Redberry juniper as a roughage source in lamb feedlot rations: Wool and carcass characteristics, meat fatty acid profiles, and sensory panel traits

Effects of replacing cottonseed hulls with juniper leaves on end products were investigated in lambs. Lambs were individually fed diets containing cottonseed hulls (CSH), half of the CSH replaced by juniper (CSHJ), or all the CSH replaced by juniper (JUN). Lambs grew the same amount of wool when measured as greasy fleece (P > 0.19), clean fleece (P > 0.46), and clean wool production per unit of BW (P > 0.54). Average fiber diameter quadratically decreased (P = 0.04) and became more uniform (P < 0.04) as percentage of juniper increased in the diet. Carcass characteristics were not affected (P > 0.16) by diet. Myristic, palmitoleic, and arachidic acids, cis-9, trans-11 CLA, and the ∆9 desaturase index linearly increased (P < 0.09) and stearic acid linearly decreased (P = 0.05) as percentage of juniper increased in the diet. Off-flavor linearly increased (P = 0.02) as juniper increased in the diet.

► Air-dried juniper leaves can effectively replace cottonseed hulls in lamb feedlot rations.
► Increasing juniper in the diet increased saturated fatty acids and cis-9, trans-11 CLA.
► Increasing juniper in the diet slightly increased off-flavor in lamb meat.