Carcass characteristics and tissue composition of Santa Ines sheep fed manipueira

Abstract

The effects of replacing corn with manipueira + urea at 0; 25; 50; 75 and 100% in the diet of sheep on the carcass characteristics and tissue composition of the leg were studied. Forty sheep were distributed in a completely randomized design, with initial weight used as covariate, and slaughtered after 70 days of confinement. Slaughter body weight and carcass weights decreased linearly with the substitution, as well as hot carcass (42.77 to 39.12%) and commercial yields (41.22 to 37.55%) and longissimus muscle area (9.80 to 7.14 cm²). The weight of all meat cuts decreased linearly, but the yield of the same has not changed. There was a linear decrease to the rump width and carcass and leg compactness index. The weights of the tissue components of the leg, the percentage of muscles, the muscle: bone ratio and muscularity leg index (0.37 a 0.34 g cm-1) decreased with the replacement. The percentage of bones increased linearly (20.07 to 22.58%), but the fat percentage was not affected, as well as the muscle: bone ratio and subcutaneous fat: intermuscular fat ratio. It is not recommended to replace corn by manipueira + urea.