CARCASS TRAITS AND MEAT QUALITY OF ONE- HUMPED CAMELS FED DIFFERENT HALOPHYTIC FORAGES: 1- WHOLESALE CUTS AND PHYSlCAL COMPONENTS OF CAMEL CARCASS.

Twelve male one-humped camels aged 10 — 12 months and average body
weight of 250 :t 3.27 kg were fed Acacia saiigna (AS) and/or Atriplex nummuian'a
(AN) as r0ughage component. Gr0und date stones and olive cakes were added as
concentrate to the traditional concentrate mixture formula at the rate of 20 and 10%.
respectively. Camels were divided into four equal groups (3 each), The first group < /p>
(control) was fed traditional concentrate mixture (TCM) and berseem hay. The second
group was fed untraditional concentrate mixture (UCM) and AS. The third group was
fed UCM and AN. The fourth group was fed UCM. AS and AN. Camels were
salughtered after 240 days and carcasses were chilled and used to observe the effect
of camels feeding on halophytic plants on wholesale cuts. physical components and
fat deposits in camel carcass Results showed that the brisket and shoulder cuts
weight differed significantly (P<0.05) due to type of feeding. while the other wholesale
cuts. high-priced cuts. fore- and hind-quarters showed no significant differences. The
weights of high-priced cuts as a percent of chilled carcass weight were 42.00, 43.27.
43.58 and 40.87% for BH. AS, AN and AS-AN groups. respectively. Hind-quarters
mean weight (53.76%) recorded higher values than fore—quarters (46.23%) but there
were no significant differences among all groups studied. Regardless of the feeding
groups. the present study showed that fore-quarters attained higher lean meat. less
fat and higher bone contents when compared to the hind-quarters. However. the hind-
quarters yield higher percentages of boneless meat than the fore-quarters. Camel
groups which were fed halophytic forages had similar results to camels in the control
group which were fed berseem hay in the lean meat. fat and boneless meat for both
fore- and hind-quarters. The percentages of lean meat, fat. bone and boneless meat
(based on chiiled carcas weight) in whole carcass were significantly (P s 0.05}
affected by type of feeding. The AN group that was fed Atriplex nummuiarfa had
higher lean meat percentage (58 “3%) and lower fat percentage (22.01%) than the
other groups Also. the AN group had lower total body and carcass fat values (1.7.80
and 718%) than the BH. AS and AS-AN groups (21.90 and 12.37; 20.05 and 8.98;
and 20.01 and 9.99 9-6). respectively which considered more acceptable than other
groups. Accoo‘ing to the present results. the unlraditional concentrate mixture (UCltvlfi
and edtb:e parts of the halophytic plants in feeding grow-mg camels can be
Successfully used in feeding growing camels for a period of eight months With no
adverse effects on their wholesale cuts. phySical components (lean meat. fat. bone
and boneless meat} and fat deposits