Effect of feeding sunflower seeds on the performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, retail stability and sensory characteristics of pasture-fed and feedlot finished beef

2007 ◽  
Vol 87 (1) ◽  
pp. 15-27 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. A. Basarab ◽  
J. L. Aalhus ◽  
M. A. Shah ◽  
P. S. Mir ◽  
V. S. Baron ◽  
...  

This study examined the effects of whole sunflower seed (WSS) supplementation on production parameters, carcass traits, and organoleptic characteristics of beef from steers slaughtered directly off pasture or after receiving a finishing diet. Ninety-six yearling steers (410 kg; SD = 44 kg) were randomly allocated to three pasture (P) dietary treatments: (1) supplemented with P-WSS (n = 48), (2) supplemented with cracked barley grain (P-BAR, n = 24), and (3) not supplemented (P-CON, n = 24). Steers rotationally grazed meadow bromegrass-alfalfa pasture for 66 d during the summer and consumed WSS and BAR at a rate of 0.75 and 1.79 kg head-1 d-1, respectively. At the end of summer grazing half the steers from each pasture dietary treatment group were moved to a feedlot (F) where they were fed high barley-based finishing diets. The remaining 48 steers continued with their dietary treatments on stockpiled pasture for an additional 47 d (SD = 11) until they were slaughtered directly off pasture. In the feedlot, half the steers from each pasture dietary treatment were fed either a control [83% rolled barley, 10% alfalfa hay, 5% barley silage, 1% molasses and 1% vitamin/mineral mix on a dry matter (DM) basis; F-CON] or a F-WSS diet (68% rolled barley, 15% WSS, 10% alfalfa hay, 5% barley silage, 1% molasses and 1% vitamin/mineral mix on a DM basis) for a further 94 d until slaughter. Supplementation of BAR on pasture increased average daily gain (ADG), while supplementation of WSS had no effect on ADG compared with no supplementation (0.73 vs. 0.58 vs. 0.55 kg d-1, P = 0.023). Inclusion of 15% WSS in the finishing diet decreased ADG (1.46 vs. 1.72 kg d-1, P = 0.038), dry matter intake (DMI) (11.6 vs. 12.6 kg d-1, P = 0.058) and had no effect on feed to gain ratio (8.0 vs. 7.4 kg d-1, P = 0.160). Provision of WSS on pasture or in finishing diets had no effect on carcass traits and organoleptic characteristics of beef from steers slaughtered directly off pasture or after receiving a finishing diet. Slaughtering steers directly off pasture, regardless of pasture dietary treatment, adversely affected most carcass merit, meat quality and retail appearance and acceptability parameters compared with steers finished on a high-barley grain diet. These results indicate that increasing the dietary polyunsaturated fatty acids threefold in the pasture dietary treatment or greater than eightfold in the finishing diets had a small negative effect on animal growth rate and no adverse effect on carcass merit, meat quality and retail acceptability. Key words: Polyunsaturated fatty acids, retail acceptability, beef cattle

2020 ◽  
Vol 98 (10) ◽  
Author(s):  
Karen M Koenig ◽  
Gwinyai E Chibisa ◽  
Gregory B Penner ◽  
Karen A Beauchemin

