ORIGINAL RESEARCH

published: 19 March 2021

doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.647192

A Comparative Study of Sheep

Breeds: Fattening Performance,
Carcass Characteristics, Meat
Chemical Composition and Quality
Attributes
G. M. Suliman 1,2*, A. N. Al-Owaimer 1 , A. M. El-Waziry 3 , E. O. S. Hussein 1 , K. Abuelfatah 2
and A. A. Swelum 1,4*
1
Department of Animal Production, College of Food and Agriculture Sciences, King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia,
2
Department of Meat Production, Faculty of Animal Production, University of Khartoum, Khartoum North, Sudan,
3
Department of Animal Production and Fishery, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Alexandria, Alexandria, Egypt,
4
Department of Theriogenology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, Zagazig University, Zagazig, Egypt
Edited by:
Rui Su,
Inner Mongolia Agricultural Fattening performance, Carcass characteristics, chemical composition, and meat quality
University, China were evaluated in three sheep breeds: Awassi, Harri, and Najdi. Forty-five lambs of similar
Reviewed by: weight and age were raised for 90 days under similar conditions. The Harri and Najdi
Begoña Panea,
Aragon Agrifood Research and breeds had higher dressing-out percentages than Awassi sheep. The Awassi and Harri
Technology Center (CITA), Spain breeds had thicker backfat than the Najdi breed. No significant difference was found in
Bülent Ekiz,
moisture, protein, and intramuscular fat among the breeds. However, the Harri breed
Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, Turkey
Ana Kaić, had a higher ash content than the Awassi and Najdi breeds. The Najdi breed had higher
University of Zagreb, Croatia ultimate pH and lower cooking loss than the Awassi and Harri breeds. Awassi and Harri
*Correspondence: sheep had a higher myofibril fragmentation index, longer sarcomere length, and lower
G. M. Suliman
[email protected] hardness and chewiness than Najdi sheep. Subjectively, no significant differences were
A. A. Swelum detected between the breeds, except for flavor intensity while the Awassi sheep were
[email protected]
rated in between and not significantly different. In conclusion, breed affected carcass
Specialty section:
characteristics, meat composition, and the quality of sheep. The dressing yield was
This article was submitted to higher in Harri and Najdi than Awassi sheep. Awassi sheep showed superior meat quality
Livestock Genomics,
characteristics followed by Harri sheep. However, Najdi sheep had the best cooking loss
a section of the journal
Frontiers in Veterinary Science percentage and flavor intensity score.
Received: 29 December 2020 Keywords: sheep, breed, carcass, meat quality, muscle
Accepted: 09 February 2021
Published: 19 March 2021
Citation: INTRODUCTION
Suliman GM, Al-Owaimer AN,
El-Waziry AM, Hussein EOS, The primary livestock species producing red meat in Saudi Arabia are sheep, goats, cattle, and
Abuelfatah K and Swelum AA (2021) camels. Their total population is estimated to be 13,444,435 heads (1), distributed as follows:
A Comparative Study of Sheep
9,055,438, 3,563,017, 354,276, and 471,704 heads, respectively. Therefore, sheep represent the
Breeds: Fattening Performance,
Carcass Characteristics, Meat
majority (72%) of the livestock population, although the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia imports large
Chemical Composition and Quality numbers of sheep to satisfy its needs. Notably, sheep meat tops the preferred meat list of Saudi
Attributes. Front. Vet. Sci. 8:647192. citizens followed by camel meat. Saudi Arabia don’t produce sheep meat enough, a part is imported
doi: 10.3389/fvets.2021.647192 and Australia is the main source of this importation. The Business Monitor International (BMI) (2)

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Suliman et al. A Comparative Study of Sheep Breeds Meat

