Effects of grass- and concentrate-based finishing systems on the quality of meat from the

Abstract

Context Recent heightened interest of consumers in the origins of their food, together with broader general awareness of environmental matters, has led to an increase in the demand for meat obtained from grazing systems. The importance of local breeds adapted to medium- and low-input production is fully recognised as a means of guaranteeing the sustainability of these farming methods. A finishing system based on pastures and the use of local breeds could both meet the demands of consumers and increase economic returns for Sardinian farmers. Aims The work evaluated the effects of different finishing treatments (pasture PAS-0C vs hay–concentrate-based diets HAY-C) on the quality of meat from young Sarda bulls and the usefulness of meat chemicals as markers to discriminate between finishing systems. Methods Twenty-eight young Sarda bulls were assigned randomly to the following two treatments: finished on natural pasture (PAS-0C group, n = 7), and fed on natural pasture hay ad libitum and concentrate (HAY-C group, n = 21). The latter group comprised three levels characterised by an increasing daily dose of concentrates, as follows: 2.5 kg/animal (HAY-2.5C), 3.3 kg/animal (HAY-3.3C), and ad libitum (HAY-ALC). After slaughter at a fixed age (416 ± 25 days), carcass yield, pH of the Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle, colour parameters, cooking loss, proximate analysis, α-tocopherol and cholesterol concentration, and fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat of LT were all determined. The discriminating power of the meat chemicals between the two main finishing systems (PAS-0C vs HAY-C) and among the three groups receiving concentrates and hay (HAY-2.5C, HAY-3.3C and HAY-ALC) was assessed using linear discriminant analysis. Key results Pasture-based treatment decreased the intramuscular fat and increased the α-tocopherol concentration of meat and the proportion of some desirable fatty acids (α-linolenic acid and its derivatives eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid), and improved the value of the ratio of n-6:n-3, without affecting the ultimate pH, colour parameters, and cooking loss. The discriminant procedure was able to discriminate accurately between the two main finishing systems and among the three groups receiving concentrate and hay (P < 0.0001 and P < 0.005 of the Hotelling’s T-squared test respectively). The concentration of α-tocopherol was key to the discrimination of the two main finishing systems, whereas the content of C17:0 and C18:0i were particularly effective in discriminating among the three groups fed with hay concentrate. Conclusions Grazing improves some of the meat traits of young Sarda bulls compared with the effects of a hay-concentrate-based finishing diet. The concentration of α-tocopherol in meat is an effective marker for discriminating the effects of pasture from those of a concentrate-based finishing diet Implications The results highlight the role of pasture-based diet in finishing young Sarda bulls, and could provide a wealth of knowledge for Sardinian beef farmers for delivering meat produce that stands out in the market and meets the demand of consumers more concerned about food origin and its healthiness.

Influence of beef genotypes on animal performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and sensory characteristics in grazing or feedlot-finished steers

“…Cooking loss was not impacted by the main factors. Similar results were found by Acciaro et al (2021) , where a pasture-based treatment decreased the intramuscular fat of the meat without affecting the cooking loss. Fruet et al (2018) also did not find difference for cooking loss between beef from grass or grain finishing systems.…”

“…The results found by Acciaro et al (2021) showed that the pasture-based treatment decreased the intramuscular fat and increased the a-tocopherol concentration of meat without affecting the color parameters. On the other hand, Warren et al (2008b) compared the grazing pasture-fed and grain-fed cattle and found that antioxidants naturally present in the pasture probably caused higher levels of vitamin E, lower lipid oxidation, and better color retention in the meat.…”

“…The feeding system can affect the lipid composition and vitamin E concentration in the meat ( Bekhit et al, 2013 ). Generally, grass-based-diets are rich in α-tocopherol and β-carotene ( Descalzo and Sancho, 2008 ; Daley et al, 2010 ; Acciaro et al, 2021 ), which prevents excess oxidation of the fatty acids in meat products and slows down the conversion of deoxymyoglobin and oxymyoglobin to metmyoglobin ( Wood and Enser, 1997 ). The addition of vitamin E to feedlot diets produced beef with reduced hue angle (less metmyoglobin) ( Juárez et al, 2012 ) and increased a* values ( Phelps et al, 2017 ).…”

Evaluating the Shelf Life and Sensory Properties of Beef Steaks from Cattle Raised on Different Grass Feeding Systems in the Western United States

“…Some studies have reported grass-fed beef to have lower a* values than grain-finished beef [ 42 , 43 ], while others have found grass-fed beef to have superior a* values compared to grain-finished beef [ 9 ]. Additional studies have also reported observing no difference in a* values [ 44 , 45 , 46 ]. Additionally, the difference in a* values observed between the 20GF and 25GF groups may be due to age, similar to the difference in L* values.…”

Does Finishing at Pasture Influence the Colour of Muscle from Suckler Bulls and Can Colour Be Used to Authenticate Their Pre-Slaughter Diet?

“…Consumers presume bright red meat to be fresher and of higher quality, whereas pale, discoloured, or darker meat is perceived to be nearing spoilage or of poorer quality [ 1 ], and grass-fed beef is frequently observed to be darker than concentrate-fed beef [ 2 , 26 ]. However, Acciaro et al [ 27 ] found no difference in the colour of LT from Sarda bulls finished at pasture or indoors on concentrates. This may reflect the shorter duration of treatment (61 days compared to 199 days in the present study or indeed 78 days in Moran et al [ 4 ]), grazing management or the nature of the pasture.…”