University Publications

Abstract The present study was conducted to detect the effect of different level of treated banana waste on carcass characteristics, meat composition and meat quality attributes of Sudanese desert lambs. Banana waste was enriched by mollase and urea and calcium carbonate and ensiled for a month, then was chemically analyzed. According to this analysis three iso-caloric and iso-nitrogenous experimental diets were prepared. These diets contained different levels of treated banana waste (0%, 5% and 10%) respectively. Twenty seven Sudanese desert lambs (Hammari ecotype) were randomly divided into three experimental groups with an average initial weight of 21.06 kg were used in feeding trials for 45 days. Following an adaptation period of two weeks. Each lamb group was offered one of the experimental diets for a feeding period of 45 days. Finally three experimental lambs from each group were slaughtered and carcass characteristics, meat composition and meat quality attributes were recorded. Dietary treated banana waste level produced no significant (P<0.05) effect on carcass characteristics, dressing percentages, yield of wholesale cuts and meat chemical composition. Although meat moisture and ash increased with the increase level of the dietary treated banana waste level but fat was increased. Protein content decreased with increased level of the dietary treated banana waste. Meat quality attributes showed that as inclusion of dietary treated banana waste increased water holding capacity, cooking loss, and measured rib eye area percentage increased. But meat PH was decreased with the increased level of dietary treated banana waste in the diet.