Final Report
Nutritional Analysis of Katahdin Sheep Meat

The views expressed in this report are those of the authors. The Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture and Food does not accept responsibility or liability for any conclusions or recommendations in this report, and cannot guarantee the accuracy of its data or observations.

Table of Contents

• Summary/Abstract
• Project Participants
• Technical Report
  • Introduction
  • Background
  • Procedure
  • Observations and Results
  • Discussion and Recommendations
  • Personnel
  • Equipment
  • Project Developed Materials
  • Project Photos
  • Acknowledgement
  • Financial Statement
  • Appendices
  • Table A: Nutritional Content of Katahdin Meat
  • Table B: Nutrient Content of the Analysed Katahdin Meat Cuts
  • Table C: Comparison of Katahdin Meat, Domestic, and New Zealand Lamb
  • Table D: Comparison of Katahdin Meat to Pork, Beef, and Poultry
  • Table E: Katahdin Meat in Daily Diets

SUMMARY/ABSTRACT

The Katahdin is a breed of shedding sheep raised for its mild-flavoured, tasty meat. A nutritional analysis of this meat was needed to provide quantitative data which could be used to address consumer questions on meat quality and nutritional content. The resultant increase in consumer demand for Katahdin meat would provide substantial economic benefits to producers across Saskatchewan.

The University of Saskatchewan was contracted by the Saskatchewan Katahdin Marketing Group to analyze the meat sample which was compiled from five major cuts taken from 12 animals gathered from producers across Saskatchewan. The analysis delineated 18 nutrients measured in milligrams or grams per 100 grams of meat.

Similar data from other lamb, beef, pork, chicken, and turkey was used to compare and contrast the significance of the data gathered from the Katahdin meat.

The conclusions drawn from this study, which was completed in the fall of 1998, are as follows:

• Katahdin meat is a important source of protein.
• Katahdin meat is relatively low in cholesterol content.
• Some cuts of Katahdin meat are relatively high in fat and saturated fat content.
• The unsaturated fat content is similar in amount to the saturated fat content.
• Katahdin meat can be marketed as a healthy food choice.
• The difference in fat content among the five cuts tested is significant.

PROJECT PARTICIPANTS

The following Katahdin producers were involved in this project:

• Helen Choquette, SKSA Vice-President

• Carol Foster

• Kevin Foster

• Allan Harasym

• Melaine Harasym

• Ron Izsak

• Corrine Kolody, SKMG Marketing Coordinator

• Murray Martin

• Kathleen Mueller, SKSA Sec./Treas.

• Susan Rekken

• Rob Reeves

• Duane Rose, Chair SKMG

• Margret Rose, Report Writer

• Erwin Rosenkranz

• David Ruzesky, SKSA President

• Bruce Scammell

• Minerva Scammell

• Aaron Strauss

• Richard Strauss

• Jim Tremblay

• Noella Tremblay

Special thanks to Tim Brodt of Brodt's Sausage & Meats

TECHNICAL REPORT:

INTRODUCTION:

With over 120 Katahdin flocks registered with the Saskatchewan Katahdin Sheep Association (SKSA) and the production of over 1000 Katahdin meat animals in 1997, producers recognized the need for a comprehensive marketing strategy for both meat animals and breeding stock. To meet this challenge the SKSA formed the Saskatchewan Katahdin Marketing Group (SKMG) and directed this group to develop a number of marketing initiatives including a nutritional analysis of Katahdin meat. A positive meat analysis would further develop consumer confidence in the quality and nutritional content of Katahdin meat.

A project proposal was prepared and submitted to Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture and Food. Approval to proceed with this project was received on February 4, 1998.

BACKGROUND:

Katahdin sheep are a breed of shedding sheep raised primarily for meat. The breed originated in the late 1950's in Abbott, Maine, USA. They are a recognized breed in Canada registered through the Canadian Livestock Records Corporation.

The ideal Canadian Registered Katahdin sheep is polled and has a coat that sheds completely seasonally. The coat is naturally free of visible wooly fibres at all times. The shedding coat eliminates the need for shearing or tail docking. It is a heavily muscled, well proportioned animal, with strong thick legs, long loin, good depth, and good overall size.

The first Katahdin sheep were brought into Canada and Saskatchewan in the early 1990's. With the low maintenance involved for the producer and consumer appeal for the mild tasting meat, the Katahdin industry has experienced rapid growth. In 1999 the SKSA has over 120 producer members and it is estimated that there are approximately 150 producers in Saskatchewan.

