Effects of road type during transport on lamb welfare and meat quality in dry hot climates

This study determined whether transporting lambs on paved (PR) or unpaved roads (UR) for 3 h had an effect on plasma stress indicators (cortisol, lactate, glucose, creatine kinase [CK], red blood cells, white blood cells, hematocrit, and neutrophil/lymphocyte [N/L] ratio) and instrumental meat quality (pH24, bruising score, water holding capacity [WHC], color, and texture). A total of 48 Rasa Aragonesa male lambs were used that were approximately 100 days old (12.5 kg ± 1.64, carcass weight). The results suggest that transport on unpaved roads had a significant influence on physiological and hematological stress parameters. Road type had a significant effect on all variables, except for white and red blood cells, and hematocrit levels. The UR lambs had significantly higher (at least p ≤ 0.01) cortisol, lactate, glucose, and CK levels and a higher N/L ratio than PR lambs. Meat from UR lambs had some dark-cutting characteristics, with a darker color, higher ultimate pH, and higher tenderness values than PR. In conclusion, lambs transported on unpaved roads had a more intense stress response and poorer meat quality than lambs transported on paved roads. An effort to improve the logistics associated with route planning is necessary to prevent welfare problems during transport to slaughter.     

Meat quality and transport stress of cattle

This study evaluated the effect of transport time up to 14 hours and the effects of vehicle design on animal welfare, stress and meat quality. 18 transports (six short, medium and long) with a total of 486 animals (118 sample animals, heifers and bulls) were carried out on commercial vehicles in summer 2000 and winter 2001. Animal welfare and stress were evaluated by blood serum parameters, heart rate monitoring, behaviour recording and occurrence of carcass bruising. Meat quality was evaluated by post mortem muscle glycogen content, pH value, temperature, drip loss, colour and tenderness measurements. Heifers had lower heart rates than young bulls during loading (95 vs 114 beats per minute, bpm), whereas during transport, both had an average heart rate of 100 bpm, furthermore during unloading, heifers had higher heart rates than bulls (109 vs 100 bpm). Blood sampling during unloading could have marginally increased heart rates during the unloading procedure. Studied cattle had lower heart rates during medium and long distance transports compared with short transports. Monitoring of animal behaviour during transport showed that the former settled down faster than the latter. Single- and two-animal pens in medium and long distance vehicles prevented nervous and stressful movements of cattle, which were more prominent in large pens of short distance lorry. Present results suggest that larger pens of three or four animals could increase cattle stress during transport. Moreover during unloading, cattle loaded in single- or two-animals pens had significantly lower blood cortisol content than those loaded in larger groups of three or four animals (P < 0.01). The amount of severe carcass bruising was highest in animals transported over short times and loaded into groups of four cattle. Severe damages occurred most often on perianal and hipbone area of the carcass surface. Present results showed that muscle glycogen level was highest after long transport. These animals were fed more regularly from the last feeding up to stunning than medium or short distance animals. Animals in single-pens had the highest muscle glycogen level. Transport distance or number of animals in one pen had a minor effect on muscle pH values or temperatures during 24 hours post mortem (pm). Drip loss of the M. longissimus dorsi (LD) was highest after long transport, but animal number in one pen had no effect on drip loss. Colour of the LD muscle was independent on transport conditions. Light colour of three animal groups resulted from high amounts of heifers, which had lighter colour than bulls. All meat samples were quite tender. However, heifers had significantly tender meat than young bulls (P < 0.001). Higher amounts of heifers had the most tender meat after short transports. Mean DFD (dark, firm, dry) meat occurrence was 2.1% in this project, DFD frequency was lowest after short, then after long and highest after medium distance transports. Because of not evenly distributed numbers of bulls (low) and heifers (high) it was difficult to compare short and long distance transport effects.     

