Facial eczema and the palatability of meat from lambs

Abstract

Meat samples were taken in two trials from carcasses passed as fit for human consumption, from lambs dosed with sporidesmin to induce facial eczema and from unclosed lambs. Dosed lambs on average lost weight, carcass losses being proportionately greater than live-weight losses. The carcass composition of the dosed lambs was that normally associated with the lighter carcasses produced. Taste panel tests in both trials showed that the flavour of meat from lambs with damaged livers was less liked than that from lambs with normal livers. Facial eczema also made carcasses less tender. The lowered palatability of the meat was associated mainly with severe facial eczema and is therefore not likely to be of concern to the meat industry.