Abstract High grain diets are fed to finishing beef cattle to maximize animal performance in a cost-effective manner. However, a small amount of roughage is incorporated in finishing diets to help prevent ruminal acidosis, although few studies have examined optimum roughage inclusion level in barley-based diets. The objective of the study was to evaluate the effects of roughage proportion in barley-based finishing diets on growth performance, feeding behavior, and carcass traits of feedlot cattle. Crossbred beef steers (n = 160; mean body weight ± SD, 349.7 ± 21.4 kg) were allocated to 20 pens that were assigned randomly to four dietary treatments (five pens of eight steers per treatment). The treatment diets contained barley silage at 0%, 4%, 8%, and 12% of dietary dry matter (DM). The remainder of the diets (DM basis) consisted of 80%, 76%, 72%, and 68% barley grain, respectively, 15% corn dried distiller’s grains, 5% mineral and vitamin supplement, and 32 mg monensin/kg diet DM. The diets were fed as total mixed rations for ad libitum intake (minimum of 5% refusal) once per day. Cattle were weighed on 2 consecutive days at the start and end of the experiment and on 1 d every 3 wk throughout the experiment (124 d). Two pens for each treatment group were equipped with an electronic feeding system (GrowSafe Systems Ltd., Calgary, Alberta) to monitor feed intake and feeding behavior of individual cattle. The data for dry matter intake (DMI), average daily gain (ADG), gain:feed (G:F) ratio, and carcass traits were analyzed as a completely randomized design with fixed effect of barley silage proportion and pen replicate as experimental unit. Feeding behavior data were analyzed similarly, but with animal as experimental unit. Averaged over the study, DMI increased linearly (11.1, 11.3, 11.7, 11.8 kg/d; P = 0.001) as barley silage proportion increased from 0%, 4%, 8%, and 12% of DM, but ADG was not affected (carcass-adjusted,1.90, 1.85, 1.87, 1.89 kg/d; P ≥ 0.30). Consequently, G:F ratio decreased linearly (carcass-adjusted, 168.9, 163.8, 158.5, 160.6 g/kg DMI; P = 0.023). When averaged over the study, proportion of barley silage in the diet had no linear or quadratic effects (P > 0.10) on meal frequency, duration of meals, intermeal duration, or meal size, but eating rate decreased linearly with increasing silage proportion (P = 0.008). There was no diet effect on liver abscesses (P ≥ 0.92), and effects on carcass characteristics were minor or nonexistent. We conclude that increasing the proportion of barley silage in a feedlot finishing diet at the expense of barley grain to minimize the incidence of ruminal acidosis may decrease feed conversion efficiency.


2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 161-168 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Pylot ◽  
J. J. McKinnon ◽  
T. A. McAllister ◽  
A. F. Mustafa ◽  
J. Popp ◽  
...  

Two experiments were conducted to determine the feeding value of canola screenings in combination with barley grain for beef steers. Four dietary treatments were used. These included canola screenings:barley grain ratios of 100:0; 75:25, 50:50, and 25:75 (as-fed basis). In a metabolic trial, the effects of dietary treatment on ruminal fermentation parameters were determined in a 4 × 4 Latin square design experiment using four ruminally fistulated steers. In a production trial, 66 individually fed steers were used in an 83-d finishing trial to determine the performance and carcass characteristics of feedlot cattle fed different levels of canola screenings. A barley grain/barley silage-based control diet was also fed for comparison purposes. Ruminal pH decreased (P < 0.05) while total volatile fatty acid concentrations increased (P < 0.05) as the level of barley grain in the diet increased. Ruminal NH3–N followed a pattern (P < 0.05) similar to that of pH. Inclusion level of canola screenings had no effect on DM intake. However, ADG and feed efficiency increased (P < 0.05) as the level of barley grain in the diet increased. Increasing the level of barley grain in the finishing diet decreased (P < 0.05) lean meat yield and increased (P < 0.05) carcass fat. It was concluded that canola screenings can be included as a source of fiber in barley-based diets. However, levels in excess of 500 g kg−1 reduced the performance of feedlot steers. Performance and cost of gain with 250 and 500 g kg−1 canola screenings in barley-based finishing diets were comparable with those fed an 800 g kg−1 barley grain and 200 g kg−1 barley silage diet. Key words: Canola screenings, ruminal fermentation, feedlot steer performance


Animals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (10) ◽  
pp. 2880
Author(s):  
Violeta Razmaitė ◽  
Rūta Šveistienė ◽  
Alma Račkauskaitė ◽  
Virginija Jatkauskienė

