Effect of slaughter age and muscle type on selected meat quality traits and fatty acid composition of Lindovskaya geese

The study was conducted in order to determine how the slaughter age (SA) and muscle type (MT) affect technological properties and fatty acid composition (FAC) of meat among Linda geese reared under the breeder conditions. A total of 16 male geese were slaughtered in order to determine the technological properties and FAC of meat. It was determined that the effect of SA on pH(15) and pH(24) (TM), water holding capacity (WHC), cooking loss (CL), and drip loss (DL) of the thigh muscle was all statistically significant (P < 0.05). The effect of SA on pH(24), WHC, CL, and the 168th-hour DL of pectoral muscle (PM), was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Moreover, the effect of MT on pH(15), pH(24), WHC, CL and DL in the 12th week and on pH(15), pH(24), WHC and DL in the 16th week was found to be statistically significant (P < 0.05). Additionally, the effect of SA on monounsaturated fatty acid (Sigma MUFA) of TM and polyunsaturated fatty acid (Sigma PUFA) of PM and Sigma omega-6 ratios was statistically significant (P < 0.05). Consequently, it was concluded that SA was better in the 12th week than the 16th week and PM was better than TM. The 16-week TM was better in terms of Sigma MUFA, the 12-week PM was better in terms of Sigma PUFA and Sigma omega-6, and the 12-week TM was better in terms of Sigma omega-3 amount and omega-6/omega-3 ratio. Therefore, it can be recommended that 12-week-old Linda geese be selected in terms of selected meat traits and FAC of meat.