Marketing is the key to continued growth in the Katahdin industry. In 1997 the marketing arm of the SKSA was organized and is known as the SKMG. The SKMG recognized that successful marketing required that the producers have accurate information regarding the nutritional content of Katahdin meat and applied to the Agricultural Research Branch of Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food for funding a Nutritional Analysis of Katahdin Sheep Meat. The Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture and Food project application was submitted in December, 1997.

The primary objective of the project was:

• To analyze 12 Katahdin lamb carcasses for the nutritional data (calories, total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium, carbohydrates, protein, iron calcium, Vitamin A, Vitamin C, and dietary fibre) required to address related consumer questions and to meet Canadian and USA labelling regulations.

Additional goals included:

1. To establish consumer confidence in the quality and nutritional content of Katahdin meat.

2. To provide essential information which will be used to answer consumer questions regarding the composition, texture, and structure of Katahdin meat.

3. To construct an objective data sheet which compares Katahdin meat to USA domestic lamb.

4. To meet the labeling regulations for both Canada and the USA.

PROCEDURE:

The SKMG proposal entitled Nutritional Analysis of Katahdin Sheep Meat was approved for funding by Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food on February 4, 1998. The SKMG then contracted with the Department of Applied Microbiology and Food Science to complete the nutritional analysis of a specified sample.

The sample for this project consisted of 12 sides of Katahdin meat from 12 different animals. The animals used were both male and female, ranged in age from six months to two years, and were provided by producers from across Saskatchewan. The 12 sides were each cut into five different cuts: foreshank, whole leg, loin, rib, and shoulder. On all cuts the fat was trimmed to 1/4 inch. The sample details including live weights, dressed weights, and weights of individual cuts appear in Appendix A.

The methods used for the analysis of Katahdin sheep meat are listed in Appendix B.

The comprehensive data and nutritional information formatted for a Canadian label - core list attached as Appendix C.

Table A - The Nutritinal Content of Katahdin Meat

OBSERVATIONS AND RESULTS

Table B lists the nutrient content of each of the five cuts. Some of the tested nutrients do not appear on the table as there were negligible or nonexistent amounts in the sample (carbohydrates, dietary fibre, sugar, Vitamin C, and Vitamin A).

Table B: Nutrient Content of the Analysed Katahdin Meat Cuts

WATER The leaner cuts of meat have a higher moisture content - foreshank (63.6g) and whole leg (63.4g). The cuts with the higher fat content have a lower moisture content - rib (54.3g), shoulder (49.6g), and loin (49.1g).

PROTEIN The leaner cuts of meat have a higher protein content - foreshank (18.7g) and whole leg (19.6g). The cuts with a higher fat content have a lower protein content - rib (14.8g), shoulder (15.6g), and loin (15.3g).

TOTAL FAT The data indicates that the cuts lowest in fat content are the foreshank (16.7g) and whole leg(15.7g). The cuts highest in fat content are the rib (30.0g), shoulder (34.0g), and loin (34.9g).

MINERALS All cuts are sources of calcium, potassium, sodium, and iron.

CHOLESTEROL The cholesterol content is lowest in the rib and highest in the loin - rib (33.7mg), whole leg (45.2mg), foreshank (46.2mg), shoulder (48.5mg), and loin (48.6mg).

SATURATED AND UNSATURATED FAT The data shows that the foreshank and whole leg are low in saturated fat when compared to the other cuts. In these two cuts, the unsaturated fat exceeds the saturated fat. When nutrient values of all the cuts are averaged, the data indicates that the amount of saturated fat (12.6mg) is similar to the amount of unsaturated fat (11.6mg).

The significance of the data becomes evident when the fat and cholesterol content are compared with domestic and New Zealand lamb (USDA Handbook #8 - 17).

TABLE C: COMPARISON OF KATAHDIN MEAT, DOMESTIC, AND NEW ZEALAND LAMB

When the fat content of all cuts is averaged, the data shows that Katahdin meat has, overall, a slightly higher fat content than both the domestic and New Zealand lamb. The higher fat content results in a higher calorie count.

However, when the cholesterol is compared, Katahdin meat is significantly lower in cholesterol than both the domestic and New Zealand lamb.

Further observations can be made when Katahdin meat is compared for fat and cholesterol content with pork, beef, chicken, and turkey (USFA Handbook #8-17).

Table D: Comparison of Katahdin Meat to Pork, Beef, and Poultry

Katahdin meat is lower in fat content than pork, similiar to beef, but higher than both chicken and turkey.

But again, Katahdin meat is lower in cholesterol than the other meats used for comparison purposes.

