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Article

Effects of Zn-Organic Supplementation on Growth, Body Composition, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality of Grazing Lambs Fed with Two Levels of Concentrate

by
Daniel Trujillo-Gutiérrez
1,
Ignacio Arturo Domínguez-Vara
2,*,
Daniel Márquez-Hernández
2,
Jessica Reyes-Juárez
2,
Ernesto Morales-Almaráz
2,
Juan Edrei Sánchez-Torres
2,
Gisela Velázquez-Garduño
3,
Juan Manuel Pinos-Rodríguez
4 and
Jacinto Efrén Ramírez-Bribiesca
5
1
Centro Nacional de Investigación Disciplinaria, Fisiología y Mejoramiento Animal, Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales, Agrícolas y Pecuarias, Colón C.P. 76280, Querétaro, Mexico
2
Departamento de Nutrición Animal, Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México, Campus Universitario “El Cerrillo”, Toluca C.P. 50090, Estado de México, Mexico
3
Unidad Académica Capulhuac, Universidad Tecnológica del Valle de Toluca, Toluca C.P. 52700, Estado de México, Mexico
4
Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia, Universidad Veracruzana, Veracruz C.P. 91710, Veracruz, Mexico
5
Programa de Ganadería, Colegio de Postgraduados, Campus Montecillo, Texcoco C.P. 56264, Estado de México, Mexico
*
Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Processes 2025, 13(3), 900; https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030900
Submission received: 22 January 2025 / Revised: 6 March 2025 / Accepted: 11 March 2025 / Published: 19 March 2025
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Production, Processing and Quality Assessment of Livestock Meat Products)
Versions Notes

Abstract

:
Supplemental zinc in fattening lambs improves their health, performance, and meat quality. However, the Zn effect on grazing animals combined with different levels of concentrate should be known unknown. The objective was to evaluate the Zn-organic effect in the diet of grazing lambs supplemented with two levels of concentrate on growth, dry matter (DM) intake, carcass traits, body composition, meat quality, and fatty acid profile in Longissimus dorsi muscle. Twenty-eight lambs were used in a factorial arrangement of two levels of concentrate (C) feed intake (C-0.75 and C-1.5% of live weight) and two Zn-Met levels (0 and 80 ppm Zn kg−1 DM) on the grazing of Lolium perenne L. Digestibility and dry matter intake, weight gain, and productive performance were measured. At the end of the fattening period (90 d), the lambs were slaughtered and the carcass traits, body composition, instrumental quality, and lipid profile of meat were evaluated. The effect of treatment (T), measurement period (P), and T × P interaction was observed (p < 0.05) for dry matter intake (DMI). For the final live weight (FLW) and daily weight gain (DWG), there was an effect (p < 0.05) of T and P, with Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment being greater. The live weight at slaughter (LWS) and leg length (LL) showed an effect (p < 0.05) of C × Zn. Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment was higher in the kidney fat, empty body weight, carcass fat, fat and retained energy but lower in protein content (p < 0.05). The physicochemical characteristics and fatty acid content of meat were not affected (p > 0.05). It can be concluded that the concentrated-organic zinc synergy in grazing lambs improved the performance, weight gain, and body composition, which resulted in heavier carcasses with greater amounts of fat, protein, and energy deposited. Furthermore, the physical and chemical meat traits were not affected, but the n-3 fatty acid content and n-3/n-6 ratio in Longissimus dorsi was affected by the Zn level supplemented.

1. Introduction

Zinc is a mineral with important effects on animal growth in a feedlot system. This microelement performs multiple functions in the animal (health, immunity, reproductive aspects, feed efficiency, etc.) [1]. The Zn addition to feedlot cattle diets improves the weight gain [2], fat deposition, and meat marbling degree [3]. The Zn-Met addition in feedlot diets for lambs increases the intramuscular fat in Longissimus dorsi (LD) and benefits muscle conformation and meat attributes (degree of marbling and color) [4] due to its effect on lipogenic pathways. At the cellular level, Zn acts as a regulator of myogenesis [5] and promotes adipocyte proliferation [6]. In addition, Guerrero-Bárcena et al. [7] showed that the Zn-Met inclusion in the lambs’ feedlot diet increased the relative mRNA expression of the genes of the enzyme acetyl-CoA carboxylase, hormone-sensitive lipase, monoglyceride lipase, and diglyceride acetyltransferase (related to intramuscular fat deposition). However, the effects of Zn inclusion in the diet of grazing lambs have not been exhaustively explored.
On the other hand, the meat from lambs finished on pasture is healthy [8] and has a higher perception of nutritional quality by consumers than that from lambs finished on a feedlot due to the increase in saturated fatty acids in the latter [9]. However, the grazing lambs show a low performance [10]. Coupled with this, grazing feeding produces dark meat with strong, unpleasant flavors and inconsistent carcass fattening [11]. Concentrate supplementation can satisfy the nutritional requirements of grazing lambs without changing the carcass quality attributes [12]. Likewise, supplementation with concentrate in grazing lambs increases lightness [13] and reduces the meat redness [14], which would benefit its quality according to commercial standards [15]. Likewise, the population’s consumption habits are oriented toward obtaining healthy, high-quality meat through sustainable management practices [16]. Therefore, the lamb’s performance and meat attributes could be improved with concentrate and zinc supplementation in a grazing system.
Pastures provide nutrients such as protein, carbohydrates, and lipids, which are necessary to produce lamb meat with quality attributes. In this regard, Lolium perenne L. contains (g kg−1 DM): an ethereal extract (43.7) [17], crude protein (184 ± 7.78), neutral detergent fiber (396 ± 24.56), acid detergent fiber (218.37 ± 6.11) [18] with in vitro dry matter degradability of 708.3 ± 53.96 [19], and a lipid profile (% fatty acids) of: C16:0 (15.5 ± 0.1), C16:1 (2.4 ± 0.1), C18:0 (1.6 ± 0.1), C18:1 (2.1 ± 0.2), C18:2 (11.8 ± 0.3), and C18:3 (65.3 ± 0.6) [20]. Additionally, rumen fermentation is a determining factor in fatty acid metabolism (c9t11-CLA, c9-18:1, t11-18:1, 18:3n-3, 18:2n-6, and 18:3n-3) [21] and can change the organoleptic characteristics [13] and nutritional value of meat [22]. Consequently, grazing feeding changes the lipid meat profile by increasing the content of n-3 fatty acids and reducing the n-6/n-3 ratio and atherogenic index [14]. Hence, it is postulated that the grazing system with concentrate and Zn supplementation allows quality meat to be obtained with healthy characteristics and responds to consumer demand. Therefore, the objective was to evaluate the effect of the inclusion of two organic zinc levels and two concentrate levels in the grazing lambs’ diets on growth, productive performance, lipid profile of intramuscular fat, carcass traits, body composition, and meat quality.