The objective of the study was to assess the influence of gender, age, and carcass weight on the properties of meat from adult horses slaughtered in Lithuania. M. pectoralis profundus of twenty-six obsolescent horses from 3 to 21 years of age were used in the experiment. Gender appeared to affect the horse meat properties. Stallions demonstrated (p < 0.01 and p < 0.05, respectively) lower content of dry matter and also considerably lower (p < 0.001 and p < 0.01) intramuscular fat content compared with mares and geldings and higher (p < 0.01) cholesterol content compared with mares. The meat of stallions showed the highest pH; however, a significant (p < 0.01) difference was obtained only in comparison with mares. Meat lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) of stallions were lower (p < 0.05) compared with geldings. Meat toughness of stallions was also lower (p < 0.01) than the meat of mares and geldings. The highest (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively) proportion of total polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), higher (p < 0.05) and more favorable PUFA/SFA ratio, and also the highest (p < 0.05) but least favorable n-6/n-3 PUFA ratio, were detected in the muscles of stallions compared with mares and geldings. The differences in horse ages did not exhibit any effect on the properties of M. pectoralis profundus. Despite the age differences at the decline of horse life, the properties of the horse meat exhibited good quality and showed that horse meat is potentially highly beneficial to human health.


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 74-74
Author(s):  
Brittany E Ross ◽  
John J McKinnon ◽  
Greg B Penner ◽  
Tim A McAllister ◽  
Kathy A Larson ◽  
...  

Abstract A 3-year study compared two triticale (Triticosecale) varieties, Bunker and Taza, with a conventional barley (Hordeum vulgare) fed as silage to backgrounding beef steers on the basis of crop dry matter (DM) yield, nutritive value, steer performance, and total daily feeding costs. Each year, 240 fall weaned beef steers were stratified by BW (308 ± 4.9 kg) and allocated to 1 of 3 replicated (n = 4) dietary treatments containing Bunker triticale, Taza triticale, or barley silage. Steers were fed a total mixed ration (TMR) consisting of silage (55–68%), barley grain (20–34%), supplement (5%), and (0.4–6%) canola meal (DM basis). Diets were formulated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric to meet or exceed NRC (2001) requirements for TDN and CP. Crop DM yield of Taza (6750 kg DM ha-1) and Bunker triticale (6592 kg DM ha-1) was similar (P &gt; 0.05), and both were greater (P = 0.01) than barley (6008 kg DM ha-1). Over 2 years, steer ADG, DMI, G:F, and the calculated NEm, and NEg did not differ (P &gt; 0.05) among treatments. Cost per head per day was lowest for Taza fed steers at $1.26 hd-1 d-1, followed by Bunker silage at $1.33 hd-1 d-1, and Barley silage at $1.34 hd-1 d-1. Total cost of gain for Taza, Bunker, and barley fed steers was $0.84, $0.91, and $0.93, per kg of gain, respectively. Study results suggest that Taza and Bunker triticale silage can be used as an alternative to barley silage when fed to backgrounding beef steers.


2011 ◽  
Vol 91 (1) ◽  
pp. 147-167 ◽  
Author(s):  
Riazuddin Mohammed ◽  
Reza Khorasani ◽  
Laksiri Goonewardene ◽  
John Kramer ◽  
John Kennelly

