This study investigated the effects of probiotics on growth performance, meat quality, muscle fiber characteristics, volatile compounds, and antioxidant capacity in lambs. A total of 24 Sunit lambs were randomly allocated into two groups, each consisting of three replicates of four lambs. Throughout the experiment period, the lambs were fed with based diet (CON) and 10 g probiotics/d supplemented diet (PRO). Compared with the CON group, the number of lactic acid bacteria in fecal samples of PRO group was significantly increased (p < .05) and the coliforms were significantly decreased (p < .05). Dietary probiotics supplementation decreased pH_24h, L*, and shear force (p < .05). The muscle fibers were switched from type IIB to type I, with a decrease in the mean cross‐sectional area (CSA) (p < .05) of longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle. Also, probiotics altered the composition of meat volatile flavor compounds, such as nonanal, undecanal, 1‐pentanol, 1‐hexanol, and 2,3‐octanedione. In addition, probiotics increased the total antioxidative capacity (T‐AOC) and catalase (CAT) activity of LT muscle, while it decreased superoxide dismutase (SOD) activity (p < .05). Overall, these results indicated that probiotics could be used as an effective feed additive by improving meat tenderness and flavor.

The effects of different feeding regimes on antioxidant activity, meat quality, fatty acid composition, lipid oxidation, and volatile matter production in the longissimus thoracis (LT) of Sunit sheep at 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h postmortem were investigated. The results showed that the activity of antioxidant enzymes, tenderness, water retention, and percentage of unsaturated fatty acids were significantly higher in the pasture-fed sheep (PF) than in the concentrate-fed sheep (CF) (p < 0.05). During postmortem aging, antioxidant activity, water retention, and the proportion of unsaturated fatty acids decreased in the PF and CF (p < 0.05), while malondialdehyde (MDA) content, the proportion of saturated fatty acids, and the content of flavor substances resulting from fat oxidation increased. After 24 h of LT muscle aging, the pH and shear force of the meat started to increase and the color stabilized. The differences between shear force values and lipid volatile flavor substance content of sheep meat under different feeding regimes disappeared with increasing aging time. PF had better oxidative stability and fatty acid composition. Postmortem aging changed the oxidative stability of sheep meat, thus affecting meat quality and fatty acid composition and consequently meat flavor composition, while aging also eliminated to some extent the differences caused by feeding regimes.

To isolate a novel peptide with calcium-binding capacity, sheep bone protein was hydrolyzed sequentially using a dual-enzyme system (alcalase treatment following neutrase treatment) and investigated for its characteristics, separation, purification, and structure. The sheep bone protein hydrolysate (SBPH) was enriched in key amino acids such as Gly, Arg, Pro, Leu, Lys, Glu, Val, and Asp. The fluorescence spectra, circular dichroism spectra, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy results showed that adding calcium ions decreased the α-helix and β-sheet content but significantly increased the random and β-turn content (p < 0.05). Carboxyl oxygen and amino nitrogen atoms of SBPH may participate in peptide–calcium binding. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive spectrometry results showed that SBPH had strong calcium-chelating ability and that the peptide–calcium complex (SBPH–Ca) combined with calcium to form a spherical cluster structure. SBPH was separated and purified gradually by ultrafiltration, gel filtration chromatography, and reversed-phase high-performance liquid chromatography. Liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization/mass spectrometry identified the amino acid sequences as GPSGLPGERG (925.46 Da) and GAPGKDGVRG (912.48 Da), with calcium-binding capacities of 89.76 ± 0.19% and 88.26 ± 0.25%, respectively. The results of this study provide a scientific basis for the preparation of a new type of calcium supplement and high-value utilization of sheep bone.

Astragalus membranaceus (AM) provides a rich source of polysaccharides that can act as powerful antioxidants, but their potential as feed ingredients in the lamb industry still rarely exploited. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of dietary astragalus membranaceus supplementation on oxidative stability of goat muscles. Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscles from two groups of Cashmere goat (basal diet, C group; basal diet supplemented with 1% astragalus membranaceus root, AM group) were evaluated for lipid oxidation, myoglobin oxidation, activity of antioxidant enzymes, and antioxidant capacity. The results showed that color parameters in Cashmere goat of two feeding conditions were no significant difference (p > .05). In AM group, myoglobin (Mb) content was higher than C, while metmyoglobin (MMb) (p < .05) and malondialdehyde (MDA) (p < .01) were lower. Additionally astragalus membranaceus supplementation had a significant effect on superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT) (p < .001). In whole, the AM group goats presented a relatively higher antioxidant capacity than C. Especially, RSA and CUPRAC values of AM group goats had significantly higher than C (p < .05). Consequently, the AM group goats ingested abundant astragalus membranaceus, which enhanced the antioxidant capacity. Thus, it can eliminate free radicals and effectively inhibit oxidation.

Food Science of Animal Resources (Food Sci. Anim. Resour.) is an international, peer-reviewed bimonthly journal publishing original research and reviews on basic and applied aspects of the use of animal resources including the meat, egg, dairy, and edible insect/worm products. Food Sci. Anim. Resour. is published and distributed by the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.