reported that there was an expanding market for Australian red experiment was conducted following the guidelines outlined by
meat exports to Saud Arabia in the first 5 months of 2013, the Ethical Committee (Ethics Reference No. KSU-SE-20-17).
with estimated shipments up 171% annually. In this context,
mutton exports have grown to a total of 7,584 tones, projecting Fattening Performance
an increase of 65% for the same period. The only way to Live weight was recorded at the start and end of the experimental
shorten the distance between production and consumption, period (90 days). Feed intake was determined daily as the
aiming at lowering the importation rates of sheep meat is to difference between the amounts of feed offered and refusals.
prize our assets, following the economic principle. The first Average daily intake (ADI), average daily gain (ADG), and feed
step to follow is evaluating sheep breeds for their performance, conversion ratio (FCR) were calculated.
productivity, the differences between them, the points of strength
and weakness, and the quality of their products. Then, based Animal Slaughtering, Carcass Evaluation,
on the outcomes, strategic plans and short- and long-term and Muscle Sampling
visions can be developed. It is hypothesized that the carcass At the end of fattening period (90 days), eight animals were
characteristics, meat chemical composition and quality attributes randomly selected from each breed and slaughtered following the
can be varied depend on sheep breed. Moreover, the information approved Halal meat protocol directed by the legislation of Islam.
available about meat quality characteristics of Awassi, Harri, and Carcass and non-carcass components were weighed immediately
Najdi sheep is scant, though these are the main sheep breeds after slaughter, and the weight of the digestive contents was
in Saudi Arabia being adaptive to local environment, resistant computed as the difference between the full and empty digestive
to indigenous parasites and diseases, have good meat producing tract. The empty body weight (EBW) was computed as the
ability and much preferred by the natives compared to the other difference between the slaughter weight and weight of digested
sheep breeds. Surprisingly enough, there is no study (up-to-date) content. All carcasses were chilled (at 4◦ C) for 24 h. Then, the
comparing theses three sheep breeds under search regarding their cold weight was taken, and the carcasses were split into two
fattening performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality; halves from the pelvis to the neck along the vertebral column.
while, some of them gained higher standing among consumers The left side of the chilled carcass was cut between the 12th
and in markets than the others without any solid base and facts. and 13th ribs to determine the extent of the rib-eye area and
Hence, the necessity arises to compare between these breeds to thickness of the back and body wall fats. The Longissimus thoracis
explore their exact capabilities and particularities. Therefore, this (LT) muscles from the 9th to 12th thoracic vertebrae of both
study was conducted to evaluate carcass characteristics, meat sides were removed for analyses. In brief, reading of pH and
chemical composition and, quality attributes of Awassi, Harri, color components were performed on the steak. Drip loss and
and Najdi sheep breeds. water-holding capacity tests needed meat samples of around 20
and 2 g, respectively. The cooking loss test needed a steak of
MATERIALS AND METHODS approximately 2.5 cm (around 300 g). Texture profile analysis
needed a sample similar to that of CL test (300 g). The shearing
Animals, Housing, Feed, and Feeding force was performed using the same sample of CL determination
The experiment was conducted at the farm of the Department of after being cooked. Sarcomere length and MFI tests required 10
Animal Production, College of Food and Agricultural Sciences, and 4 g, respectively. Meat chemical composition and taste panel
King Saud University, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia (24.8051◦ N, tests needed meat samples of around 100 and 200 g, respectively.
46.5203◦ E). Three indigenous Saudi sheep breeds, Awassi
(locally known as Ne’aimi), Harri, and Najdi, were used in this Meat Chemical Composition
comparative study. A total of 45 intact lamb males (15 animals The LT muscle was used to estimate the moisture, crude protein,
of each breed), with an age ranged from 84 to 95 days old and crude fat, and ash based on the protocol outlined by GASTAT (1).
weight ranged from 23.40 to 25.87 kg, were included in this
trial. The lambs were ear-tagged, treated against internal and Meat Quality Analysis
external parasites, and housed in partially shaded pens supplied pH and Color Measurements
with individual feeding and watering facilities and subjected to The ultimate pH (pHu) of each carcass was measured at 24 h
a feeding period of 90 days after an adaptation period of 14 postmortem using a portable pH meter (Model pH 211, Hanna
days. All the lambs were kept under the same conditions and Instruments, Woonsocket, Rhode Island, USA) consistently on
fed the same diet, which was formulated to meet the nutrient the left Longissimus muscle caudal to the 12th rib. LT samples
requirements of lambs (3) and was offered ad libitum. The were analyzed for color characteristics: lightness (L∗ ), redness
animals were fed iso-nitrogenous and iso-caloric commercial or red–green scale (a∗ ), and yellowness or yellow–blue scale
pelleted feed. The feed ingredients included alfalfa hay, maize, (b∗ ). The color measurements were assessed using a colorimeter
barely, soybean meal, minerals + trace elements supplements and (Konica Minolta, CR-400-Japan; Measuring aperture: 8 mm;
vitamins. The feed chemical composition was 13.75, 8.16, 2.11, Illuminant: CIE D65; Observer angle: CIE 2◦ Standard Observer).
8.6, and 67.38% for crude protein (CP), crude fiber (CF), ether Before measuring, a blooming time of 30 min was applied. Three
extract (EE), ash and nitrogen free extract (NFE), respectively. readings were taken on the muscle surface, and a mean value
Metabolizable energy (ME) of feed was 2.7 Mcal/kg. Drinking was processed. Values of a∗ and b∗ were used to calculate color
water and salt licks were made available around the clock. The saturation (chroma), hue angle (H◦ ) and b∗ to a∗ ratio based on

