| Popis: |
Pasture finishing beef is a production method to value add beef by improving fatty acid composition. However, this occurs at the expense of reduced growth rates and palatability attributes versus grain-fed beef. Supplementing corn grain on pasture may improve performance and palatability without affecting fatty acid composition. Fifty black Angus steers were randomly assigned to 1 of 4 management regimens (high grain, alfalfa pasture, alfalfa pasture plus corn supplementation at 0.5% BW or alfalfa pasture plus corn supplementation at 1% BW) to examine how supplementation affects the carcass, meat quality, and fatty acid traits while attempting to increase cattle performance and beef palatability attributes. Corn grain supplementation on pasture increased gains on pasture. While tenderness, juiciness, and beef flavour attributes were similar across management regimens, corn supplementation on pasture increased omega-3 fatty acid concentrations in beef versus cattle fed a conventional high grain diet. Beef Farmers of Ontario |
