Performance, carcass yield, and meat quality of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) fed on diets with different levels of concentrate

Abstract

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of diets with increasing concentlevels on performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of Murrah buffaloes in feedTwenty-four animals, with an initial body weight of 240 ± 50.5 kg and mean age of 9 months, wdistributed to four treatments: 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% concentrate. After 114 days, the animwere weighed, slaughtered, and meat quality and performance data were submitted to analysivariance and regression. The dry matter intake and average daily gain increased linearly. The fbody, hot carcass, and cold carcass weights responded linearly to increases in concentrate leThe subcutaneous fat thickness, protein, and ether extract of meat increased linearly with increase in concentrate level. The colour parameters, cooking losses, and shear force of the mwere not affected by increasing the concentrate. The inclusion of concentrate in feedlot dincreases performance, characteristics of carcass, and meat quality of Murrah buffalo in a feedlot.