2. Materials and Methods

This research was carried out at the Facultad de Medicina Veterinaria y Zootecnia of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México (FMVZ-UAEMex). Lambs were housed in the Animal Production Experimental Area and were grazed on Lolium perenne L. grassland (2 ha). Experimental protocols were approved by the Ethics and Animal Welfare Committee of FMVZ-UAEMex through the research project with registration number 4824/2019CIB in the Secretariat of Research and Advanced Studies of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado México.

2.1. Grassland Performance and Chemical Composition of Lolium perenne L.

Grassland was evaluated during the summer, autumn, and winter of 2018 and winter of 2019 seasons; every 20 d, six exclusion cages (1 × 1 m) were used, and the net accumulation of forage (NAF, kg) and available dry matter were measured. Forage samples and the ingredients of the concentrate were analyzed for dry matter (DM) (method 934.1), organic matter (OM) (942.5), and crude protein (CP) [23]. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF), and acid detergent lignin (ADL) were determined with method 973.18 and the methods of Van Soest et al. [24] with ANKOM200 equipment (ANKOM Technology Corporation, Fairport, NY, USA). The fatty acid content of a composite grass sample (seven monthly samplings) was determined by gas chromatography according to the methodology described by Rodríguez-Maya et al. [4].

2.2. Productive Performance

Twenty-eight lambs (25.9 ± 1.11 kg), Pelibuey × Dorper cross, were used and assigned to four treatments with seven repetitions each under a completely randomized design with a factorial arrangement of treatments and two levels of concentrate (0.75 and 1.5% of the live weight, LW) × 2 levels of Zn-methionine (0 and 80 ppm Zn kg−1 DM) with Lolium perenne L. grazing. The estimated nutrient contribution of the diet (grazing + concentrated supplement) was 168 g CP kg−1 DM and 2.67 Mcal ME kg−1 DM; this diet meets the requirements of growing and finishing sheep used in the study (NRC, 2007). The concentrate composition (g kg−1 DM) was ground corn (250), soybean meal (210), bakery by-products (200), corn stover (200), wheat bran (80), vitamin premix with minerals (25), sodium bicarbonate (15), soybean oil (10), and calcium carbonate (10). Lambs grazed on Lolium perenne L. grassland 8 h daily (08:00 to 16:00 h), and in the afternoon, they were housed in individual pens where they received the concentrate individually for 90 d (adaptation 18 d, evaluation 72 d). The dry matter intake of the concentrate was measured daily, and the lambs were weighed every 15 d to estimate the daily weight gain (DWG). Daily doses of Zn-Met (Availa Zinc 120, Zinpro Corporation®, Eden Praire, MN, USA) were provided daily directly in the feeder.

2.3. Voluntary Feed Intake and In Vivo Digestibility

The dry matter apparent digestibility in grazing lambs plus the concentrate was estimated with the chromium oxide (Cr2O2) marker technique. Fecal collection harnesses were used in four animals per treatment, and they received 1 g of the marker for 5 d of adaptation and 5 d of feces collection. Each sampling day, 100 g of excreta was collected and frozen at −4 °C. At the end of that period, a composite sample was made per lamb; the DM was determined in a forced air oven at 60 °C for 24 h and the samples were ground (Thomas Willey®,, Thomas Scientific Apparatus, model 3383, Swedesboro, NJ, USA, 10 mesh). Finally, chromium in the feces was determined by spectrophotometry (GENESYS 10S UV-VIS, Thermo Scientific, Waltham, MA, USA) [25]. The digestibility of the forage and concentrate was calculated by the in vitro method at 72 h [26,27]. The indigestible fraction was used to determine the total amount of feces and total DMI. To estimate the forage DMI, the following expression was used: forage DMI = total DMI − concentrate DMI.

2.4. Carcass Trait Evaluation

Once the fattening period was over, the lambs were transported (54 km) to a slaughterhouse, in compliance with the provisions of NOM-051-ZOO-1995. The animals were weighed before (live weight at slaughter, LWS) and after slaughter, and the carcass yield (CY) was estimated. Subsequently, the carcasses were refrigerated at 4 °C for 24 h and the cold carcass weight (CCW) was obtained; pH, zoometric linear measurements, muscle conformation, and degree of fattening were taken from these carcasses [28].

2.5. Body Composition of Carcass

Body composition was evaluated by specific gravity. Four lambs were slaughtered at the beginning, and twenty-eight lambs (7/treatment) at the end of the trial (90 d). Once the cold carcass weight was determined, the carcass was weighed in air and water (4 °C) to obtain the empty body weight, fat retention, protein, and energy. Specific gravity (SG) was estimated as SG = carcass weight in air, kg/(carcass weight in air, kg—carcass weight in water, kg) [29]. Empty body weight = 6.87 + 1.398X; where X = weight of the carcass in air (kg) [30]. Specific gravity reference values for the density of fat (0.91 to 0.94), muscle (1.06 to 1.10), and bone (1.3 to 1.5) were used [31]. The fat and protein content in the carcass was measured by specific gravity [30]: Fat in carcass (%) = 436.8 − 398.7 (carcass specific gravity) + 0.1756 (carcass weight in air). Fat free carcass (%) = 100 − (% fat in carcass). Protein in carcass (%) = 0.198 (% fat free carcass). Fat in empty body (%) = 0.8817 (% fat in carcass) − 1.52. Fat free empty body (%) = 100 − (% fat in empty body). Protein in empty body (%) = 0.2019 (% of empty body fat free).

2.6. Meat Quality Analysis

Samples of Longissimus dorsi (LD) were obtained between the 10th and 13th ribs; these were vacuum packed and refrigerated for 2 h (4 °C), then frozen at −20 °C. Chemical analysis of DM, CP, and ash was performed according to AOAC [23]. Meat color was determined in chops at 24 h by instrumental colorimetry (Konica Minolta Chroma Meter CR-200, San Diego, CA, USA) using the CIELAB uniform color scale recommended by the International Meat Commission, and pH with a potentiometer (Hanna, Woonsocket, RI, USA). Chop tenderness was measured with the Warner–Bratzler blade cut resistance test (SALTER®, G-R Elec. Mfg. Co., Collins Lane, MA, USA). To estimate the chop area, photographs of the LD were taken with a CYBERSHOOT camera; the image segmentation technique was performed with GIMP ver. 2.8.10 (GNU Image Manipulation Program) and the calculation of the area with Image tool 3.0 (UTHSCSA®, ver 3.0., San Antonio, TX, USA).

