The effect of slaughter weight on some meat chemical component and fatty acid composition in anatolian buffaloes

The objective of this research was to determine the effects of light, medium and heavy carcass weight on nutritional content and fatty acid profiles in the Musculus semitendinosus muscle from male Anatolian buffalo carcasses, obtained from a private slaughterhouse in Tokat province. For this purpose, the carcasses were divided into three groups according to their weight; these groups were the light (108.57±4.95 kg), medium (153.27±7.08 kg) and heavy (183.37±6.40 kg). In this study, the intramuscular fat and the dry matter content were higher in the medium and heavy groups, the ash and moisture contents were determined as higher in the light groups. Monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and saturated fatty acid (SFA) contents were higher in medium and heavy groups than those of lighter ones. Unsaturated fatty acids (UFA), Poly Unsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), omega 6/omega 3 and PUFA/SFA ratios and omega 3, omega 6 contents were found higher in the light weight group than medium and high groups. The stearic (C18:0) and oleic acid (C18:1) content have been detected higher in medium and heavy groups; linoleic (C18:2), linolenic (C18:3), eicosenoic (C20:1), eicosadienoic (C20:2), eicosatrienoic (C20:3) arachidonic (C20:4) and behenic acid (C22:0) have been found higher in the light weight group. The effects of light, medium and heavy weight group on moisture, dry matter, ash, intramuscular fat contents were significant. In this research, miristic, steraic, oleic, linoleic, linolenic, konjuge linoleic, arachidonic, eicosenoic, eikosadienoic, eicosatrienoic, arachidonic (C20:4), omega 3, omega 6, behenic acid content and PUFA/SFA, omega 6/ omega 3 rations were affected by light, medium weight group. The overall results showed that heavier Anatolian buffaloes had better meat quality as evidenced by preferable PUFA/SFA, n-6/n-3, protein (21.29%) and intramuscular fat (3.77%). Further research should be conducted in this field. In conclusion, it can be suggested that Anatolian buffaloes should be slaughtered when they become in heavier live weight for better meat quantity and quality.