Mohammed, R., Khorasani, R. G., Goonewardene, L. A., Kramer, J. K. G. and Kennelly, J. J. 2011. Persistency of milk trans-18:1 isomers and rumenic acid in Holstein cows over a full lactation. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 91: 147–167. A long-term lactation study was undertaken to determine whether the previously reported short-term persistency in vaccenic acid [VA; trans(t)11-18:1] and rumenic acid (RA) could be maintained. To test this hypothesis, 24 Holstein cows were allotted to two experimental diets (control and test) from 2 wk before calving until they were 270 d in milk (DIM). The test diet was similar to the control diet, but supplemented with sunflower seed (11.2% diet DM), fish oil (0.5%) and monensin (22 mg/kg DM) by replacing an equivalent amount of barley grain. The forage: concentrate ratio was 50:50 (DM basis) with 35% barley silage and 15% alfalfa hay. Milk was sampled every fortnight from the start of lactation until cows were 270 DIM. Data obtained were averaged into three equal periods of 90 d each, representing three stages of lactation (SOL): early-lactation (EL), mid-lactation (ML) and late-lactation (LL). Dry matter intakes were not different between treatments with greater intakes observed during ML than during EL or LL. Milk yield was not different between treatments and decreased with increasing DIM. Milk fat content and yield showed interaction between treatment and SOL with lower values observed for the test diet than control diet during EL and ML. De novo synthesized fatty acids (4:0–15:0), 16:0–16:1 and preformed fatty acids (17:0 and above) showed interaction between treatment and SOL with the former two being greater for control diet than test diet and the latter greater for the test diet than control diet within each SOL. Milk t10-18:1 (% fatty acid methyl esters, FAME) was greater for the test diet compared with control diet (4.38 vs. 1.32) and was greater during ML (3.79) than during EL (2.38) or LL (2.38). Milk VA and RA showed interactions between treatment and SOL with greater values observed for the test diet than the control diet within each SOL. When analyzed by treatment, milk VA was not different across SOL for both diets. Milk RA was not different across SOL for the test diet, but was different for the control diet; it was lower during EL than during ML. Step-wise regression analysis revealed that the variability in milk RA for the control diet (P<0.01; R2=0.97) was determined by VA (70%) and RA/VA (27%); and for the test diet (P<0.01; R2=0.987) by VA (88.7%), RA/VA (5%) and t10-18:1 (3.8%). Desaturase index based on RA/VA showed an interaction between treatment and SOL; it was greater for the control diet than the test diet within each SOL. Overall findings revealed that the differences in milk t10- and VA across SOL reflected possible differences in starch and PUFA intakes, respectively. Differences in milk RA across SOL for the control diet could be attributed to possible differences in mammary desaturase activity based on differences in RA/VA.


1990 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 1041-1051 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. A. VAN LUNEN ◽  
R. L. WILSON ◽  
L. M. POSTE ◽  
G. BUTLER

Seventy-two feeder pigs, with a mean weight of 24.6 kg, were randomly allotted in groups of three to four dietary treatments to determine the effect of feeding poultry offal hydrolysate (POH) on fatty acid composition and meat quality. The four dietary treatments were: 0% POH (control), 5% POH, 10% POH and 15% POH on a dry matter basis. At slaughter (96.8 kg), the right loins from 60 pigs were retained for fatty acid analysis and meat quality evaluation. The longissimus dorsi muscle was dissected from each loin; 200 g were stored in an atmosphere of nitrogen and frozen for fatty acid analysis and 500 g were frozen for meat quality evaluation. Fat was extracted and methylated for fatty acid analysis. Separation and identification of individual fatty acid methyl esters was performed using gas chromatography. Sensory meat evaluation (pork flavour, off-flavour, tenderness and juiciness) was performed by 10 trained panelists. Warner-Bratzler shear evaluation and free moisture analyses were performed. The fatty acids in pork appear to exhibit a sensitive response to changes in dietary fat. Linear trends for fatty acids in the pork were, for the most part, opposite to trends in the diets. Inclusion of POH resulted in an increase in the total polyunsaturates present in the pork. There was no effect (P > 0.05) due to dietary treatment on flavour, tenderness or juiciness of the pork. No significant differences were found among the Warner-Bratzler shear measurements or free moisture determinations. Changes in fatty acid profile of pork do not appear to affect eating quality when POH is included in the diet at levels of up to 15% DM. Key words: Poultry offal, pork, fatty acid, meat quality


2019 ◽  
Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽  
pp. 417-417
Author(s):  
David M Crawford ◽  
Joshua C McCann