2.7. Analysis Meat Fatty Acid Content

The fatty acid content was determined by gas chromatography [4]; 1 mL of each sample was injected into the gas chromatograph (Perkin Elmer, model Clarus 500, Waltham, MA, USA), the fatty acids were separated in a capillary column of 100 m × 0.25 mm inner diameter × 0.2 µm film thickness (SUPELCO TM-2560, FAME MIX analytical Sigma–Aldrich, St. Louis, MO, USA), and the separation was obtained by a temperature ramp (140 °C for 5 min, with increases of 4 °C per min to 240 °C) using nitrogen as a carrier gas. Retention times were compared with known standards (SUPELCO37, SIGMA USA analytical FAME MIX, St. Louis, MO, USA). The nutritive value, atherogenic, thrombogenic, and cholesterolemic indices were calculated as described by Santos-Silva et al. [32] and Özcan et al. [33].

2.8. Experimental Design and Statistical Analysis

Data were analyzed with PROC MIXED with the AR(1) covariance structure. Fixed effects were considered for the treatments, and random effects for the lambs within the measurement periods. The factor effects (feed intake and zinc inclusion levels) and their interaction were evaluated. The effects of treatment, period, and treatment × period interaction was evaluated. For variables without repeated measures, PROC GLM was used, while variables without a normal distribution were analyzed with PROC NPAR1WAY. Mean comparisons were performed with the Tukey adjusted (p < 0.05) [34].

3. Results and Discussion

3.1. Pasture Performance and Chemical Composition of Lolium perenne L.

The grassland (Lolium perenne L.) chemical composition (g kg−1 DM) for DM, OM, ash, CP, NDF, and ADF was constant in the monthly sampling throughout the experiment, although the NAF decreased from 823.37 in July (summer) to 736.15 kg of DM ha−1 in January (winter), associated with the climatic conditions of the area at each season of the year in which the pasture was sampled (Table 1). Castro-Hernández et al. [19] reported similar contents (g kg−1 DM) in Lolium perenne L. with 28 d of regrowth for CP (145.3), NDF (489.2), and ADF (304.1) and for Lolium perenne L. at 35 d of age at cutting; in another study, the chemical content was as follows (g kg−1 DM): DM (129–139), CP (183–189), NDF (408–415), and ADF (267–270) with NAF from 800 to 1600 kg DM ha−1 [35]. In this research, the average NAF during the experimental phase was 754.25 ± 48.25 kg DM ha−1, enough to maintain the estimated animal growth and nutrient demand.

3.2. Productive Performance and In Vivo Digestibility

The Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment was 4% higher in the final live weight (FLW) (p < 0.05) than the treatment with the Zn-0 ppm + C-1.5% level while for the total weight gain (TWG), the Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment was 7% higher than the rest of the treatments due to the effect (p < 0.05) of C × Zn (Table 2). It is known that Zn is necessary for the pituitary gland (high concentration) to control the structure, functionality, and secretion of growth hormone (GH), which promotes somatic growth [36]. In the liver, GH stimulates the secretion of insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) through its association with its receptors. Therefore, Zn content in the diet stimulated the expression of IGF-1 and promoted the effect of GH [37] on muscle anabolism in lambs with a higher level of concentrate in the diet. On the other hand, all treatments were similar (p > 0.05) in DWG (mean = 229.11), except for the Zn-80 ppm + C-0.75% treatment, which was higher in feed efficiency (FE) and feed conversion (FC) due to the Zn level effect (p < 0.05).
The above was higher than that found in the DWG (138 g d−1) of lambs grazing herbaceous species plus the concentrated supplement [38]. In addition, in lambs grazing on Lolium perenne L., the DWG was 184 g d−1 [39]. However, for lambs fed in pens with total mixed rations and supplemented with 65 mg kg−1 DM of Zn-Met or ZnO, the average performance values for the DWG (262.33 g d−1) and FC (5.22 kg DM) [4] were higher than that found in this research. In that study, a beneficial effect of the combination of Zn-Met + ZnO on FC and DWG was observed.
The dry matter digestibility (698.75 ± 13.76 g kg−1 DM) was similar between treatments (p > 0.05) and coincided with the in vitro dry matter digestibility (710.3 g kg−1 DM) of Lolium perenne L. with 28 d of regrowth [19], probably due to the similar cellulose content of 211.57 vs. 185 g kg−1 DM, respectively. On the other hand, for lambs grazed on a composite pasture and supplemented with hay and concentrate, the total DMI was 1604 g d−1 and the forage DMI was 947 g d−1 [11]. However, in lambs with 8 h of grazing and with supplementation in the barn, the total DMI was 1350 g d−1 and the forage DMI was 990 g d−1, these values being similar to our findings; in addition, they observed a negative linear relationship between the concentrate DMI and forage DMI [36].
In this research, lambs from the low concentrate supplementation treatments (C-0.75%) equaled the total DMI of lambs with high concentrate supplementation (C-1.5%). The above, in response to a low energy contribution in the forage and the need of the lambs to satisfy their nutritional requirements. Rodríguez-Maya et al. [4] reported that the Zn-Met (65 ppm) inclusion in their diet did not affect the DMI of lambs with intensive feeding, however, in this research, there was an effect of C × Zn (p < 0.05) interaction on the total DMI and forage DMI of the treatments (Table 2). Furthermore, supplementation with a Zn-AA complex in adult sheep reduced the ruminal microbiome biodiversity; in contrast, it increased the abundance of the phyla Bacteroidetes (protein and polysaccharide degraders) and Firmicutes as well as that of the genera Prevotella, Ruminococcus, and Butyrivibrio, without negative changes on the digestion and animal health [40]. Therefore, Zn-Met supplementation can improve the utilization of forage and concentrate.
Froetschel et al. [41] showed that Zn supplementation in ruminants affects digestion, the feed passage rate, and protein synthesis through changes in ruminal microbiota, resulting in a 35% reduction in the amino acid digestion and an increase in protozoa concentration. However, the inclusion of 50 mg of Zn mL−1 decreased the digestion rate at 24 h but not to 48 h, which did not affect the total digestion of cellulose [42]. It has been reported that better animal performance for DWG and residual intake in grain-based diets are possible due to the low diversity of rumen bacterial communities [43]. Therefore, the C × Zn interaction can be explained by virtue of the increase in enzymatic activity [44] and ruminal microbiome abundance specialized in degrading polysaccharides and forage cell wall components, leading to the benefit of propionate production [45] and the greater escape of microbial protein to the posterior digestive tract. Furthermore, supplementation with Zn-Met increases the absorption of nutrients in the intestine due to the growth and health of enterocytes [46].
Lambs with the Zn-0 ppm + C-0.75% treatment consumed 23% more forage (p < 0.05) (Table 2) than the lambs in the rest of the treatments but had a similar total DMI; the NDF digestibility and the eventual release of energy by carbohydrate fermentation, cellulose, and hemicellulose possibly influenced it. Concentrate restriction promotes greater food retention in the digestive tract, which improves the efficiency of nutrient utilization with an impact on feeding efficiency. Furthermore, the total DMI of lambs with the Zn-80 ppm + C-0.75% treatment was 21% lower than the rest of the treatments (p < 0.05). This is interesting, because with a lower DMI in combination with Zn-Met, a similar DWG was observed.