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Suliman et al. A Comparative Study of Sheep Breeds Meat

the following equations: chroma (C∗ ) = (a∗2 + b∗2 )1/2 and hue of the muscle fibers. The SF was obtained as the maximum
angle (H◦ ) = tan−1 (b∗ /a∗ ) described by Mancini and Hunt (4) force (N/cm2 ) perpendicular to the fibers using a TA.HD
and Olfaz et al. (5). texture analyzer (Stable Micro Systems, Surrey, UK) outfitted
with a Warner–Bratzler attachment. The texture profile analysis
Cooking Loss (TPA) was conducted using the texture analyzer (TA.HD,
Cooking loss (CL) was calculated following the procedures Stable Micro Systems, Surrey, UK) fitted with a compression-
described by Al-Owaimer et al. (6). The samples were placed in plate attachment. Each sample underwent two cycles of 80%
an electric commercial stainless-steel grilling oven and cooked compression. The components determined were hardness,
at 200◦ C to an internal temperature of 70◦ C. After cooking, the cohesiveness, springiness, and chewiness.
steaks were cooled down to room temperature (20◦ C), surface
dried with filter paper, reweighed, and the CL was expressed as Sensory Evaluation
the percentage weight change. The test was performed using a 2.5-cm-thick meat steak (about
400 g). The meat samples were prepared and cooked under
Water-Holding Capacity precise and uniform conditions, and then presented to panel
The water-holding capacity (WHC) was determined following members in specialized testing room. The taste panel room
the methodology described by Wilhelm et al. (7). A meat sample equipped with individual booths and prepared to meet all the
of approximately 2 g was analyzed in duplicate. Initially, the specifications required to perform accurate and reliable sensory
sample was placed between two filter papers and then left under a evaluation test as room temperature and ventilation, booth
10 kg weight for 5 min. Finally, the WHC was determined as the dimensions, red color light to mask color differences between
difference between the initial and final weight of the sample and meat samples, and other requirements. The room was connected
expressed as a ratio relative to the original weight. to a small kitchen for sample preparation and handling. The
kitchen was equipped with electrical grilling oven, warming
Drip Loss food cabinets, refrigerator, and general kitchen supplies. The
To evaluate drip loss (DL), a meat sample of around 20 g was meat sample was placed in an electric commercial stainless-steel
taken and placed in sealed polyethylene plastic bag, thereafter grilling oven and cooked at 200◦ C to an internal temperature
stored in a chiller at (4◦ C) for 24 h. Then, the sample was removed of 70◦ C. The internal temperature of the sample was monitored
from the bag, gently wiped, and reweighed. The DL was expressed by inserting a thermocouple probe (Ecoscan Temp JKT, Eutech
as a percentage of the weight change. Instruments, Pte Ltd., Keppel Bay, HarbourFront, Singapore)
into the center of each steak. The category scaling method was
Myofibril Fragmentation Index
used to categorize the meat samples on an 8-point category
The myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) of the LT samples
scale following Suliman et al. (11, 12). A panel of eight trained
from the three breeds was calculated following Culler et al.
panelists assessed the cooked meat samples for flavor, tenderness
(8). In brief, 4 g of the muscle sample was minced using
and juiciness. The panel members were chosen for their ability
scissors. Then, it was homogenized in a mixer with 40 ml
to distinguish meat attributes under consideration and trained in
of cold (2◦ C) MFI buffer. Thereafter, several washes were
how to score different characteristics. Each panelist was asked to
performed, and then, the absorbance of the resultant 0.5 mg/ml
score four samples per treatment at each session. Two sessions
solution was read at 540 nm using a spectrophotometer (HACH
were held to complete the test. The samples were about 2 cm in
DR/3000 Spectrophotometer, USA). The MFI of each sample was
size (∼50 g) that presented in a disposable plastic container. The
calculated by multiplying the absorbance at 540 nm by 200.
panelists were requested to avoid food and smoking 2 h before
Sarcomere Length (SL) meat tasting. Water and crackers were available to remove any
The sarcomere length (SL) was performed following the method residual flavor of the previous samples.
described by Cross et al. (9). Briefly, three longitudinal muscle
samples (3 cm × 3 cm × 2 cm) were removed and stored in Statistical Analysis
5% glutaradehyde solution for 4 h at 4◦ C. The SL was then Differences in the means of the different treatment groups were
determined by laser diffraction. tested using analysis of variance in SPSS R
software program
version 21 (SPSS, Chicago, IL), while separation of the means
Shear Force and Texture Profile Analysis was performed using Duncan’s Multiple Range Test. Data were
A 2.5-cm-thick muscle sample (approximately 300 g) was taken expressed as the mean ± standard error of the mean (SEM).
to perform the test. The sample was placed in an electric
commercial stainless-steel grilling oven and cooked at 200◦ C RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
to an internal temperature of 70◦ C. The internal temperature
was adjusted by inserting a thermocouple probe (Ecoscan Temp Fattening Performance
JKT, Eutech Instruments, Pte Ltd., Keppel Bay, HarbourFront, All the experimental animals started the growth period that
Singapore) into the center of each steak. The shear force (SF) extended for 90 days with an initial live weight (ILW) of
of the LT was assessed following Wheeler et al. (10). Three approximately 24.56 kg. The ILW did not differ significantly
round cores (1.27 cm in diameter) were removed from each between the treatment animals. On the other hand, the final
cooked muscle sample parallel to the longitudinal orientation live weight (FLW) differed between the treatment groups where

