Blood profile and meat quality of Holstein-Friesian steers finished on total mixed ration or flaxseed oil-supplemented pellet mixed with reed canary grass haylage

Abstract

Holstein-Friesian steer beef production is renowned globally as a secondary product of the milk industry. Grass feeding is a common practice in raising Holstein steers because of its low cost. Furthermore, grass feeding is an alternative way to produce beef with a balanced n-6 to n-3 fatty acids (FAs) ratio. However, the performance and meat quality of Holstein-Friesian cattle is more likely to depend on a high-quality diet. The aim of this study was to observe whether feeding two mixed diets; a corn-based total mixed ration (TMR) with winter ryegrass (Lolium perenne) or flaxseed oil-supplemented pellets with reed canary grass haylage (n-3 mix) provided benefits on carcass weight, meat quality and FA composition compared with cattle fed with reed canary grass (Phalaris arundinacea) haylage alone. In all, 15 21-month-old Holstein-Friesian steers were randomly assigned to three group pens, were allowed free access to water and were fed different experimental diets for 150 days. Blood samples were taken a week before slaughter. Carcass weight and meat quality were evaluated after slaughter. Plasma lipid levels and aspartate aminotransferase (AST), γ-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT), creatine kinase (CK) and alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activities were determined. Diet did not affect plasma triglyceride levels and GGT activity. Plasma cholesterol levels, including low-density and high-density lipoproteins, were higher in both mixed-diet groups than in the haylae group. The highest activities of plasma AST, CK and ALP were observed in the haylage group, followed by n-3 mix and TMR groups, respectively. Carcass weight was lower in the haylage group than in the other groups and no differences were found between the TMR and n-3 mix groups. Although the n-3 mix-fed and haylage-fed beef provided lower n-6 to n-3 FAs ratio than TMR-fed beef, the roasted beef obtained from the TMR group was more acceptable with better overall meat physicochemical properties and sensory scores. According to daily cost, carcass weight and n-6 to n-3 FAs ratio, the finishing diet containing flaxseed oil-supplemented pellets and reed canary grass haylage at the as-fed ratio of 40 : 60 could be beneficial for the production of n-3-enriched beef.

Effect of Broussonetia papyrifera L. silage on blood biochemical parameters, growth performance, meat amino acids and fatty acids compositions in beef cattle

“…Ruminant milk and meat might contain more SFA because of the biohydrogenation occurring in the rumen. There are considerable studies focusing on reducing the biohydrogenation by adding more unsaturated fatty acids of feedstuff [32,33], protecting unsaturated fatty acids [34] or supplying feedstuff against biohydrogenation [35] in ruminants' diets. In the present study, PUFA were significantly higher in 10% and 15% groups than that in control group or 5% group (p<0.05), and it might due to the antimicrobial activities in the diet supplemented with B. papyrifera silage, as it is reported that prenylated flavonoids isolated from B. papyrifera have antimicrobial activity [36,37] which might affect the rumen microorganism by reducing the biohydrogenation of fatty acids in the rumen, and also dietary antioxidant activity might increase PUFA content in meat [38,39].…”

Effects of dietary extruded linseed (<i>Linum usitatissimum</i> L.) on performance and meat quality in Podolian young bulls

“…However, accomplishing this enrichment in ruminants is challenging owing to the biohydrogenation of fatty acids, which occurs in the rumen (Bessa et al, 2000;Lunn & Theobald, 2006). In the last decade several attempts have been made to increase the PUFA content in meat from ruminant livestock, including dietary supplementation with linseed and linseed oil in lambs (Giannico et al, 2009;Colonna et al, 2011;Toteda et al, 2011;Facciolongo et al, 2018), in kids (Rotondi et al, 2018), and in steers (Juárez et al, 2012;Ragni et al, 2014;Utama et al, 2018). Heat extrusion of oil from linseed has been shown to be a successful way of protecting the seeds from ruminal degradation (Mustafa et al, 2003;Gonthier et al, 2004;Raes et al, 2004).…”

Effects of Intensive Fattening With Total Mixed Rations on Carcass Characteristics, Meat Quality, and Meat Chemical Composition of Yak and Mechanism Based on Serum and Transcriptomic Profiles

“…Total mixed ration (TMR) provides forage and simultaneously increased the digestibility of nutrients and digestible energy content (12). It has several advantages, providing homogeneous feed to animals over time, reducing feed costs, and saving time (13). However, intensive fattening is better than other farming systems, regardless of age and sex (14).…”