3.3. Treatments Effect on Carcass Trait

The C × Zn interaction affected (p < 0.05) the leg length (LL) and live weight at slaughter (LWS) (Table 3). Lambs fed with level C-1.5% had higher average values for the cold carcass weight (CCW) (>0.350 kg), compactness index (CI) (>1.8%), rump perimeter (LP) (>1%), carcass yield (CY) (>1%), and rump width (RW) (>1%) than those supplemented with C-0.75% due to the effect of the concentrate level (p < 0.05). In addition, it was observed that the lambs with the Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment accumulated a greater amount of internal kidney fat (IFK) (p < 0.05). The lambs’ muscle conformation between treatments was similar (p > 0.05). Overall, the lower conformation degree of grazing lambs may be due to the fact that they developed fewer fat deposits due to limited energy consumption, which was exacerbated by increased energy expenditure in foraging [47] and by thermoregulation processes [48].
In this regard, the supplementation of Se (0.42 mg), Zn (68 mg), and vitamin E to lambs in the feedlot allowed for higher performances in the final live weight, DWG, chop area, perinephric, and kidney fat than the treatment with grazing feeding [49]. In this research, an increase in LL was observed due to the C × Zn interaction effect, which could be due to the redirection of the energy consumed from forage and concentrate toward muscle (myogenesis) and bone development. For the rump perimeter (RP) and rump width (RW), there was a concentrate level effect in the diet (p < 0.05). The average fattening degree (FD) and internal fat kidney (IFK) (kidneys partially covered with fat) were higher in the Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment, which coincided with the greater contribution of nutrients and high dose of Zn-Met. Zinc is associated with the structure of enzymes and their activation, stabilizing RNA, DNA, and ribosomes [50].
Recently, Guerrero-Bárcena et al. [7] showed that the relative mRNA expression of genes for the enzymes acetyl-CoA carboxylase (involved in lipogenic processes), hormone-sensitive lipase (fatty acid lipolysis), and monoglyceride lipase increased with the supplementation of 80 mg of Zn kg−1 DM. This influences the percentage of intramuscular fat, tenderness, fatty acid meat content, and increase in the lambs’ muscle mass. Rodríguez-Maya et al. [4] reported that zoometric measurements (intact carcass length, leg length, leg perimeter, rump width, and muscular conformation) of carcasses of Suffolk lambs fed in pens with total mixed rations and supplemented with 65 mg kg−1 DM of Zn-Met or ZnO were not affected by the inclusion of supplemental zinc, except for LP, which experienced the ZnO effect (36.50 cm) and Zn-Met + ZnO (35.60 cm). The FD and IFK of these lambs fed in an intensive system were similar to that found in this research for lambs supplemented with 80 ppm of Zn-Met, but with an average back fat of 4.92 mm. In contrast, grazing had less effect on the accumulation of pelvic and kidney fat than on subcutaneous or intramuscular fat [51].

3.4. Treatments Effect on Body Composition of Carcass

The effect of the Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment was higher in the empty body weight, carcass fat, retained fat, and retained energy due to the C × Zn interaction than the others, but lower in protein content (p < 0.05) (Table 4). In particular, the highest level of concentrate in the diet (C-1.5%) produced carcasses with a greater empty body weight (mean = 34.92 kg). These results indicate that the carcass fat content was higher with the Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment; this is related to the synergy of Zn in muscle [51] and the greater supplementation of nutrients in the diet and its effect on myogenesis. This mineral is important in the formation of zinc fingers [52], whose function is to recognize DNA, package RNA, activate transcription [53], fold, assemble, and stabilize proteins [54] as well as control growth homeostasis [55].
In contrast, Gabryszuk et al. [49] reported that grazing lambs accumulated a lower amount of internal renal and pelvic fat than subcutaneous fat (1.11 mm); this value was less than the carcasses’ back fat in this experiment (mean = 4.92 mm). This difference can be explained by the use of energy nutrients of the concentrate and by the Zn-Met lipogenic effect. At the muscle level, zinc stabilizes the insulin crystalline structure and has a synergistic effect on myoblast differentiation and glucose metabolism [56], specifically in the endoplasmic reticulum and the Golgi membrane, where it manufactures and packages proteins and lipids through the function of the ZIP7 (zinc gatekeeper) transporter [57].
A zinc concentration increase in the muscle promotes the action of ZIP7 and ZIP8 transporters, which increases Akt phosphorylation (an enzyme complex related to cell survival and growth) [58], stimulating the transport of GLUT4 and allowing the entry of glucose to the cell, resulting in increased protein and glycogen synthesis for the proliferation of myoblasts [59]. Furthermore, Akt phosphorylation regulates the activation of MTOR (a highly conserved serine/threonine protein kinase), which integrates various signals from nutrients (glucose and amino acids), hormones (GH and insulin), and growth factors (IGF-1) that upregulate protein synthesis in skeletal muscle tissues [60]. Furthermore, it has been shown that zinc (ZAG pathway, zinc-α2 glycoprotein) in adipose tissue mimics the effect of insulin on adipocytes and stimulates lipogenesis, even in the absence of insulin [61]. Therefore, the greater performance in treatments supplemented with Zn-Met could be influenced by the effect of this mineral on the protein content and muscle accumulation.