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Suliman et al. A Comparative Study of Sheep Breeds Meat

Awassi breed attained the highest (P < 0.05) FLW followed and it was affected by different factors (13). In this study, the
by Najdi then Harri. Average daily intake (ADI), average daily SBW-based and EBW-based DP were in the range of 47.6–50.8
gain (ADG) and feed conversion ratio (FCR) were significantly and 51.75–54.96, respectively. These results are similar to those
different between the sheep breeds. The Awassi sheep breed previously reported (2, 3, 6, 14). The Harri and Najdi breeds had
reported the highest (P < 0.05) ADI followed by Najdi > Harri, significantly (P < 0.05) higher DP (SBW) and DP (EBW) than
and the best (P < 0.05) ADG and FCR compared to the other Awassi sheep. No significant difference was detected in the gut fill
two sheep breeds (Table 1). The superior FLW of Awassi sheep of the different sheep breeds (Table 3). Therefore, the differences
is attributed to the eminent ADG and FCR over Najdi and in DP can be attributed to the effect of the breed; besides effects
Harri breeds. The Harri breed showed a growth performance that of carcass weight, non-carcass components and internal body fat.
located intermediate between the other two breeds. Several studies have indicated that breed is one of the primary
factors affecting DP (2, 3, 6–8, 14, 15). While Peña et al. (16)
Slaughter Weights and Carcass indicated that carcass weight had a significant influence on DP
Characteristics and other carcass quality traits.
At the end of experimental period (90 days), the slaughter weight There were no significant differences in chiller shrinkage (CS),
and carcass characteristics of three sheep breeds at there shown rib-eye area, and body wall fat among the different sheep breeds.
in Table 2. The slaughter body weight (SBW), EBW, and hot The Awassi and Harri breeds exhibited significantly (P < 0.05)
carcass weight (HCW) were significantly (P < 0.05) greater in thicker back fat than the Najdi breed. CS or evaporative weight
Awassi and Najdi breeds than the Harri breed. The Najdi breed losses have previously been reported to account for 2% of the
had a higher cold carcass weight (CCW) than the Harri sheep HCW during the initial 24 h of chilling beef, pork, and lamb (17).
(P < 0.05). The dressing-out percentage (DP) based on SBW Body fat cover is the primary variable linked with CS (18). In this
or EBW is one of the primary variables used to evaluate carcass study, the CS was higher than that reported by Greer and Jones
characteristics, and it has considerable economic importance. In (17). This could be due to low body wall fat in sheep breeds,
small ruminants, the DP based on SBW ranged from 36 to 60%, which ranged from 3.53 to 4.35 mm. Generally, tropical sheep

TABLE 1 | Fattening performance of the three sheep breeds fed the experimental diet (n = 15/group).

