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Palatability and Muscle Characteristics of Cattle with Controlled Weight Gain: Time on a High Energy Diet¹

Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907

Abstract

The effect of length of time on a high energy diet on beef palatability and muscle properties was studied. Steer calves (24 Hereford-Angus crossbred and 24 Charolais x Angus-Milking Shorthorn) were allotted to four dietary treatments: (1) high energy diet for 210 days; (2) low energy diet for 77 days, followed by high energy diet for 140 days; (3) low energy diet for 153 days, followed by high energy diet for 70 days, and (4) low energy diet for 230 days. The low energy diet was intended to restrict gain to approximately .68 kg/day. Cattle were slaughtered at the end of the feeding period and, consequently, were of similar age at slaughter. Cattle fed the low energy diet for longer periods of time had less carcass fat, smaller ribeye areas, higher cutability and lower quality grades than cattle that received the high energy diet for longer periods of time. Carcasses from treatment groups 1 and 2 graded high Good to low Choice, those from treatment group 3 graded low Good and those from treatment group 4 graded high Standard. Rib steaks from cattle fed the low energy diet for the entire feeding period (treatment 4) were less tender (by taste panel and shear values) and had lower flavor scores than steaks from steers on the other treatments. Likewise, longissimus muscle from the cattle fed low energy had a lower myofibril fragmentation index and lower collagen solubility than muscle from cattle fed high energy diets for 70 days or more. Palatability traits, myofibril fragmentation and collagen solubility did not differ among cattle fed a high energy diet for 70 to 210 days. It is suggested that The effect of length of time on a high energy diet on beef palatability and muscle properties was studied. Steer calves (24 Hereford-Angus crossbred and 24 Charolais X Angus-Milking Shorthorn) were allotted to four dietary treatments: (1) high energy diet for 210 days; (2) low energy diet for 77 days, followed by high energy diet for 140 days; (3) low energy diet for 153 days, followed by high energy diet for 70 days, and (4) low energy diet for 230 days. The low energy diet was intended to restrict gain to approximately .68 kg/day. Cattle were slaughtered at the end of the feeding period and, consequently, were of similar age at slaughter. Cattle fed the low energy diet for longer periods of time had less carcass fat, smaller ribeye areas, higher cutability and lower quality grades than cattle that received the high energy diet for longer periods of time. Carcasses from treatment groups 1 and 2 graded high Good to low Choice, those from treatment group 3 graded low Good and those from treatment group 4 graded high Standard. Rib steaks from cattle fed the low energy diet for the entire feeding period (treatment 4) were less tender (by taste panel and shear values) and had lower flavor scores than steaks from steers on the other treatments. Likewise, longissimus muscle from the cattle fed low energy had a lower myofibril fragmentation index and lower collagen solubility than muscle from cattle fed high energy diets for 70 days or more. Palatability traits, myofibril fragmentation and collagen solubility did not differ among cattle fed a high energy diet for 70 to 210 days. It is suggested that growth rate of cattle before slaughter affects meat palatability, particularly tenderness, and that growth rate may be a more important determinant of tenderness than the length of time that cattle are fed a high energy diet.

¹ Dept. of Anim. Sci., Journal Paper No. 8092, Purdue Agr. Exp. Sta.

² Present address: Box 113, Mt. Solon, VA 22843.

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