Effect of transport stress on physiological responses of male bovines

Forty-eight slaughter bulls were transported by road in groups of eight for approximately 30 min, 3 h and 6 h in two replicates. Animal welfare during the transport process was assessed. Loadings and unloadings were evaluated with a scoring method. Heart rates were monitored at the farm before loading and during all stages of transport. Blood samples were taken from all animals a week before transport and at sticking and analysed in terms of haematological values: hematocrit, haemoglobin, red and white blood cells (RBC and WBC), differential WBC counts and neutrophil:lymphocyte ratio. Glucose, creatine kinase, lactate and cortisol were also determined. To evaluate differences in meat quality, pH and water-holding capacity (WHC) were measured 24 h after slaughter. The loading and unloading scores were very low (low stress) but were associated with changes in heart rate, especially loading. Animals recovered their resting heart rate during the journey in medium and long transports. On the other hand, animals transported around 30 min maintained an elevated heart rate during the whole journey. All animals showed a stress response with significantly higher (p < 0.05) levels of erythrocyte series, N:L ratio, glucose and lactate. Animals transported for 3 and 6 hours had significantly (P<0.05) higher levels of cortisol than controls or 30 min transports, without differences between control and the shortest journey. Different transport times did not influence meat quality. Under good conditions, the transport had a slight effect on welfare, meat quality or physiological parameters related with stress.     

Physiological indicators of stress and meat and carcass characteristics in tail bitten slaughter pigs

Background

Tail biting is a common welfare problem in pig production and in addition to being a sign of underlying welfare problems, tail biting reduces welfare in itself. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of tail biting on different pre and post mortem indicators of stress in slaughter pigs and on carcass and meat characteristics. A total of 12 tail bitten (TB) and 13 control (C) pigs from a farm with a long-term tail biting problem were selected for salivary cortisol analyses before and after transport to the slaughterhouse. After stunning, samples were taken for the analysis of serum cortisol, blood lactate, intestinal heat shock protein 70 (HSP70), and meat quality characteristics. In addition, body temperature immediately after and muscle temperature 35 min after stunning were measured, as well as lean meat percentage and carcass weight.

Results

TB pigs showed a lower cortisol response to the transport-induced stress than C pigs and also had a lower serum cortisol concentration after stunning. HSP70 content in the small intestine was higher in the TB pigs than in C pigs. TB pigs had a considerably lower carcass weight therefore produced a lower total amount of lean meat per carcass than C pigs.

Conclusions

This study suggests that prolonged or repeated stress in the form of tail biting causes a blunted stress response, possibly a sign of hypocortisolism. In addition, it underlines the importance of reducing tail biting, both from an animal welfare and an economic point-of-view.     

Effect of commercial transport in Spain on cattle welfare and meat quality

The purpose of this work was to determine the effect of transport of cattle from the farm to the abattoir on the animal's welfare and post mortem meat quality (instrumental and sensorial). Thirty-nine commercial journeys were followed in Spain from July 2000 to July 2001 at varying distances from a local abattoir in the city of Zaragoza. Blood samples were taken at the farm and at sticking and meat pH24 was measured at 24 hours post-mortem. Samples from the M. longissimus dorsi thoracis were taken from 48 slaughter bulls and analysed in terms of instrumental and sensorial qualities. Cortisol, glucose, CPK, lactate and N:L ratio increased during transport compared to control values. Cortisol was higher after 1-2 h transport compared to journeys that were less than 1 h or more than 2 h long. In general the parameters indicated slightly more stressful conditions under winter conditions than in the summer. Meat tenderness measured by a Warner-Bratzler device demonstrated that there was no significant effect of either transport time or season. There was no significant change in pH24 or meat colour at 24 h with transport time. Transport time had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on overall liking and animals transported in summer had slightly more tender meat and higher overall liking.     

