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RESEARCH ARTICLE
Contents Vol 45(10)

Carcass traits, meat quality and muscle enzyme activity in strains of Merino wether hoggets

D. L. Hopkins A D , S. Hatcher B , D. W. Pethick C and K. J. Thornberry B
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations

A NSW Department of Primary Industries, Centre for Sheep Meat Development, PO Box 129, Cowra, NSW 2794, Australia.

B NSW Department of Primary Industries, Orange Agricultural Institute, Forest Road, Orange, NSW 2800, Australia.

C School of Veterinary Studies, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.

D Corresponding author. Email: David.Hopkins@dpi.nsw.gov.au

Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 45(10) 1225-1230 https://doi.org/10.1071/EA04219
Submitted: 26 October 2004  Accepted: 8 April 2005   Published: 15 November 2005

Abstract

The carcass characteristics, meat quality and specific muscle enzyme activity were studied in 342 Merino wether hoggets representing 7 bloodlines comprising 2 superfine lines, 2 fine wool lines, 2 medium wool lines and 1 broad wool line over 2 years. All animals were supplemented at pasture for 5 weeks before slaughter with high energy pellets. Fat levels in the superfine bloodlines based on total tissue depth over the 12th rib, 110 mm from the midline were much greater than in other lines. This also applied to fat depth measured over the longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LL) muscle for one of the superfine bloodlines when adjusted to the same carcass weight. Differences in LL muscle dimensions were minor, although the broad wool bloodline had a lower depth which translated into a smaller cross-sectional area. Significant differences were detected between bloodlines for muscle pH with superfine animals having the highest values for the LL. The differences for the semitendinosus muscle were less consistent between bloodlines, but of the bloodlines the broad wool line had the lowest pH levels in both muscles. There were few differences between bloodlines for the meat colour parameters measured on the LL. In the second year, muscle samples were taken to determine the activity of fructose 1,6-bis-phosphatase, lactate dehydrogenase (LDH), isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) and the concentration of myoglobin, indicators of anaerobic and aerobic metabolism. Samples from 50 carcasses were selected from a medium wool and a superfine bloodline (2 × 25) based on LL muscle pH values. Of the enzymes, only ICDH activity was different between the 2 bloodlines, with muscle from the medium wool bloodline having a significantly higher activity than muscle from the superfine bloodline. This indicates a greater aerobic capacity in the muscle of the medium wool bloodline. The significantly lower muscle pH for medium wool bloodline was mirrored by a lower glycolytic capacity expressed as the LDH/ICDH ratio with a correlation of 0.46. Thus in this dataset, a high pH is related to a change in energy metabolism as reflected by the aerobic/anaerobic capacity of the muscle and this may be a reflection of a change in fibre type frequency, but this remains to be validated.


Acknowledgments

The assistance of Laurie Barwick (NSW Department of Primary Industries) in the management of the hoggets and David Stanley, Jayce Morgan and Leonie Martin (NSW DPI) with the collection of slaughter data is noted with appreciation. Barbara Waldoch (Murdoch University) did the enzyme assays and this is gratefully acknowledged. The assistance of staff at the Cowra abattoir was also appreciated. Both the Australian Sheep Industry CRC and Meat & Livestock Australia provided support for this work.


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