Item Breed Limits SEM

Awassi Harri Najdi Minimum Maximum

Initial live weight, kg 24.31 24.70 24.68 23.40 25.87 0.23

Final live weight, kg 50.52a 44.51b 48.54a 42.00 53.70 0.86
ADI kg/day 1.69a 1.41b 1.64a 1.35 1.87 16.12
a b
ADG kg/day 0.31 0.24 0.28a 0.20 0.34 10.11
FCR 5.49b 6.91a 5.95b 5.16 6.81 0.20

ADI, Average daily intake; ADG, Average daily gain; FCR, Feed conversion ratio.
a,b Means within rows not sharing the same letter (s) differ significantly (p < 0.05).

TABLE 2 | Slaughter weight and Carcass characteristics of three sheep breeds (n = 8/group).

Component Breed Limits SEM

Awassi Harri Najdi Minimum Maximum

SBW (kg) 50.53a 45.19b 49.54a 43.05 57.20 0.74

a b
EBW (kg) 46.48 41.70 45.46a 39.50 51.50 0.64
HCW (kg) 24.04a 22.93b 24.69a 21.15 27.94 0.30
CCW (kg) 23.35a,b 22.39b 24.06a 20.67 27.10 0.29
DP (SBW) 47.60b 50.80a 49.50a 45.30 53.00 0.47
DP (EBW) 51.75b 54.96a 54.38a 49.40 57.40 0.51
CS% 2.90a 2.39b 2.53a,b 1.89 3.49 0.09
Rib-eye area (cm2 ) 7.77 8.94 8.67 6.07 11.90 0.30
Back fat (mm) 2.58a 1.99a 1.29b 0.88 3.94 0.16
Body wall fat (mm) 3.99 3.53 4.35 2.01 6.40 0.22

a,b Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (p < 0.05).

SBW, slaughter body weight; EBW, empty body weight; DP (EBW), dressing percentage per empty body weight; DP (SBW), dressing percentage per full body weight; HCW, hot carcass
weight; CCW, cold carcass weight; CS, chiller shrinkage.

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Suliman et al. A Comparative Study of Sheep Breeds Meat

TABLE 3 | Non-carcass components and fat content of the three sheep breeds (n = 8/group).

*Component% Breed Limits SEM

Awassi Harri Najdi Minimum Maximum

Head 7.57 6.94 7.58 6.15 8.56 0.15

Heart 0.69 0.60 0.68 0.54 0.90 0.02
Lungs and trachea 2.30a 1.81b 2.18a 1.52 3.16 0.08
Liver 3.21 2.95 3.09 2.24 3.69 0.07
Spleen 0.29 0.27 0.29 0.20 0.38 0.01
Kidneys 0.51a 0.44b 0.48a,b 0.37 0.57 0.01
Tail 11.59 13.78 12.64 6.58 21.23 0.71
Stomach empty 7.97 7.05 7.18 5.59 8.90 0.22
Intestine empty 6.27a 4.43c 5.43b 3.53 7.84 0.21
Gut fill 16.85 15.16 16.48 10.90 21.80 0.66
Pericardial fat 0.45 0.49 0.48 0.32 0.56 0.02
Omental fat 3.06 3.42 2.90 1.41 5.13 0.20
Mesenteric fat 2.09 1.66 1.62 0.90 3.78 0.14
KKCF 2.37 3.06 1.86 0.19 6.61 0.14

*Components were computed as a percentage of hot carcass weight.

a,b,c Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (p < 0.05).

