Effect of dietary energy content on the intramuscular fat depots and triglyceride composition of river buffalo meat.

In order to understand whether dietary energy content may affect the organoleptic characteristics of buffalo meat, two groups of river buffalo calves were fed on two diets, with high (H) and low (L) energy content. The animals were slaughtered at 6, 10, 14 and 18 months and five muscles were dissectwd on the half carcass. The results showed that from 6 to 10 months of age the meat lipid content decreases and protein content increases for both diets. From 14 to 18 months an increase in the percentage of lipids with diet H and a decrease with diet L was observed. The different energy content of the two diets did not significantly influece the composition of triglycerides only formed by SFA and triglycerides with a higher degree of unsaturation. The energy content of the fed did influence the unsaturated fatty acid composition: MUFA increased with an increased energy level of the diet, while PUFA increased with a reduction in the energy level. The Longissimus dorsi muscle showed a significantly higher content of SFA and lower of MUFA and PUFA than the other muscles. On the basis of our results, the better TAG's composition is found in the meat of animals fed on diet H and slaughtered at 4 months of age.