Fresh Beef Quality from Cattle Fed Field Peas During Pasture and Finishing Phases of Production

Abstract

This study evaluated the use of field peas during two phases of production on fresh beef quality. Cattle (n = 232) were assigned to one of six dietary treatments in a 3x2 factorial design consisting of 3 pasture and 2 finishing supplementations. The pasture phase consisted of 1) no supplement, 2) field peas at 0.5% body weight (BW), or 3) dry-rolled corn supplement at 0.5% BW. The finishing phase consisted of 1) no field peas or 2) field peas at 20% dry-matter basis. Strip loin samples, aged 14 d, were subjected to retail display (RD) for an additional 7 d. Tenderness via Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and Slice Shear force (SSF), objective (L*, a*, and b*) and subjective color, lipid oxidation (TBARS) and fatty acid composition were evaluated. Dietary treatment had no effect on tenderness. Steak discoloration was low (< 3%). All objective color measurements displayed interactions between pasture and finishing diets (L*, P = 0.0035; a*, P = 0.0189; b*, P < 0.0001) yet no consistent patterns among treatments could be identified. Extended aging periods would be required to visually influence consumer color perception. Beef finished with field peas had slightly greater lipid oxidation than samples from cattle not receiving field peas during finishing (1.56 vs. 1.44 mg malonaldehyde/kg tissue, respectively; P = 0.0541). There was a significant interaction between pasture and finishing treatments for C15:1 (P = 0.0331). Feeding field peas during the pasture phase increased C 18:2 (P = 0.0381) relative to cattle supplemented with corn; cattle without supplement in the pasture phase had intermediate amounts of C18:2. Total saturated, unsaturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fatty acids (P > 0.05) were unaffected by dietary treatments. Field peas may be used for cattle with minimal negative impact on fresh meat quality.