Finishing feedlot lambs in enriched pens using feeder ramps and straw and its influence on behavior and physiological welfare indicators

Sixty lambs were placed in enriched (EE) or conventional (CO) pens (3 pens per treatment or 10 lambs per pen), in which the EE pens had a wooden platform with ramps giving access to a concentrate hopper, straw as bedding and forage, and a further ramp for play. The CO pen was barren without any enrichment. The general behavior of the lambs and the use of space were similar for both treatments; however, CO lambs developed significantly more stereotypies (P ≤ 0.05). The EE lambs resolved a T-maze more quickly (P ≤ 0.05), and their physiological adaptation response to the feedlot environment was more efficient. The CO lambs mobilized more body reserves and had lower levels of immunity (i.e., increased nonesterified fatty acid and neutrophil/lymphocyte ratio, respectively, P ≤ 0.05) than EE lambs at the end of the fattening period, which indicates chronic stress, probably associated with the barren environment. The EE lambs had a higher (P ≤ 0.05) average daily gain, heavier carcasses and higher fattening scores, as well as lower pH_ult. This study shows that enrichment can improve the welfare of feedlot lambs by reducing stereotypies and enhancing the physiological adaptation response to a novel environment.     

Observations of subcutaneous haemorrhagic speckling in lambs

A survey carried out at a meat export works in the southern part of the North Island indicated that 29% of lambs killed during the early part of the 1978/79 season had lesions de- scribed as subcutaneous haemorrhagic speckling. In 2.6% of lambs, the lesions were sufficiently severe to warrant downgrading.

Investigation indicated that the primary factor associated with “speckling” in subcutaneous fat was related to electrical stunning by a triple electrode stunner. The lesions were more noticeable in lambs with a thinner layer of carcass fat (Y-grade lambs); other factors such as age, dampness of fleece and stunning technique may also have been associated with their prevalence. It is suggested that, by suitably designed studies, some of these variables could be controlled and their effect assessed.     

Journey length and high temperatures: effects on rabbit welfare and meat quality

The transport of domestic animals by road can increase levels of stress and decrease meat quality, especially in unfavourable climates. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of journey duration and vertical position on the transport truck on some physiological indicators of stress and on instrumental meat quality parameters in commercial rabbits. In the summer months (June and July, 2003), 78 rabbits were subjected to either long (7 h) (LJ) or short (1 h) (SJ) journeys (3 replicates each, n = 6) between the farm and an abattoir in northern Spain. The position (top, middle, or bottom) occupied by the rabbits on the Multi-Floor cage Rolling Stand (MFRS) of the transport truck was recorded. Blood samples were collected at sticking and meat pH was measured at 24 h post-mortem (pH24). At 48 h post-mortem, samples of the M. longissimus dorsi were used to determine water-holding capacity (WHC) and instrumental tenderness using an INSTRON machine. The levels of corticosterone, glucose, lactate, and creatine kinase were slightly higher in LJ than in SJ samples, but the difference was not statistically significant (p < or = 0.10). Independent of journey length, rabbits in the middle and bottom of the MFRS showed higher levels (p < or = 0.05) of glucose and creatine kinase (middle), and corticosterone (bottom) than the rabbits located at the top floor. The pH 24 and WHC values of the SJ and LJ rabbits did not differ significantly. Journey length had a significant effect (p < or = 0.01) on meat tenderness. The meat from rabbits subjected to LJ had higher values of maximum stress and total toughness than did the SJ rabbits (p < or = 0.05). There were similar differences (p < or = 0.05) between LJ and SJ rabbits in their stress values of compression at 20% and 40% (measures of the tenderness of raw meat). In hot weather, the position on the transport truck appeared to have a greater effect on rabbit welfare than the duration of the journey.     

Influence of crate height during slaughter transport on the welfare of male turkeys

1. Poultry are usually transported in crates which provide the birds with very limited space. Slaughter transport of male turkeys is often carried out using crates that are 40?cm or less in height where it is not possible for them to stand up. There is little information on how this physical restriction over many hours affects the birds.

