Effects of Sasa borealis silage on proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid contents, and antioxidant activity in fresh meat of Korean native goat fed with total mixed ration

Jeju Sasa borealis (S. borealis) is indigenous to the Halla Mountain area of Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. However, its dominance has retarded the development of other plant species and lowered biodiversity in this region. The aim of this study was to determine whether S. borealis silage (SS) supplementation affects the chemical composition and antioxidant activity in the fresh meat of Korean native goats (Capra hircus coreanae). The experiment was conducted on 12 Korean native goats at the finisher stage. The feeding groups were the Control (total mixed ration, TMR) and the Treatment (80% TMR + 20% SS). The animals were adapted for two weeks and then subjected to a six-month breeding experiment. Meat samples were excised from the neck, loin, rib, front leg, and hind leg of the slaughtered animals. The meat derived from the treatment group contained more taurine and anserine than that derived from the control group. Both groups did not significantly differ in terms of ω-6/ω-3 fatty acid ratio. The loin and front leg of the treatment group contained significantly higher vitamin E levels than those of the control group. DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP analyses disclosed that the loin and front leg had significantly higher antioxidant activity (p⟨0.05) than the other parts. Moreover, the loin and front leg cuts of the treatment group had higher antioxidant activity than those of the control group. The present study demonstrated that S. borealis supplementation could effectively improve Korean native goat meat quality.