Abstract The objective was to determine the interaction of replacing forage with coproducts and the number of step-up diets when adapting feedlot cattle to a finishing diet on the ruminal microbiome. Simmental × Angus and Angus steers (n = 24; 234 ± 38 kg) were blocked by initial body weight (BW) and allotted to 8 pens as a subset of a larger group. Pens were randomly assigned to 1 of 2 dietary treatments: 1) decreasing coproduct (CO; soybean hulls and modified wet distillers grains) inclusion while increasing dry-rolled corn over 36 d or 2) decreasing forage (FO; alfalfa and grass hay) inclusion while increasing dry-rolled corn over 36 d. Pens were fed either 5 (5S) or 2 (2S) step-up diets for each dietary treatment during the 36 d adaptation period in a 2 × 2 factorial design. Steers were fed a common finishing diet for the remainder of the trial (34 d). The ruminal microbiome was evaluated on d 36 and 70. Alpha diversity was greatest (P &lt; 0.01) for FO/2S steers on d 36. A diet × day effect (P = 0.02) was observed for beta diversity as the microbial community was more similar (P &lt; 0.01) between d 36 and 70 for steers fed CO compared with FO. Relative abundance of Bacteroidetes was greater (P = 0.03) for 2S steers compared with 5S steers. Prevotellaceae tended to be greater (P = 0.07) in 2S steers compared with 5S steers. Lactobacillaceae was greater (P &lt; 0.01) on d 36 than d 70. Limited observed day effects for individual taxa suggest the microbiome was well adapted by treatments for the finishing diet on d 36. Greater coproduct inclusion in adaptation diets may alter the ruminal bacterial community to be more similar to the community while feeding high levels of dry-rolled corn.


2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (7) ◽  
pp. 1035 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Vyas ◽  
A. Alazzeh ◽  
S. M. McGinn ◽  
T. A. McAllister ◽  
O. M. Harstad ◽  
...  

The objective of this study was to test the efficacy of Propionibacterium strains to mitigate enteric methane (CH4) emissions in beef heifers fed a mixed diet. An experiment was conducted with 16 ruminally cannulated beef heifers fed a basal diet consisting of 60 : 40 barley silage : barley grain (DM basis). Treatments included: (1) Control, (2) Propionibacterium freudenreichii T114, (3) P. thoenii T159, and (4) P. freudenreichii T54. Strains (1 × 1011 colony forming units) were administered daily directly into the rumen before feeding. No treatment effects were observed for DM intake (P = 0.90), mean ruminal pH (P = 0.50) and total volatile fatty acids (P = 0.44). However, compared with the Control, proportions of individual volatile fatty acids changed with acetate being less with Propionibacterium T159 (P = 0.02), whereas ruminal isobutyrate (P < 0.01) and acetate : propionate ratio (P = 0.04) were greater with Propionibacterium T114. Total daily enteric CH4 production averaged 188 g/day and was not affected by Propionbacterium strains (P = 0.51). Methane yield averaged 22 g/kg of DMI intake and tended to be greater with Propionibacterium strains (P = 0.08). The relative abundance of total Propionibacteria was greater with the inoculation of Propionibacterium T159 relative to the Control heifers (P = 0.04). In conclusion, inoculation of Propionibacterium T159 decreased ruminal acetate proportion and Propionibacterium T114 increased acetate : propionate ratio. However, inoculated strains failed to lower total CH4 emissions possibly due to the inability of Propionibacterium strains to elevate ruminal propionate concentrations.


2016 ◽  
Vol 56 (1) ◽  
pp. 38 ◽  
Author(s):  
Omur Kocak ◽  
Bulent Ekiz ◽  
Hulya Yalcintan ◽  
Akin Yakan ◽  
Alper Yilmaz

The aim of the study was to compare the meat quality characteristics of male lambs reared under organic (n = 9), intensive (n = 10) and traditional (n = 10) production systems. The average daily gain of organic lambs (121.4 g) was lower than lambs of intensive (161 g) and traditional (157.8 g) systems. Production system had no significant effect on carcass weight and dressing percentage. Differences among production systems for meat pH, drip loss, cooking loss, shear force value and colour characteristics were not significant. Traditional lambs had a higher percentage of total polyunsaturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acid : saturated fatty acid ratio, whereas organic lambs had the highest percentage of total n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and the lowest n-6 : n-3 ratio. In accordance with the meat fatty acid composition, meat from the organic and traditional systems used here was healthier than meat from intensive system. But the results of sensory assessment indicate that meat from traditional system was found more acceptable by panellists in terms of flavour intensity, flavour acceptability and overall acceptability when compared with that of organic meat.


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