3.5. Treatments Effect on Meat Quality

Physicochemical characteristics of the meat (Table 5) were not affected (p > 0.05) by the C level, Zn level, or C × Zn interaction. The above is evidence of a sufficient contribution and efficient use of nutrients by lambs with different levels of concentrate and forage feed intake to convert them into protein and meat fat. This performance coincides with the body composition of the carcass for protein and fat (Table 4). Furthermore, the chop area was from 16.95 to 18.43 cm2, and the shear force was from 3.10 to 3.94 kgf cm2 with a similar intramuscular fat content. In Suffolk lambs fed total mixed rations supplemented with 65 mg kg−1 DM of Zn-Met or ZnO, the chop area was smaller (16.75–17.35 cm2), and the shear force was lower in the Zn-Met + ZnO (2.45 kgf cm2) treatment [4]. The lamb meat tenderness in this research could have been influenced by the sufficient fat content of the chop. Mortimer et al. [62] reported that meat tenderness is influenced by the marbling degree and intramuscular fat content. Furthermore, flavor, juiciness, and color are associated with the intramuscular fat content [63] and its oxidative stability.
In this research, the average value of L* (lightness) was 37.71, a* (redness) 19.41, and b* (yellowness) 6.55; these variables are related to the lambs’ feeding system [14] and to the myoglobin content, muscle tissue structure, metabolic state, and pH [64]. In this regard, the a* index can be modified by the diet energy source, but not the b* index [65]. In this sense, the hay and concentrate supplementation in lambs fed with a pasture (multi-species; grasses, legumes and herbaceous plants) increased the value of L* (46.15), b* (6.66), and hue angle (H°, 17.2) and a capacity water retention = 19.62% vs. the treatment based on concentrate and hay (L*, 42.13; b*, 5.20; H°, 13.71) and a capacity water retention = 31.35% [11]. In lambs finished on grazing Lolium perenne, Dactilis glomerata, Festuca arundinacea, Taraxacum officinale, and Trifolium repens, a greater effect on carcass color was observed for b* (17.01), chroma (C*, 17.36), and angle H* (18.76) [66], while for lambs fed in the feedlot, a higher degree of tenderness of the Longissimus lumborum, carcass fattening degree, and meat juiciness were observed.
Lamb carcasses finished on a multi-species native pasture had color values (L*, 34.53; a*, 2.36; b*, 5.33; C*, 21.06; H°, 14.56), muscle protein (18.92%), and ethereal extract (7.80%) [67], in contrast to what was found in this research. Furthermore, supplementation (300 g d−1 of concentrate) of grazing sheep (8 h d−1) with Thymus mongolicus, Glycyrrhiza uralensis, and Caragana sinica produced a higher meat protein content (>19.51%) than the lambs finished on an intensive system (18.88%) but with a similar intensity of L* = 42.13 vs. 44.13, respectively [68]. The lamb meat chemical composition of the feedlot system supplemented with 65 mg kg−1 DM of Zn-Met or ZnO and their combination showed similar values to ours for the dry weight of muscle (274.33–316.38 g kg−1), protein in muscle (191.86–206.02 g kg−1 DM), and intramuscular fat (8.63–9.16%) but were different in L* (36.86–38.24), a* (11.51–12.62), b* (6.98–7.39), C* (14.12–15.13), and H* (30.07–34.33) [4].
In lambs fattened with total mixed rations and supplemented with 80 mg kg−1 DM of Zn-Met, the color indices (L*, 39.2; a*, 14.2; b*, 5.38; C*, 16.4; H°, 18.8) were similar to our results, but the intramuscular fat content was 6.13% [7]; the latter is comparable to the Zn-80 ppm + C-1.5% treatment with 6.45% of intramuscular fat. Therefore, the fat amount and lipid profile of LD were similar with the supplementation of 40% concentrate in the diet of this research, therefore, 60% of the fatty acids came from the ruminal metabolism of the forage.
Overall, carcasses of lambs fed with Lolium perenne L. and supplemented with the concentrate plus the inclusion of Zn-Met had a similar clarity (L*) but with greater intensity of the a* index and b* index than the lamb carcasses finished on the feedlot. The intensity of the a* index of raw meat has a positive relationship between Zn and Fe with myoglobin [69], and the intensity of the b* index is related to the carotenoids deposited in the fat due to forage intake [70]. Meat color is a factor taken into account at sale points (e.g., 95% of consumers prefer lamb meat with an index L* > 44, a* > 14.5, and reject meat with an index L* < 34 [71]); in this research, L* and a* values were higher than the lower limit rejection. However, the lamb meat pH in this research was higher (>6.49) than that reported by Rodríguez-Maya et al. [4] (pH < 5.55) in lambs with intensive feeding and supplemented with 65 mg kg−1 DM of Zn-Met; this difference could be due to the higher fattening degree and slow decrease in temperature at 24 h a day.
In lambs (8165 animals) fed in an extensive grazing system with concentrate supplementation, the color (L*, a*, b*, H*, and C*) was inversely proportional to the increase in pH (5.4–6.0) in the Longissimus lumborum muscle; furthermore, the concentration of zinc in muscle tissue (15–35 mg/100 g) had a marginal negative relationship on L* and a positive relationship on a*, b*, H*, and C* [72]. Therefore, lamb meat in this research experienced a marginal decrease in clarity but an increase in red-yellow tones as well as a decrease in hue magnitude but high C* values; the latter is considered optimal for meat with vivid tones, probably due to the association of zinc with the decrease in cellular oxidative processes in the muscle [73].