2. The aim of the study was to compare the welfare of male turkeys transported in crates 40?cm and 55?cm in height. Observations on the birds’ behaviour during lairage, carcass damage and meat quality were carried out after four commercial slaughter transport journeys.

3. Birds in 40?cm crates panted more and lay down more than birds in 55?cm crates during lairage. A large percentage of the carcasses had some damage. Significantly more birds from the 55?cm crates had scratches on their backs than birds from the 40?cm crates. There was no significant difference in meat quality between birds transported in the two crate heights.

4. Both positive and negative effects of increased crate height were established and there is no evidence from this study that merely increasing crate height improves turkey welfare. Other solutions should therefore be sought in order to improve the welfare of birds during transport.     

强冷应激对阿勒泰及杂交种羔羊脂质代谢相关基因mRNA表达量及脂肪沉积的影响

为探讨强冷应激对阿勒泰羊、阿勒泰和萨福克杂交羊、阿勒泰断尾羊脂肪酸合成酶(Fatty acid synthase,FAS)和脂蛋白脂酶(Lipoprotein lipase,LPL)基因mRNA表达量、屠宰性能及血脂指标的影响,本实验设置常温组(15~20℃)与冷应激组(-25^-30℃),每组每个品种3只,选择体况相近、体重(34±4)kg的6月龄羔羊,12 d后采取血液及不同部位脂肪组织。使用荧光定量PCR技术检测FAS和LPL基因mRNA含量变化,通过酶联免疫吸附试验(ELISA)检查羔羊血脂指标,同时测定其屠宰性能。结果表明:相较于常温组,冷应激后LPL mRNA在阿勒泰羔羊与杂交种羔羊胸部脂肪中的表达量均增高,而在断尾羊中呈下降趋势;肩胛间脂肪和腹股沟脂肪中3种羔羊的LPL mRNA的表达量都呈升高趋势。冷应激后阿勒泰羊与杂交羊胸部脂肪FAS含量升高,而断尾羊的表达下降;3种羊冷应激后肩胛间脂肪和腹股沟脂肪中FAS mRNA的表达都呈升高趋势。冷应激前后肩胛间脂肪和腹股沟脂肪中LPL表达量高于FAS。冷应激后阿勒泰羊与杂交羊总胆固醇含量显著增高,断尾羊则显著降低,冷应激后阿勒泰羊与断尾羊甘油三酯含量升高,杂交羊降低,3种羊高密度脂蛋白和低密度脂蛋白含量均升高。3种羊冷应激后宰前活重、胴体重、脂肪重、肌肉重、骨重、肉骨比、屠宰率、净肉率、背膘厚、GR值、眼肌面积均有所下降,皮重增高,脏器变化不明显。此结果表明寒冷环境下,机体为了抵御寒冷,需要动员更多的脂肪组织来维持机体的正常生理功能,冷应激对3种绵羊不同部位脂肪沉积与代谢有一定影响,且不同品系之间具有一定差异性。     

水果提取物对羔羊生长性能、抗氧化及肉品质的影响

本研究旨在研究日粮添加水果提取物对羔羊生长和屠宰性能、组织器官抗氧化及肉品质的影响.试验将60只体重接近的羔羊随机分为2组,每组6个重复,每个重复5只.在为期4周的饲养期间,对照组饲喂基础日粮,处理组饲喂基础日粮+150?mg/kg水果提取物.结果:粮添加150?mg/kg水果提取物对羔羊屠宰率、热胴体重、冷胴体重、内...     

