, the animals were fasted from solids for 16 hours, and then slaughtered. After evaluating the carcass, the Longissimus lumborum muscle of each left half carcass was removed for subsequent determination of the chemical composition, pH, fatty acid profile, loss of water by dripping, loss by cooking and shear force. In the evaluations carried out, it was verified that the addition of vegetable oils did not change (P>0.05) the weight loss by cooking (26.31%), loss by dripping (1.44%), shear force (2. 59kg), L* (luminosity parameters), a* (red intensity), b* (yellow intensity), final pH (5.52), moisture content (76.51%), crude protein (16. 80%), mineral matter (0.95%) and ether extract (7.11%). Regarding the fatty acid content, no significant effect (P>0.05) was observed between treatments with oils and the control diet. The association of babassu and sunflower oils can be recommended for the diet of feedlot finished sheep, tending to improve the nutritional parameters of the meat.