Effects of the inclusion of sodium bicarbonate and sugar beet pulp in the concentrate for fattening lambs on acid-base status and meat characteristics.

Thirty-six young Merino lambs (15.3kg live weight) were allocated into four equal groups to study the effects of the inclusion of sodium bicarbonate ('Bic', 0 vs. 2%) and sugar beet pulp ('SBP', 0 vs. 12%) in the concentrate on meat characteristics. Lambs were fed barley straw and concentrate ad libitum. When they reached 25kg a blood sample was taken and the animal slaughtered. After 24h meat characteristics (pH, colour, water holding capacity, Warner-Bratzler shear force, chemical and fatty acid - 'FA' - composition) were measured on M. longissimus thoracis et lumborum. SBP replacing 24% of the barley in the concentrate caused an increase in shear force (P<0.05) and saturated FA (P<0.05), decreasing meat unsaturated FA (P<0.05). SB increased blood base excess (P<0.05) and meat yellowness (P<0.05) and decreased meat pH (P<0.05), without altering any other meat characteristics.