饲用油菜混合青贮对湖羊屠宰性能及肉品质的影响

本试验旨在研究饲用油菜与其他粗饲料混合青贮对湖羊屠宰性能和肉品质的影响。选取200只湖羊公羔（3月龄）随机等分为两组,分别饲喂玉米青贮全混合日粮（对照组）和油菜混合青贮日粮（试验组）,试验期90 d。试验结束时每组随机挑选10只湖羊屠宰,测定其屠宰性能和肉品质。结果显示,与对照组相比,试验组湖羊胴体重、背膘厚和眼肌面积等屠宰性能无显著变化（P>0.05）;肝脏重极显著增高（P<0.01）,肾脏重显著增高（P<0.05）;宰后45 min、24 h背最长肌的红度值（a_{45 min24 h}^*）极显著降低（P<0.01）;背最长肌中山嵛酸（C22：0）含量显著增高（P<0.05）,花生四烯酸（C20：4n6）、二十二碳六烯酸（C22：6n3）及n-6多不饱和脂肪酸含量显著降低（P<0.05）;其他肉质性状指标及脂肪酸组成均无显著差异（P>0.05）。以上结果表明,以饲用油菜混合青贮为粗饲料饲喂湖羊,可以达到与传统全株玉米青贮相近的效果,对湖羊的屠宰性能和肉品质没有不利影响,为饲用油菜在养羊业上的应用提供了理论依据。     

The impact of gentle contacts on ease of handling, welfare, and growth of calves and on quality of veal meat

It has been demonstrated previously that regularly stroking and letting calves suck fingers leads to less avoidance and more approach behavior of the calves toward people. To examine whether these positive contacts affect the welfare and productivity of calves and the quality of veal meat we used 22 veal calves housed in individual crates. Half of them received minimal contact with the stockperson (controls), and the other half were given additional gentle contacts around meals, by stroking the calves and allowing them to suck the stockperson's fingers, during the entire fattening period (21 wk). Welfare was assessed through behavioral reactivity (reactions to handling, to surprise stimuli, and to novelty), neuroendocrine responses to stress (cortisol in response to an ACTH challenge, catecholamine-synthesizing enzymes), and health (number of medical treatments, abomasal lesions). Calf productivity was assessed through growth rates and meat quality through glycolytic potential (an estimator of resting glycogen level in muscle), pH, and color. Calves that received gentle contacts were less agitated (P < .01) and tended to defecate less (P = .08) when handled in a cart on wheels than the control calves, but no treatment effects were found in reactivity to novelty and surprise stimuli, responses to ACTH, and catecholamine synthetic potential. Calves given gentle contacts had fewer abomasal lesions than controls (0/11 vs 4/11, P = .05). The glycolytic potential of the semimembranosus muscle was higher in calves that received gentle contacts than in controls (172.6 vs 154.1 micromol/g, P < .05), but no treatment effects were observed on meat pH, meat color, or growth rates. It is concluded that gentling veal calves reduces their reactions to handling. Gentle contacts reduce the reaction to transport shown by differences in glycolytic potential. In addition, the reduction in reactions to handling and the decreased incidence of abomasal lesions can contribute to an improvement of the calves' welfare.     

Slaughter value, meat quality, creatine kinase activity and cortisol levels in the blood serum of growing-finishing pigs slaughtered immediately after transport and after a rest period

The experimental materials comprised 44 hybrid [female (Polish Large White x Polish Landrace) x male Duroc] growing-finishing pigs. The animals were randomly divided into two groups: 24 pigs were slaughtered immediately after transport and 20 pigs were slaughtered after a 24-hour rest period in the lairage. The meat content of pork carcasses, carcass dressing percentage, the proximate chemical composition, physicochemical and sensory properties of meat and shear force values were determined. Serum creatine kinase activity and cortisol levels were determined in blood samples collected before transport and during carcass bleeding. Pigs slaughtered immediately after transport, compared with those slaughtered after a 24-hour rest period, were characterized by a higher meat content of the carcass and a higher carcass dressing percentage. Pre-slaughter handling had no effect on pork quality. The incidence of normal-quality meat, partially PSE (pale, soft, exudative) meat and PSE meat was similar in both groups. Chemical analysis showed that the content of dry matter, total protein, fat and minerals in meat was comparable in both groups. As regards the functional properties of the pork, samples from the carcasses of pigs that had rested before slaughter had a higher contribution of the red color component. Meat from pigs slaughtered immediately after transport had more desirable sensory properties. Pre-slaughter resting had a significant effect on those analyzed physiological parameters which were found to be good indicators of pre-slaughter stress. Serum creatine kinase activity and cortisol levels were higher in blood samples collected after transport (during carcass bleeding) than in samples collected before transport, pointing to a strong stress response of animals to pre-slaughter treatment. The decrease in serum cortisol levels in blood samples collected during bleeding from the carcasses of pigs slaughtered after a 24-hour rest period, compared with samples collected from animals slaughtered immediately after transport, suggests that rest before slaughter alleviated stress induced by pre-slaughter handling operations.     