3.6. Analysis of Fatty Acid Content in Longissimus dorsi Muscle

The meat fatty acid content was not affected by the level of concentrate and zinc in the diet (Table 6), except for palmitic (C16:0), heptadecanoic (C17:0), and myristoleic acids (C14:1), which were a product of the effect of C × Zn interaction. Furthermore, the n-3 content and n-3/n-6 ratio were affected by the C-level (p < 0.05). Grazing feeding changed the meat lipid profile by increasing the n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content and decreasing the n-6/n-3 ratio [46] with a decrease in saturated fatty acids; this allows for healthier food to be obtained with effects on cardiovascular diseases, brain development, and anti-inflammatory and oxidative stress [74]. The higher content of C18:2 in this research was the result of the supplementation of the concentrate, Zn-Met, and the maturity of the lambs. At the cellular level, the concentration of ATP (adenosine triphosphate) and zinc activates the Δ-6 desaturase enzyme in the metabolism of essential fatty acids; on the one hand, the metabolization of linoleic acid produces γ-linolenic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, and arachidonic acid while the metabolization of linolenic acid produces eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexanoic acid (DHA) [75]. This is probably what happens to lambs fed in an extensive system. In this regard, the supplementation of Zn-Met (65 ppm) and ZnO (65 ppm) of the intensively-fed lambs affected the content (g 100 g−1) of palmitoleic acid (0.77–2.78), arachidonic acid (0.05–0.08), and myristic acid (1.55–2.47), however, the content of C18:3 was not reported [4].
Lipid content in the LD muscle of lambs finished on Lolium perenne grazing was lower than that of lambs finished on alfalfa and white clover grazing for palmitic 16:0 (21.4%), stearic 18:0 (18.5%), cis-vaccenic 18:1 (0.76%), linoleic 18:2n-6 (2.91%), linolenic 18:3n-3 (2.07%), and dihomo-γ-linolenic acids (0.10%) with polyunsaturated:saturated ratio (P:S) = 0.12 [40]. These results showed a lower C18:2 and higher C:18:3 content compared with ours, however, their diet was based only on grazing. Popova et al. [48] determined in a meta-analysis that as lambs reach maturity, the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA; 18:2n-6) increases in the polar and neutral fractions of lamb muscles; furthermore, the incorporation of C18:2 is more effective than that of C18:3 [76]. In this research, the PUFAS:SFA ratio was 0.12–0.15 and was less than 0.4, which is desirable for human health. Wang et al. [77] evaluated the grazing time at decreasing levels from 12 to 2 h and observed significant increases in the polyunsaturated fatty acid content in LD as the animals remained grazing longer, and the n-6/n-3 ratio (0.23–0.05) experienced the same effect; the above is desirable in lamb meat due to the health benefits where they are involved.

4. Conclusions

The feed supplement and zinc in the lambs’ diet under grazing conditions in Lolium perenne L. meadows increased the dry matter intake while the C × Zn interaction increased the total live weight gain and final live weight but without affecting the feed efficiency. Cold carcass weight, yield carcass, compactness index, and perimeter and width of the rump increased with concentrate supplementation in the grazing sheep, but the C × Zn interaction increased the leg length and live weight at slaughter. The synergy of the concentrate with organic zinc supplemented affected the body composition for heavier carcasses with greater amounts of fat, protein, and energy deposited. The level of feed supplement and organic zinc in the grazing sheep did not affect the physical and chemical traits of the meat, and had little effect on the n-3 fatty acid content and n-3/n-6 ratio of the Longissimus dorsi muscle.

Author Contributions

Conceptualization, D.T.-G., I.A.D.-V., J.M.P.-R., E.M.-A., J.E.S.-T. and J.E.R.-B.; Methodology, I.A.D.-V., J.M.P.-R., D.T.-G., E.M.-A. and J.E.R.-B.; Software, D.T.-G., I.A.D.-V. and E.M.-A.; Validation, D.T.-G., I.A.D.-V. and E.M.-A.; Formal analysis, D.T.-G., I.A.D.-V., J.M.P.-R. and E.M.-A.; Investigation, D.M.-H., J.R.-J., D.T.-G., I.A.D.-V. and E.M.-A.; Resources, I.A.D.-V., D.T.-G., E.M.-A. and J.E.S.-T.; Data curation, D.T.-G. and I.A.D.-V. Writing—original draft preparation, D.T.-G., I.A.D.-V., J.M.P.-R., J.E.R.-B., E.M.-A. and G.V.-G.; Writing—review and editing, D.T.-G., I.A.D.-V., J.M.P.-R., J.E.R.-B. and G.V.-G.; Project administration and funding acquisition, I.A.D.-V., D.T.-G., E.M.-A. and J.E.S.-T. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.

Funding

This research was funded by the Autonomous University of the State of Mexico through the research project with registration number 4824/2019CIB and by the Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación of the Government of Mexico.

Data Availability Statement

The information published in this study is available on request from the corresponding author.

Acknowledgments

We wish to thank the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Zootechnics of the Universidad Autónoma del Estado de México and the Secretaría de Ciencia, Humanidades, Tecnología e Innovación of the Government of Mexico for the facilities and financing granted to carry out the research and award a post-doctoral scholarship to Daniel Trujillo Gutiérrez. We would also like to thank the National Institute for Forestry, Agriculture and Livestock Research (INIFAP) for providing the facilities to carry out this research.

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no personal or institutional conflicts of interest.

