Carcass traits and meat quality differences between a traditional and an intensive production model of market lambs in Brazil: Preliminary investigation

• Intensive production model used terminal crossbreeding, creep feeding and feedlot.
• Traditional model had lower LEA and fat thickness, and higher loin shear force.
• Better EUROP conformation and fat cover classes were from intensive model.
• Traditional model had higher rate of PUFA and lower ω6:ω3 rate.
• Intensive model produced soft meat with better color, taste, and texture.

The objective of this study was to determine the differences of carcass traits and meat quality of market lambs between a traditional and an intensive production model. Eighty lambs were obtained from four commercial farms. At the Traditional model 20 lambs were Dorper × Santa Inês and 20 Ile de France. Farms from intensive model provided 20 Texel lambs and 20 Dorper × Santa Inês lambs. Animals from intensive model had access to creep feeding until weaning and were fed with a total mixed ration with 90% of concentrate at the finishing. The intensive model provided higher loin eye area and fat thickness, and lower shear force of the loin (P < 0.0001). The Traditional model presented higher rate of polyunsaturated fatty acids (P < 0.01) and lower ω6:ω3 rate (P < 0.0001). The loin of the animals from the intensive model presented more intense aroma and taste and higher juiciness and chewiness (P < 0.05). The intensive model produced carcasses with better conformation and fatness and soft meat with better color, taste and texture.