Almond shells show potential for improving the quality of lamb meat

Including up to 12% almond shells in the feed for suckling lambs improves the nutritional profile of their meat without affecting the yield of the carcass or its sensory properties, as demonstrated by a team of Spanish researchers with prominent participation from the University of León (ULe). The study, recently published in the 'Journal of the Science of Food and Agriculture', opens the door to more sustainable livestock systems thanks to the use of agro-industrial by-products. The research evaluated the impact of this vegetable residue — the shells that surround the almond and are generated in large quantities during its processing — on the quality of the meat from 30 Manchega breed lambs. The lambs were divided into three groups and received either conventional feed or feed supplemented with 60 or 120 grams of almond shell per kilo. After a 48-day fattening period, the animals were slaughtered to analyze carcass parameters, meat composition, and its evolution during six days ...