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Table 1. Chemical composition and lipid content of the Lolium perenne L. and feed concentrate meadow grazed by lambs during the period July 2018–January 2019.
Table 1. Chemical composition and lipid content of the Lolium perenne L. and feed concentrate meadow grazed by lambs during the period July 2018–January 2019.
Chemical Content
g kg−1 DM		Sampling Month (2018–2019)MeanSD
JulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecemberJanuary
Dry matter145.2155.4163.0144.2152.9152.6165.5154.18.07
Organic matter870.3884.2900.8853.8861.4872.4880.1874.715.4
Crude protein162.7167.9166.8164.3150.5132.4174.9159.914.2
Ash129.6135.8139.1146.1138.5127.6119.9133.88.7
Neutral detergent fiber521.6512.3539.3482.8525.5490.0458.7504.328.2
Acid detergent fiber267.8268.1273.6251.7260.0229.6220.3253.020.5
Forage production, kg DM ha−1827.3790.4772.3754.2736.1718.0681.1754.248.2
Lipid Content, g 100 g−1 of Fatty Acid
LipidForageConc.LipidForageConc.LipidForageConc.
Lauric, C12:00.400.39Myristoleic, C14:10.040.00Others6.332.37
Myristic, C14:00.560.28Palmitoleic, C16:10.400.28SFA28.229.2
Palmitic, C16:026.122.2Oleic, C18:1n92.5134.2MFA2.9534.5
Heptadecanoic, C17:00.090.02Linoleic, C18:215.833.1PFA62.333.9
Esteraric, C18:00.495.9Linolenic, C18:346.40.83UFA65.268.4
Behenic, C22:00.520.4Araquidonic, C20:40.190.00
SD, standard deviation. SFA, saturated fatty acid; MFA, monounsaturated fatty acid; PFA, polyunsaturated fatty acid; UFA, unsaturated fatty acid.
Table 2. Productive performance and apparent digestibility of sheep fed Lolium perenne L. pasture supplemented with two levels of concentrate and organic zinc.
Table 2. Productive performance and apparent digestibility of sheep fed Lolium perenne L. pasture supplemented with two levels of concentrate and organic zinc.
VariableZn-0 ppmZn-80 ppmSEM 1Pr<
C-0.75%C-1.5%C-0.75%C-1.5%CZnC × Zn
Initial live weight (ILW), kg26.225.826.326.01.10---
Final live weight (FLW), kg42.7 ab42.3 b42.3 b43.9 a0.940.540.820.05
Total weight gain (TWG), kg16.5 b16.5 b16.0 b17.8 a0.910.400.420.05
Daily weight gain (DWG), g d−1 T, P229.1230.2222.6234.41.160.960.170.13
Total DMI, kg T, P, T × P,1481.0 a1545.4 a1224.9 b1530.2 a51.10.010.030.03
Concentrate DMI, kg T, P, T × P325.4 b576.0 a328.2 b633.7 a18.00.010.110.14
Forage DMI, kg T, P, T × P1155.6 a969.4 b896.7 b896.5 b34.80.010.010.01
Feed conversion (FC) P6.46 ab6.71 a5.50 b6.52 ab0.380.050.010.69
Feed efficiency (FE, %) P15.4 ab14.9 b18.1 a15.3 ab0.860.050.030.87
Dry matter digestibility, g kg−1690.0705.0685.0715.035.00.860.270.63
1 SEM, standard error of the mean. T Treatment effect, P Measurement period effect, T × P Measurement period interaction effect. C = effect of concentrate, Zn = effect of Zn, C × Zn = effect of interaction C × Zn. Means within a column not sharing a lowercase letter differ significantly at the p < 0.05 level.
Table 3. Carcass traits of sheep fed on Lolium perenne L supplemented with two levels of concentrate and organic zinc.
Table 3. Carcass traits of sheep fed on Lolium perenne L supplemented with two levels of concentrate and organic zinc.
Zn-0 ppmZn-80 ppm Pr<
VariableC-0.75%C-1.5%C-0.75%C-1.5%SEM 1CZnC × Zn
Live weight at slaughter (LWS), kg42.5 a41.2 b42.0 b43.1 a0.940.540.820.05
Cold carcass weight (CCW), kg18.918.719.420.40.470.040.500.25
Carcass yield (CY) 2, %44.545.346.247.30.910.010.810.58
Final pH24 h6.236.276.296.300.030.260.550.73
Back fat 12th rib (BF), mm5.004.715.784.210.550.840.190.36
Intact carcass length (ICL), cm68.469.068.469.31.040.910.560.86
Compactness index 30.270.280.270.290.010.040.800.26
Leg length (LL), cm36.0 a35.4 a33.6 b36.0 a0.500.210.250.04
Leg perimeter (LP), cm40.940.941.342.00.830.390.700.71
Rump perimeter (RP), cm63.463.364.564.90.380.020.720.65
Rump width (RW), cm22.221.922.623.70.400.020.430.16
Sig. χ2
Muscle conformation (ConfM) †,44.71 (5.27)4.28 (4.54)3.85 (2.09)3.85 (2.09)0.14---
Fattening degree (FD) †,51.85 (1.69)2.14 (2.92)2.71 (3.92)3.00 (5.46)0.08---
Internal fat kidney (IFK) †,61.14 (1.40)1.28 (2.33)1.71 (4.20)2.00 (6.06)0.03---
1 Standard error of the mean. † Mean and value in parentheses is the sum of median scores, Sig. χ2 (chi square) = Significance p < 0.05 for distribution of independent samples (Kruskal–Wallis). 2 CY = CCW/LWS*100. 3 Compactness index = CCW/ICL. 4 Muscular conformation (SEUROP):1, upper; 2, excellent; 3, very good; 4, good; 5, sufficient; 6, insufficient. 5 Degree of coverage fattening (1, weak; 2, light; 3, medium; 4, high; 5, very high). 6 Internal fat kidney (1, uncovered kidneys; 2, kidneys with a large window; 3, kidneys with a small window; 4, kidneys completely covered). C = effect of concentrate, Zn = effect of Zn, C × Zn = effect of interaction C × Zn. Means within a column not sharing a lowercase letter differ significantly at the p < 0.05 level.
Table 4. Body composition of the carcass of sheep fed on Lolium perenne L. pasture supplemented with two levels of concentrate and organic zinc.
Table 4. Body composition of the carcass of sheep fed on Lolium perenne L. pasture supplemented with two levels of concentrate and organic zinc.
VariableZn-0 ppmZn-80 ppmSEM 1Pr<
C-0.75%C-1.5%C-0.75%C-1.5%CZnC × Zn
Empty body weight (EBW), kg33.4 ab34.0 ab32.7 b35.7 a0.640.010.450.05
Specific gravity (EspG)1.06 ab1.06 a1.05 b1.04 c0.010.050.010.05
Fat in carcass (FatC%), %17.7 b18.1 b18.9 b22.4 a0.620.010.010.02
Fat in carcass (FatC), kg5.92 b6.30 b6.19 b7.98 a0.320.010.010.04
Fat free carcass (FFC), %82.2 a81.0 a81.8 a77.5 b0.620.010.010.03
Protein in carcass (ProtC), %16.2 a16.0 a16.2 a15.3 b0.120.010.010.03
Protein in carcass (ProtC), kg5.445.295.525.430.080.240.200.78
Fat in empty body (FEB), %14.1 b15.2 b14.4 b18.3 a0.550.010.010.03
Fat free empty body (FFEB), %85.8 a84.7 a85.5 a81.6 b0.550.010.010.03
Empty body protein (EBProt), %17.3 a17.2 a17.1 a16.4 b0.110.010.010.02
Retained fat (kg)1.72 b2.10 b1.99 b3.78 a0.320.010.010.04
Retained protein (kg)1.181.031.261.170.080.240.200.78
Retained energy (MJ)103.8 b127.0 b127.9 b195.0 a11.30.010.010.05
1 SEM, standard error of the mean. C = effect of concentrate, Zn = effect of Zn, C × Zn = effect of interaction C × Zn. Means within a column not sharing a lowercase letter differ significantly at the p < 0.05 level.
Table 5. Meat quality traits of sheep fed on Lolium perenne L. grassland supplemented with two levels of concentrate and organic zinc.
Table 5. Meat quality traits of sheep fed on Lolium perenne L. grassland supplemented with two levels of concentrate and organic zinc.
VariablesZn-0 ppmZn-80 ppm Pr<
C-0.75%C-1.5%C-0.75%C-1.5%SEM 1CZnC × Zn
Dry muscle weight, g kg−1 DM265.0264.8272.1271.15.140.210.910.93
Muscle protein, g kg−1 DM196.5206.0207.1210.45.100.200.270.58
Intramuscular fat, g kg−1 DM68.579.367.764.512.60.730.580.62
Ash, g kg−1 DM49.346.755.245.74.270.910.210.97
Organic matter, g kg−1 DM950.5953.0944.6954.14.270.910.210.97
Drip loss, %30.132.129.931.31.380.720.210.86
Chop area, cm217.316.918.118.40.990.260.960.75
Hardness (WBSF £), kgf cm23.103.753.943.850.280.140.380.22
Final pH24, h6.496.526.516.520.010.620.260.55
L* (lightness) ¥37.237.235.536.81.030.350.570.56
a* (redness)18.819.220.019.70.680.260.930.67
b* (yellowness)6.366.276.606.990.580.400.790.68
C* (chroma)19.920.221.120.90.810.290.920.80
Hue* (angle)18.217.918.119.41.110.530.630.48
1 SEM, standard error of the mean. £ Warner–Bratzler shear force (kgf = kilograms force). ¥ Trichromatic coordinates according to the CIELAB uniform color scale of the International Meat Commission. C = effect of concentrate, Zn = effect of Zn, C × Zn = effect of interaction C × Zn.
Table 6. Fatty acid content of the meat of sheep fed on Lolium perenne L. pasture supplemented with two levels of concentrate and organic zinc.
Table 6. Fatty acid content of the meat of sheep fed on Lolium perenne L. pasture supplemented with two levels of concentrate and organic zinc.
Fatty Acids, g 100 g−1 FAZn-0 ppmZn-80 ppm Pr<
C-0.75%C-1.5%C-0.75%C-1.5%SEM 1CZnC × Zn
Lauric, C12:00.070.080.070.080.010.650.220.85
Myristic, C14:02.232.162.192.210.110.980.800.69
Palmitic, C16:025.3 ab24.8 b25.0 ab26.9 a0.680.190.330.05
Heptadecanoic, C17:00.42 b0.60 ab0.75 a0.44 b0.090.380.490.02
Estearic, C18:018.218.417.817.80.540.380.910.85
Behenic, C22:00.540.410.450.340.120.520.320.94
Myristoleic, C14:10.06 b0.19 a0.20 a0.07 b0.060.860.960.05
Palmitoleic, C16:10.680.640.570.530.100.300.730.97
Oleic, C18:144.544.444.244.60.590.990.780.69
Linoleic, C18:25.475.855.815.110.530.710.760.32
Linolenic, C18:30.190.170.170.120.030.220.230.57
Arachidonic, C20:40.070.100.130.120.030.180.760.30
Others1.992.032.171.430.220.380.140.09
Saturated fatty acids, SFA47.647.047.148.40.730.570.670.20
Monounsaturated fatty acids, MUFAS45.845.845.845.80.620.950.980.99
Polyunsaturated fatty acids, PUFAS6.477.117.035.790.630.550.640.15
Unsaturated fatty acids, AGI52.352.952.851.50.730.570.670.21
Ω-30.53 a0.32 b0.56 a0.28 b0.110.960.040.78
Ω-65.846.646.215.390.570.450.990.17
Ω-3/Ω-60.08 a0.05 b0.08 a0.05 b0.010.990.050.94
Ω-945.645.445.445.50.590.940.880.85
Nutritive value2.492.562.492.310.090.210.580.20
Atherogenic index0.520.510.500.520.010.770.890.53
Thrombogenic index0.920.920.900.960.020.650.310.26
Cholesterolemic index1.841.901.871.710.070.290.500.14
1 SEM, standard error of the mean. C = effect of concentrate, Zn = effect of Zn, C × Zn = effect of interaction C × Zn. Means within a column not sharing a lowercase letter differ significantly at the p < 0.05 level.
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Trujillo-Gutiérrez, D.; Domínguez-Vara, I.A.; Márquez-Hernández, D.; Reyes-Juárez, J.; Morales-Almaráz, E.; Sánchez-Torres, J.E.; Velázquez-Garduño, G.; Pinos-Rodríguez, J.M.; Ramírez-Bribiesca, J.E. Effects of Zn-Organic Supplementation on Growth, Body Composition, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality of Grazing Lambs Fed with Two Levels of Concentrate. Processes 2025, 13, 900. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030900