KKCF, kidney knob and channel fat.

breeds tend to deposit less subcutaneous fat than temperate sheep three sheep breeds had almost similar protein content, suggesting
breeds (19). that breed has no effect on the protein content of sheep meat.
The intramuscular fat content of sheep meat commonly
Non-carcass Components and Fat Content ranges between 1.5 and 9.5% (31), depending on many factors.
There were no significant differences between breeds for the However, meat with a moderate quantity of intramuscular fat
head, heart, liver, spleen, tail, stomach (empty), and internal is preferred by the consumer (32). In the current study, the
fat deposits (kidney knob and channel fat [KKCF], pericardial, three sheep breeds had intramuscular fat ranging between 3.84
omental, and mesenteric) (Table 2). The Awassi and Najdi breeds and 4.74%, which is considered a moderate preferred quantity
had heavier lungs and trachea than the Harri breed. The kidneys of intramuscular fat (33). This result is inconsistent with the
were heavier (P < 0.05) in the Awassi than Harri breed. The findings of (21, 34), who reported a higher intramuscular fat of
weight of the empty intestine varied significantly between sheep Najdi than Awassi.
breeds: the Awassi breed had the heavier intestine, followed by
the Najdi breed. Meat Quality Characteristics
Table 4 shows the meat quality characteristics of the three sheep
Meat Chemical Composition breeds. The pHu values of the three sheep breeds ranged from
The chemical compositions of the meat of the three sheep breeds 5.80 to 5.89. Generally, the pHu of the sheep meat declines from
are provided in Table 4. The moisture and protein contents of seven upon slaughter to reach approximately 5.3–5.8 at 24 h
the meat ranged from 73.34 to 74.40% and 20.62 to 20.86%, (35). In this study, there were significant differences between the
respectively, with no significant differences between the three breeds. The Najdi breed had a higher pHu than the Awassi (5.82)
sheep breeds. The Awassi breed had the highest percentage of and Harri (5.80) breeds. Variation in pHu in different breeds was
intramuscular fat (4.74%) followed by the Najdi breed (3.95%), also reported by El Hassan et al. (22) and Hopkins and Fogarty
and lastly, the Harri breed (3.84%). However, the difference was (36), and this may be attributed to differences in glycogen levels
not significant. The ash content was significantly higher in the in muscles and pre-slaughter stress (37).
Harri breed (1.11%) than the Awassi and Najdi breeds, which had The CL for the three sheep breeds ranged from 28.9 to 34.5%.
similar ash content (1.07%). In general, the chemical composition Generally, the sheep meat had CL values ranging from 14 to
of meat is affected by numerous factors, including diet, carcass 41% (13). The meat from Najdi sheep had a significantly lower
weight, and breed (10, 11, 13, 15, 17–27). The moisture content of CL (28.9%) than that of Harri (33.47%) and Awassi (34.54%)
the three sheep breeds was in the range reported by Abdullah and sheep. The effect of breed on the CL of sheep meat has also
Qudsieh (28) for Awassi sheep. Our findings for protein content been reported by Mateo et al. (23) and Kuchtík et al. (29) and
were in the range reported by Corazzin et al. (13) for sheep meat. is probably because of the different pHu. In a living animal the
In terms of the effect of sheep breed on protein content (29) did muscle pH is approximately 7.2. After animal death, glycogen is
not find any effect of breed on meat protein. However, Rodrigues broken down to lactic acid when muscle turns into meat. The
et al. (20) and Bjelanović et al. (30) found that breed has a ultimate pHu of meat, at 24 h post-mortem, can range from 5.2
significant effect on protein content. In the current study, the to 5.8. Both the rate and extent of post-mortem pH fall will

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Suliman et al. A Comparative Study of Sheep Breeds Meat

TABLE 4 | Meat chemical composition of the three sheep breeds (n = 8/group).

Composition % Breed Limits SEM

Awassi Harri Najdi Minimum Maximum

Moisture 73.34 74.40 74.37 70.73 75.85 0.28

Protein 20.86 20.64 20.62 19.48 21.97 0.12
Fat 4.74 3.84 3.95 1.28 8.29 0.35
Ash 1.07b 1.11a 1.07b 1.00 1.16 0.01

a,b Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (p < 0.05).

