Comparison of the meat quality and fatty acid composition of traditional fat-tailed (Chall) and tailed (Zel) Iranian sheep breeds

► We compare meat quality and chemical component of fat-tailed and tailed lambs. ► Tailed lambs deposit more intramuscular fat in their meat. ► Meat of Fat-tailed lambs had healthier fatty acids than tailed lambs. ► There were considerable differences regarding eating quality. ► Tailed lambs had tender, redder, and juicy meat than fat-tailed lambs.