Thermoregulatory capacity and muscle membrane integrity are compromised in broilers compared with layers at the same age or body weight

1. The effects of acute heat stress (2 h at 32 degrees C and 75% RH) on body temperature and indices of respiratory thermoregulation and skeletal muscle function were examined in two divergently selected male grandparent lines of broiler and layer-type chickens at two ages (35 and 63 d), or at a similar body weight (approximately 2.2 kg). 2. The two chicken lines exhibited markedly different baseline blood acid-base and skeletal muscle characteristics. At the same age or live weight, birds from the broiler line had significantly higher venous blood carbon dioxide tensions associated with lower blood pH. Plasma creatine kinase (CK) activities reflecting muscle membrane damage were also greatly elevated in the broiler line. 3. Exposure to acute heat stress caused an increase in deep body temperature, panting-induced acid-base disturbances and elevated plasma CK activity in both lines of chicken, an effect that increased with age. The extent of disturbances in acid-base regulation and heat-stress-induced myopathy were more pronounced in the broiler than the layer line at the same age or similar live weights. 4. It is suggested that genetic selection for high muscle growth in broiler lines has compromised their capacity to respond to an acute thermal challenge, leading to detrimental consequences for muscle function. This reduction in heat tolerance may have important implications for bird welfare and subsequent meat quality.     

Polyethylene glycol as a means for reducing the impact of condensed tannins in carob pulp: effects on lamb growth performance and meat quality

We conducted an experiment to evaluate the effects that a diet containing condensed tannins with and without polyethylene glycol (PEG) has on lamb growth and meat quality. Twenty-three male Comisana lambs were introduced to the three experimental diets between 45 and 50 d of age. Eight were given a diet containing 56% of Ceratonia siliqua (carob) pulp (tannin group), another eight received the same diet with a supplement of 40 g of PEG for each kilogram of diet (PEG group), and the remaining seven lambs were given a conventional maize-based diet (maize group). Voluntary feed intake and live weights were measured until slaughter at 105 d of age, and digestibility measurements were undertaken toward the end of the feeding trial. Carcass yield, meat quality characteristics, and a taste panel evaluation were conducted. The tannin-based diet contained 2.5% condensed tannins (DM basis), and lambs given this diet had lower growth rates and poorer feed efficiencies (P < .01) compared with the other treatment groups. Daily gain was similar between the maize and PEG lambs, although the efficiency of feed conversion was highest in the maize group. The digestibility of DM, N, and fiber was reduced (P < .05) by the condensed tannins. Lambs fed the tannin diet had a lower carcass yield (P < .05) and had less fat (P < .05), and the meat had a higher ultimate pH (P < .01) than those given the PEG or maize diets. Condensed tannins affected meat color, which was lighter (L*) than meat from lambs given the PEG-containing diet (P < .01). Sensory evaluation showed that panelists preferred meat from lambs receiving PEG and maize treatments compared with those receiving the tannin diet, and this could be related to differences in meat ultimate pH and carcass fatness. These results show that condensed tannins from carob pulp are very detrimental to feed digestibility and lamb performance. Inclusion of 40 g of PEG/kg diet eliminated the effects of condensed tannins so that lamb performance and meat quality were similar to lambs given a maize-based diet.     

