Effect of pasture type on Timahdite lamb quality as a traditional product of the middle atlas in Morocco

The aim of this study was to determine the effect of grazing on two type of pastures with different botanical composition on carcass traits and meat quality of Timahdite lambs in the Middle Atlas area of Morocco. Two 10 female lamb groups were raised on a steppe pasture (P1) and a forestry pasture (P2) during three months and then slaughtered at the age of 179 ± 2 days and at a mean live weight of 23.3 ± 3.6 kg. Carcass conformation and the instrumental and sensory meat qualities were evaluated. Results showed no significant effect of pasture type neither on carcass quality, except carcass compactness index (P < 0.05) which was 0.15 kg/cm in P1 group and 0.18 kg/cm in P2, nor on ultimate-pH, WHC and semi-membranous muscle color (P > 0.05). Furthermore, no differences in sensory characteristics of lamb meat were discerned by the panel tasters, except for tenderness criterion (P < 0.05) which was scored 4.29 and 3.70 for P1 and P2, respectively. Lamb meat from the steppe pasture was more tender than that from the forestry one. However, instrumental texture meat evaluation did not confirm the taste tests’ results. Based on these results, grazing on two pastures, steppe and forestry ones, with different botanical composition in the Middle Atlas area affect significantly the carcass compactness and the consumer’s perception of tenderness, but did not affected the traditional physical characteristics of Timahdite meat quality.