influence meat quality characteristics. A low ultimate pHu results breed had the longest SL, and the Najdi breed had the shortest,
in meat proteins having decreased water-holding capacity, while while the Harri breed fell in between them. Sarcomere is the
a higher ultimate pHu will give less cooking loss. In this study, the smallest contractile unit of a muscle fiber and serves as the basic
Najdi breed had the highest pHu and the lowest CL percentage. force-producing machinery of striated muscles. The sarcomere
The WHC and drip loss of the three sheep breeds were in the length (SL) have only indirect effects on meat quality while an
range of 1.23–1.41 and 4.33–3.73, respectively, with no significant animal is living, but soon postmortem there will be pertinent
differences between breeds. impacts (46). The postmortal sarcomere length has marked
The color of meat is the most important quality attribute. The effects on textural properties of raw and cooked meat, and on
decision to purchase meat is affected more by the appearance water-holding especially in raw meat as well as indirect effects
of the meat than any other aspect of quality (4). There were on color and taste. This could explain the intermediate position
no significant differences in the ultimate color characteristics of of Harri breed between Awassi and Najdi breeds with respect
lightness (L∗ ), redness (a∗ ), and yellowness (b∗ ) among the three to most investigated carcass and meat quality parameters in this
sheep breeds. The values of a∗ were in the range of 16.22 to 16.62, study. The SL values observed in this study are similar to those
and the values of b∗ were in the range of 4.91–5.76. These values reported by Gaili (19) and Devine et al. (47).
were higher than those reported in the Omani sheep breed by The SF, which was defined as the maximum load needed to
Burke et al. (24) and Al-Khalasi and Mahgoub (38) and lower cut the meat perpendicular to fibers, is inversely associated with
than the reported by Esenbuga et al. (39). The variation may tenderness. Red meat is classified as tender until a SF of 34.72
be due to age and/or diet differences. The values of L∗ and a∗ N/cm2 , intermediate from 40.01 to 52.96 N/cm2 , and tough if
color components reported in this study are looked acceptable the SF exceeds 57.86 N/cm2 (48, 49). In this study, the three
as consumers consider fresh sheep meat with a∗ and L∗ values sheep breeds had SF mean values ranging from 28.34 to 32.17
equal to or exceeding 9.5 and 34, respectively, as acceptable (40). N/cm2 . According to the above classification, the meat of three
Consumers consider fresh sheep meat with a∗ and L∗ values equal breeds is considered as tender meat. The Awassi breed had a
to or exceeding 9.5 and 34, respectively, as acceptable (40). The particular quality with the highest MFI and SL values and lowest
sheep breeds under investigation did not show any significant SF value. The three sheep breeds differed significantly (P <
differences between them regarding chroma, b∗ /a∗ ratio or 0.05) in hardness and chewiness, but not in springiness and
hue angle. Awassi breed revealed the highest values of these cohesiveness. Again, the Awassi breed showed the lowest value
components comparing to the other two breeds followed by Harri of hardness and chewiness followed by the Harri breed. The
then Najdi. Once again, Harri located in-between the two breeds three sheep breeds differed significantly (P < 0.05) in hardness
with an average color components’ value. This may be attributed and chewiness, but not in springiness and cohesiveness. Again,
to the common ancestry of the three breeds. In a study (41) the Awassi breed showed the lowest value of hardness and
reported that Harri and Najdi breeds were categorized within the chewiness followed by the Harri breed. Nevertheless, it reported
same gene pool based on a structure analysis. Moreover, a second the highest (P > 0.05) shear force indicating less tender meat
study that evaluated the genetic diversity of these three breeds compared to the other two breeds. Hardness is the force needed
using microsatellite markers, concluded there was low population to achieve a given deformation. It represents the hardness of
differentiation among the three sheep populations (42). the sample at first bite. While shear force is the force necessary
Tenderness is the most important eating quality characteristic, to shear a piece of meat (50). Once again, Harri breed located
and it determines consumer acceptability (43). Meat tenderness intermediate between Awassi and Najdi breeds when texture
depends on many intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Many studies profile parameters were considered.
have reported a positive correlation between meat tenderness
and MFI (15, 17, 18, 44) and sarcomere length (45). Therefore,
MFI and SL were investigated. As shown in Table 5, the different Sensory Evaluation
sheep breeds exhibited different MFI values, which ranged from Sensory evaluation scores of the three sheep breeds are provided
110.87 to 77.56. Awassi and Harri sheep had significantly higher in Table 6. The sheep breeds only differed significantly (P < 0.05)
MFI than Najdi sheep. The SL ranged from 1.63 to 1.85 µm in flavor intensity, and the Najdi breed gained the highest score
with significant differences between the sheep breeds. The Awassi followed by the Awassi breed.