AMA Style

Trujillo-Gutiérrez D, Domínguez-Vara IA, Márquez-Hernández D, Reyes-Juárez J, Morales-Almaráz E, Sánchez-Torres JE, Velázquez-Garduño G, Pinos-Rodríguez JM, Ramírez-Bribiesca JE. Effects of Zn-Organic Supplementation on Growth, Body Composition, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality of Grazing Lambs Fed with Two Levels of Concentrate. Processes. 2025; 13(3):900. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030900

Chicago/Turabian Style

Trujillo-Gutiérrez, Daniel, Ignacio Arturo Domínguez-Vara, Daniel Márquez-Hernández, Jessica Reyes-Juárez, Ernesto Morales-Almaráz, Juan Edrei Sánchez-Torres, Gisela Velázquez-Garduño, Juan Manuel Pinos-Rodríguez, and Jacinto Efrén Ramírez-Bribiesca. 2025. "Effects of Zn-Organic Supplementation on Growth, Body Composition, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality of Grazing Lambs Fed with Two Levels of Concentrate" Processes 13, no. 3: 900. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030900

APA Style

Trujillo-Gutiérrez, D., Domínguez-Vara, I. A., Márquez-Hernández, D., Reyes-Juárez, J., Morales-Almaráz, E., Sánchez-Torres, J. E., Velázquez-Garduño, G., Pinos-Rodríguez, J. M., & Ramírez-Bribiesca, J. E. (2025). Effects of Zn-Organic Supplementation on Growth, Body Composition, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality of Grazing Lambs Fed with Two Levels of Concentrate. Processes, 13(3), 900. https://doi.org/10.3390/pr13030900

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