The aims of the present study were to compare the quality of grainfedand pasture-fed beef and to assess the effects of two feeding periods on grain for finishingsteers. A group of 75 steers were fed one of 5 finishing diets (n = 15 per diet): pasture for 90 d(P), oat grain plus pasture silage for 35 d (SO), oat grain plus pasture silage for 75 d (LO), wheatgrain plus pasture silage for 35 d (SW), and wheat grain plus pasture silage for 75 d (LW).The physicochemical and sensory attributes and the fatty acid composition of the longissimuslumborum muscle were determined. The beef from pasture-fed animals tended to be tenderer, darker, less red, and with yellower fat than the beef from grain-fed steers. The beef from steersfed wheat plus silage for 75 d had lower tenderness scores than beef from steers fed for 35 don grain plus silage. The beef from pasture-fed steers had higher levels of conjugated linoleicacid c-9 t-11 and n-3 fatty acids and a lower n-6:n-3 fatty acid ratio than the beef from grain-fedsteers. The time fed on grain plus silage had a significant effect on the fatty acid composition ofthe beef from steers fed wheat, but no similar effect was observed in beef from steers fed oats.However, the n-6:n-3 ratio of beef was more favorable when steers were fed grain (wheat oroats) plus silage for 35 d than for 75 d.
CITATION STYLE
Morales, R., Parga, J., Subiabre, I., & Realini, C. E. (2015). Finishing strategies for steers based on pasture or silage plus grain and time on feed and their effects on beef quality. Ciencia e Investigación Agraria, 42(1), 1–2. https://doi.org/10.4067/s0718-16202015000100001
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