At present, the demand for Katahdin meat exceeds the supply. The mild tasting, good quality meat has convinced many consumers that Katahdin meat is a preferred food choice. This study shows that Katahdin meat is also a nutritious food choice. Table E shows the nutrients in a 100 gram serving of Katahdin whole leg and the approximate recommended daily intake from Health Canada for a healthy adult weighing 70 Kg (154lbs) and consuming 2000 calories daily.

Table E: Katahdin Meat in Daily Diets

Katahdin meat is an important source of protein. The human body uses protein to build new cells, maintain tissue, and synthesize new proteins that make it possible for the body to perform basic functions. Proteins from animal origin are high in quality or complete proteins. Eating a 100 gram serving of Katahdin whole leg provides 36% of the protein needed in a day. (It should be noted that the amount of protein needed is dependent on body weight.)

Calcium is required for building bones and teeth, iron is required to produce hemoglobin, potassium and sodium are used to control the electrolyte balance of your cells. Katahdin meat will provide the body with a portion of the daily required intake of these essential minerals.

The data also shows that some cuts of Katahdin meat are relatively high in fat and saturated fat content. Our bodies need dietary fat to make tissue and manufacture biochemicals but the negative results of consuming to much fat are well known. A diet high in saturated fat is believed to increase the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood. For health conscious consumers this may be a concern when purchasing Katahdin meat. The average data also shows that unsaturated fat content is similar in amount to the saturated fat content and unsaturated fat is believed to reduce the amount of cholesterol circulating in the blood.

Every healthy body needs cholesterol. However, most of the cholesterol humans need is produced in their own liver, about 1000 mg a day. It is recommended that an adult should consume no more than 300 mg a day from food as excess amount of cholesterol may clog blood vessels. The data shows that Katahdin meat is relatively low in cholesterol content which is desirable for health conscious consumers.

To conclude, the data used for this study shows that Katahdin meat can be marketed as a healthy food choice. Producers need to be aware of the fat content of the meat when choosing feed and feeding conditions for their flock. The difference in fat content among the five cuts tested is significant. Producers can take advantage of this by promoting the leaner cuts. Good quality meat cutting is important to remove excess visible fat. The low cholesterol content is good news for both the producer and consumer.

This analysis has identified a number of areas that require further study. They are as follows:

• Greater live weight usually translates into more profit for the producer. Consumers want lean meat. Does a greater live weight result in more lean meat? Do leaner animals produce as much edible meat as fatter animals?

• Producers use different feeds and feeding methods. What are the effects of these differences on the nutrient value of the meat?

• The mild taste of Katahdin meat continues over a wide range of animal ages. Would animals that are fed over a longer period of time yield a larger, leaner carcass with a mild tasting meat?

• Katahdin meat has a lower cholesterol content than all the other meats used for comparison purposes in this study. What factors contribute to this result?

Bibliography

Cholesterol And Your Health. Saskatchewan Health, 1998.
Recommended Nutrient Intakes for Canadians. Health and Welfare Canada, 1983.
Rinzler, Carol Anne Nutrition For Dummies. IDG Books Woldwide, Inc. 1997.
Sizer, F and Whitney, E. Nutrition Concepts and Controversies 6^th edition. West Publishing Co., 1998.
USDA Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Release 12, March 1998.

PERSONNEL

A contract to analyze the 60 meat samples was signed with Dr. Ron Pegg and Heather Silcox of the Saskatchewan Food Product Innovation Program at the University of Saskatchewan on July 6, 1998 for a total of $3,750.

A deposit of $1,000 was paid in August 1998 and the final payment of $2,750 was paid in December, 1998.

No other salaries or fees were paid with this project.

EQUIPMENT:

No equipment was purchased or rented for this project.

PROJECT DEVELOPED MATERIALS:

No materials were developed within this project. However, various communication documents will be created when this report has been approved.

PROJECT PHOTOS:

Photos are not relevant to this project.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT:

The support for this project by the Saskatchewan Department of Agriculture and Food has been acknowledged in all written and oral communications.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT:

Receipts are available for inspection. Additional expenses will be incurred in printing this report following formal approval by Saskatchewan Agriculture and Food. A formal audit of these records will be part of the 1998 Saskatchewan Katahdin Sheep Association audit.

APPENDICES:

Appendix A - Sample Details Including Weights (Kg)

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Appendix B - Methods Used for the Nutritional Analysis of Katahdin Meat

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Appendix C

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Appendix C - Nutritional Information Formatted for a Canadian Label - Core List

Nutrition Information per 100 gram serving of Katahdin sheep meat: