Carcass Composition, Meat Quality and Sensory Quality of Gentile di Puglia Light Lambs: Effects of Dietary Supplementation with Oregano and Linseed

SIMPLE SUMMARY: This study characterizes the carcass composition, meat quality, and sensory attributes of an Italian native ovine breed. This investigation aims to implement feeding strategies in light lambs to enhance healthier fatty acids in meat; this is possible by applying extruded linseed and extruded linseed + oregano in a total mixed ration. The dietary treatments have no significant effect on the growth performances, slaughtering data, carcass composition, and quality meat. Moreover, meat chemical composition is not affected by feed supplementation. The diet supplemented with linseed + oregano appears to reduce the concentration of saturated fatty as well as the n-6/n-3 ratio. Due to these changes, meat fatty acid profile is improved, and so are the lamb meat healthy properties. Consequentially, the obtained good sensory traits are compatible with the requirements of the market’s consumer. The combination of nutritional and sensory traits, with properties related to human health that is presented by these native light lambs, qualifies this production as a good choice of red meat to be included in a larger proportion in human food. ABSTRACT: There is a growing demand by the modern consumer for meat containing less fat and lower levels of saturated fatty acids, which are considered to increase the risk of coronary heart disease. In southern Italy, the Gentile di Puglia breed is one of the most common on farms, and the light lambs are often consumed. The study evaluates the effect of a diet containing extruded linseed (Linum usitatissimum) on growth performances, carcass traits, and meat quality in Gentile di Puglia light lambs. Thirty-six male lambs are weaned at about 20 days of age, and divided into three groups—each group is either fed a control diet (C), a diet containing 3% extruded linseed (L), or a diet containing 3% extruded linseed and 0.6% oregano (Origanum vulgare) (L + O). The lambs’ growth performances and the slaughtering and dissection data did not differ between groups. Dietary treatments have no significant effect on the quality and chemical composition of Longissimus lumborum (Ll). The mount of linoleic acid in Ll meat is significantly higher in the L group, and this positively affected the total content of n-3 Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid, as well as the n-6/n-3 ratio. The good results obtained concerning the sensory traits meet the requirements of the market’s consumer.