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Suliman et al. A Comparative Study of Sheep Breeds Meat

TABLE 5 | Meat quality characteristics, myofibril fragmentation index (MFI) and texture profile analysis (TPA) of the three sheep breeds (n = 8/group).

Characteristic Breed Limits SEM

Awassi Harri Najdi Minimum Maximum

pHu 5.82b 5.80b 5.89a 5.60 5.90 0.02

a a
Cooking loss% 34.54 33.47 28.96b 22.12 41.81 0.86
WHC 1.23 1.38 1.41 0.23 1.53 0.05
Drip loss% 4.33 3.73 3.88 2.60 6.60 0.23
Ultimate color values
L* 34.63 33.50 35.39 31.05 40.75 0.54
a* 16.62 16.49 16.22 14.24 18.98 1.40
b* 5.76 5.17 4.91 3.92 7.29 0.18
Chroma (C*) 17.60 17.29 16.97 14.87 20.08 0.30
b*/a* Ratio 0.35 0.31 0.30 0.22 0.40 0.01
◦
Hue Angle (H ) 19.14 17.42 16.79 12.63 22.03 0.50
MFI 110.87a 104.0a 77.56b 45.70 153.55 6.27
SL (µm) 1.85b 1.79a 1.63b 1.26 2.10 0.04
*TPA
Shear force (N/cm2 ) 32.17 29.03 28.34 18.54 38.93 0.13
2 b a a
Hardness (N/cm ) 3.83 6.47 6.67 3.04 13.04 0.06
Springiness 0.58 0.60 0.61 0.49 0.70 0.01
Cohesiveness 0.53 0.50 0.53 0.41 0.59 0.01
Chewiness 0.13b 0.21a,b 0.23a 0.13 0.43 0.02

a,b Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (p < 0.05).

*TPA, texture profile analysis.

TABLE 6 | Sensory evaluation of the meat of three sheep breeds (n = 8/group).

Attribute* Breed Limits SEM

Awassi Harri Najdi Minimum Maximum

Juiciness 5.23 4.88 5.36 4.00 6.40 0.13

Tenderness 5.58 5.46 5.85 4.50 6.80 0.13
Flavor intensity 5.53a,b 5.19b 5.89a 4.60 6.90 0.11

a,b Means within rows with different superscripts are significantly different (p < 0.05).

*Sensory evaluation was performed using an eight-point hedonic scale (1 = the least; 8 = the best).

CONCLUSIONS DATA AVAILABILITY STATEMENT

This study revealed that there were prominent differences The raw data supporting the conclusions of this article will be
between the sheep breeds under investigation. Awassi, Harri made available by the authors, without undue reservation.
and Najdi sheep showed noticeable variations regarding carcass
characteristics, meat composition and quality. Awassi breed ETHICS STATEMENT
reflected better meat quality attributes than the other two breeds,
The animal study was reviewed and approved by the
nevertheless, Harri appeared to have the best dressing yield. In
King Saud University Ethical Committee (Ethics Reference
addition, Harri has the less non-carcass components besides an
No: KSU-SE-20-17).
intermediate body fat content that suits today’s healthy eating
behavior. It is a fact that Awassi breed has a good reputation AUTHOR CONTRIBUTIONS
among Saud citizens and being the favorable source of meat for a
long time, but it is the time for Harri breed to gain his place. In GS and AE-W: conceptualization. AA-O and GS: methodology.
conclusion, we recommend a future breeding program ending in EH and KA: software. AS and EH: investigation. KA and AE-W:
a new cross-sheep breed that have the best of Awassi and Harri. data curation. GS and AS: writing—original draft preparation,

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Suliman et al. A Comparative Study of Sheep Breeds Meat

review and editing. AA-O: visualization. All authors have read ACKNOWLEDGMENTS
and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
The authors extend their appreciation to the Deputyship
FUNDING for Research & Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi
Arabia for funding this research work through the project
This research was funded by the Deputyship for Research & number IFKSUHI-43. Thanks are also extended to the Deanship
Innovation, Ministry of Education in Saudi Arabia through the of Scientific Research and RSSU at King Saud University for their
project number IFKSUHI-43. technical support.

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