The Effects of Hemp Residue on the Meat Quality of Male Hu Lambs

Description

Given the current challenges of feed resource scarcity and significant price volatility, coupled with the persistently low utilization rate of unconventional feed ingredients, hemp and its by-products have emerged as a promising alternative. Their rich composition of bioactive compounds (e.g., phenolics and terpenoids) and essential nutrients (e.g., protein and fiber) positions them as a valuable resource in animal nutrition. This study aims to evaluate the effect of Hemp residue on the meat quality of Hu lambs and provide a theoretical basis for improving lamb quality using Hemp residue. In the experiment, 48 healthy three-month-old male Hu lambs with similar body weights (22.00–26.00 kg) were randomly divided into four groups: a control group , an LC group (3% Hemp residue), an MC group (6% Hemp residue), and an HC group (9% Hemp residue). The feeding period lasted 85 days, including a 5-day pre-trial period and an 80-day trial period. Results showed that feeding Hemp residue not only significantly increased the GR value, protein level, fat content, cooking yield, and pH24h (P < 0.05), but also significantly decreased cohesiveness, adhesiveness, elasticity, chewiness, hardness, and b*24h (P < 0.05). In addition, it significantly increased essential amino acids, sweet amino acids, and unsaturated fatty acids, especially oleic acid (P < 0.05), improving the EAA/TAA ratio and making it more aligned with high-quality protein standards. In summary, adding different proportions of Hemp residue to the diet affected lamb meat quality, nutrient content, amino acid composition, and fatty acid composition in various ways. Among them, the HC group, by comprehensively regulating the ratio of amino acids to fatty acids, significantly increased lamb protein content and improved meat quality. Adding 9% Hemp residue can more effectively enhance the nutritional quality, flavor, and value of lamb meat.

Institutions

• Gansu Agricultural University

  Gansu, Lanzhou

Categories

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