Carcass characteristics and meat quality of Hungarian Simmental young bulls fed different forage to concentrate ratios with or without linseed supplementation

• Published in: Archiv für Tierzucht Vol. 51; no. 6; pp. 517 - 530
• Main Authors: Holló, G., Ender, K., Lóki, K., Seregi, J., Holló, I., Nuernberg, K.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 10.10.2008
• ISSN: 2363-9822; 2363-9822
• DOI: 10.5194/aab-51-517-2008

In total, 30 Hungarian Simmental bulls were reared to 300.07 ± 43.78 kg initial live weight and 274.57 ± 19.73 d of age. Animals were distributed into three feeding groups with different maize silage to concentrate ratios (670 : 330 = F/ HC; 750 : 250 = F/ LC 1; 800 : 200 = F/ LC 2) based on dry matter. The low concentrate groups (F/ LC 1 and F/ LC 2) received linseed supplemented concentrate during the fattening period. Feeding high concentrate (F/ HC) caused the significantly highest daily gain. The slaughter weights, dressing (%), lean (%) and fat (%) did not show any significant differences between feeding groups. Carcass conformation of all groups was assessed mainly as U. Bulls of group F/ LC 2 had the lowest amount of kidney fat. Bone proportion of the carcasses was affected by the diet (F/ HC: 18.65 %; F/ LC 1: 18.41 %; F/ LC 2: 17.91 %). The tendon proportions were lower in groups F/ LC 1 and F/ LC 2 but not significantly (F/ HC: 1.15 %; F/ LC 1: 1.1 %; F/ LC 2: 1.08 %). The intramuscular fat content varied between the three muscles investigated. Psoas major muscle contained the highest fat concentration in all three feeding groups. The mineral content of muscles (iron [Fe], copper [Cu], zinc [Zn]) was only affected by muscle type, but not by diet. In linseed supplemented groups (F/ LC 1 and F/ LC 2) the palmitic acid and palmitoleic acid proportion was decreased (P<0.05) in all muscles and the linolenic, eicosapentaenoic and the sum of n-3 fatty acid (P<0.05) was increased compared to the F/ HC group. The beef from groups F/ LC 1 and F/ LC 2 bulls showed a lower n-6 to n-3 fatty acids ratio (P<0.05). The relative and absolute concentration of CLAcis-9,trans-11 was unaffected by diet but muscle type caused changes.