Meat quality of autochthonous Sjenica Zackel sheep - Basis for sustainable production of genetic resource on the Sjenica-Pester plateau

Abstract

Sjenica sheep is the largest type of autochthonous Zackel sheep reared in Serbia. It is well adapted to harsh climatic and environmental conditions, which exist on the High Nature Value Sjenica-Pester plateau of the mountain regions of south-west Serbia. The Sjenica sheep is considered as vulnerable due to increasing dilution of the populations under the influence of meliorators, such as Wurttemberg sheep. Therefore, it is necessary to undertake protective measures, such as in vivo conservation, with special attention to advanced phenotypic characterization of adaptive and productive breed traits, as a strategy for a rational utilization of sheep resources. The objective of the study was to perform and evaluate the advanced phenotypic characterization of Sjenica sheep, especially its productive potential and meat quality traits. In this paper the evaluation of sensory characteristics (odour intensity, flavour intensity, flavour quality and overall acceptability) and the fatty acid composition of meat (M. longissimus dorsi) samples of Sjenica sheep were done. The results indicated desirable sensory characteristics of tested lamb meat, with high overall acceptability score (6.12 ). Furthermore, favourable fatty acid composition has been found in the meat samples of Sjenica sheep. The CLA content was at a high level (4.12 , also the n-6:n-3 ratio was desirable (1.88 ), which can partly be explained by the influence of the traditional habitat, such as specific floristic composition in which animals are reared.