Sensory properties of Italian Istrian milk lamb meat
In: Livestock farming systemsSearch for other papers by R. Valusso in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by L.A. Volpell in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by M. Morgante in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Search for other papers by E. Piasentier in
Current site
Google Scholar
PubMed
Purchase instant access (PDF download and unlimited online access):
The Istrian Milk (Istriana or Carsolina) or Istrian Pramenka is an endangered sheep breed of the Pramenka group, spread over the Adriatic Karst region of three bordering countries: Italy, Slovenia and Croatia. Its preservation is important in the context of the conservation of genetic variation and for the protection and restoration of dry grasslands and small wood patches, which for thousands of years have represented the classical landscape of North-Adriatic uplands, characterised by a high ecological value.
Transhumance, the traditional form of husbandry, has now been substituted by permanent and semi-permanent herds, thus allowing diet supplementation with some forage and concentrates. The typical products are milk for cheese-making and lamb meat provided by young animals starting from 5-6 weeks of age, weighing 12 to 25 kg.
In order to provide objective information on the quality of Istrian lamb meat, three different groups of ten animals each were compared, differing as to rearing practice and feeding intensity (milk, milk and forages, milk and concentrates). A taste panel was conducted on samples of l. dorsi cooked in a oven at 120°C for 20 min, in order to determine the sensory profile of lamb meat. In five replicas, eight trained assessors evaluated three samples per session for 14 attributes, using linear scorecards. Multivariate analysis pointed out a good discrimination in the three theses by the taste panel, mainly due to texture parameters.