Lamb meat quality as affected by a natural or artificial milk feeding regime

Fourteen Barbaresca lambs were divided into two groups of seven at 24 h from birth and reared exclusively on natural milk (NR) or on artificial milk (AR). Lambs were slaughtered at 40 days of age. The NR group tended (P < 0.10) to grow faster, thus resulting in a higher (P < 0.10) carcass weight as compared to the AR group. AR meat was darker (P < 0.05), leaner (P < 0.001) and with a higher moisture (P < 0.10) and ash (P < 0.05) content than its counterpart. The proportion of polyunsaturated fatty acids was higher (P < 0.01), while that of saturated lower (P < 0.01) in meat from the AR group, resulting in a higher (P < 0.01) polyunsaturated/saturated ratio. Linoleic acid content (P < 0.001) and its n-6 series derivatives, except 9–12 trans C18:2 n-6 (P < 0.001), increased more in the AR group meat than in the NR group. On the other hand, α-linolenic (P < 0.001) and other n-3 series fatty acids were higher in meat from the NR group than in the AR group, leading to a lower (P < 0.001) n-6/n-3 ratio. Furthermore, 9 cis 11 trans CLA was higher (P < 0.001) in NR meat compared to AR meat. Finally, a milk-feeding regime exclusively based on artificial milk adversely affected the dietetic value of lamb meat compared to a natural rearing system, reducing the level of desirable fatty acids such as n-3 series and CLA.