慢性应激对AA肉鸡生产性能和肉质的影响

 研究三种慢性应激因素包括社会隔离饲养,高密度饲养和频繁干扰饲养对肉鸡生产性能和肉质的影响。分别于饲养期的第6、7、8、9周末早8∶00对所有鸡进行胫长、胫围及体重的测量;于饲养期的第9周末屠宰所有鸡只,测定以下肉质指标：pH值、肉色、滴水损失、剪切力、粗蛋白和粗脂肪含量。试验结果表明：(1)应激因素对肉鸡体重有一定影响。6周龄时各处理组间体重无显著差异,7周龄时频繁干扰组和散放组的肉鸡体重显著高于社会隔离组和高密度组,8周龄时频繁干扰组和散放组的肉鸡体重显著高于高密度组,9周龄时散放组肉鸡体重显著高于其它三组,社会隔离组肉鸡体重显著高于高密度组;应激因素对肉鸡胫围没有影响;应激因素对肉鸡胫长有一定影响。6、7、8周龄时各组间胫长差异不显著,9周龄时散放组胫长显著高于其它三组。(2)应激因素对肉鸡肉质有一定影响。各处理组肉鸡的pH值、剪切力、粗蛋白含量和肉色之间的差异都不显著;社会隔离组的滴水损失显著高于其它三组;散养组肉鸡的粗脂肪含量显著低于其他三组。     

The effect of different slaughter methods on the post mortem glycolysis of muscle in lambs

Differences in muscular activity and rates of decline in the pH of the M. longissimus dorsi of lambs subjected to different methods of stunning and slaughter were observed. Lambs electrically stunned by a “head-to-leg” method had significantly lower initial pH values as compared to animals stunned by an electrical “head-only” method, or by captive bolt, or without any form of stunning prior to slaughter. When electrical stunning by a “head-to-leg” method was combined with low voltage (24V) electrical stimulation during slaughter and bleeding, mean pH values declined at the highest rate and fell to approximately 6.0 within two hours of slaughter. This last procedure, therefore, has the potential to greatly reduce times between slaughter and freezing without increasing the risk of cold shortening and the associated toughness of meat.     

磷酸脲添加量对羔羊生长性能、屠宰性能和肉品质的影响

本试验旨在研究磷酸脲添加量对羔羊生长性能、屠宰性能和肉品质的影响,并对磷酸脲在肉羊生产中的安全使用剂量进行评价。试验选用80只杜寒杂交F1代平均体重(25.86±1.06)kg的公羔羊,随机分为5组,每组8个重复,每个重复2只,在精粗比为1∶1的饲粮中分别以0(对照)、0.5%、1%、2%、4%的磷酸脲替代部分豆粕类饲料。预试期为12 d,正试期为60 d。结果表明:1%组的羔羊在各时期平均日增重、宰前活重、胴体重、屠宰率均达到最高值;4%组的羔羊在各时期平均日增重、宰前活重、胴体重均极显著低于其他各组(P0.01);与对照组相比,磷酸脲添加量对肉色红度值、p H、滴水损失无显著影响(P0.05);2%组的黄度值显著高于其他各组(P0.05);在剪切力方面,1%组(5.16 kg/cm2)显著高于0.5%组(4.47 kg/cm2)、4%组(3.69 kg/cm2)和对照组(4.21 kg/cm2)(P0.05)。结果提示:磷酸脲可以作为氮磷添加剂用于肉羊饲粮中。羔羊饲粮中的磷酸脲添加量为1%时,羔羊达到最佳生长性能和屠宰性能;当磷酸脲替代比例达到4%时,极显著降低羔羊的平均日增重、胴体重,增加肌肉的亮度值;当磷酸脲替代比例为2%时,为有效安全水平,对羔羊生长性能、屠宰性能和肉品质除肌肉黄度值外无显著影响。因此,饲粮中磷酸脲适宜添加量为1%。