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The Effects of Dietary Ingredient, Sex and Slaughter Weight on Cooked Meat Flavor Profile of Market Lamb^1,2,

US Department of Agriculture, Clay Center, NE 68933

Abstract

The influence of breed, diet, sex and slaughter weight on lamb carcass characteristics and meat flavor was studied. Suffolk (n = 67)- or Columbia (n = 67)-sired ram or ewe lambs were fed one of two isoprotein, isocaloric diets containing alfalfa or soybean meal as the supplemental protein source. Lambs were slaughtered in one of two groups at live animal weights of 50 (slaughter group 1) or 69 kg (slaughter group 2). Observations of carcass characteristics and flavor profile characteristics of cooked lamb rib chops were made. Suffolk-sired lambs were heavier (P<.05) than Columbia-sired lambs and possessed carcasses with lower (P<.01) predicted yields of retail cuts. Breed of sire had no effect on sensory flavor characteristics. Lambs fed alfalfa were heavier (P<.01) and possessed carcasses with higher (P<.01) quality grades and lower (P<.01) predicted yield of retail cuts than lambs fed soybean meal. Ram lambs were heavier (P<.01) than ewe lambs at slaughter and this weight differential increased from the first to second slaughter group. Ram lamb carcasses also exhibited more (P<.01) pronounced secondary male sex characteristics than ewe lamb carcasses. Chops from ram lambs fed the soybean diet possessed a more (P<.05) ammonia, musty and muttony flavor with more (P<.05) aftertaste than chops from ewe lambs fed soybean meal. Mutton flavor in ram lambs was more intense in the first slaughter group than in the second slaughter group. Ram lambs increased (<.05) in gamey and sweet flavor notes and ewe lambs increased in musty flavor from slaughter group 1 to slaughter group 2. Chops from ram lambs were less (P<.01) intense in browned flavor than chops from ewe lambs. Browned followed by ammonia were the first and second flavor notes observed by panelists in both ram and ewe chops. However, bitter flavor was observed third in rams and gamey flavor was observed third in ewes.

¹ Cooperation of the Nebraska Agr. Exp. Sta., Univ. of Nebraska-Lincoln, is acknowledged.

² Mention of trade name, proprietary product or specific equipment does not constitute a guarantee or warranty of the product by the USDA and does not imply its approval to the exclusion of other products that may also be suitable.

³ USDA, ARS, Roman L. Hruska U.S. Meat Animal Research Center.

⁴ Present address: Dept. of Anim. Sci., Texas A&M Univ., College Station, TX 77843.