DL-malic acid supplementation improves the carcass characteristics of finishing Pelibuey lambs
Abstract: The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of DL-malic acid addition in Pelibuey finishing diet on average daily gain, carcass characteristics and non-carcass components. Sixteen (16) male lambs with a mean body weight of 27 ± 1.92 kg, were used in a 48-d feeding experiment. Animals were fed a high-energy diet containing corn stover, as the only forage source, with and without the DL-malic acid (MA) addition. Animals were assigned randomly in two treatments with eight lambs each: 1) Addition of 4 g of DL-malic acid per kg of feed and 2) Control (diet 1 without MA). Four male lambs of each treatment were harvested after feeding experiment to measure carcass characteristics and non-carcass components. Lambs fed with MA presented a larger (P<0.05) Longissimus lumborum muscle area. Nevertheless, there were no effects (P>0.05) of MA on daily average weight gain and non-carcass components weight. In conclusion, addition of 4 g DL-malic acid to a high-energy feed enhances muscle accretion, which improves carcass quality of finishing lambs.
| Main Authors: | , , , , , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias
2019
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| Online Access: | http://www.scielo.org.mx/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S2007-11242019000200460 |
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