Meat Quality Traits in Beef from Heifers: Effect of including Distiller Grains in Finishing Pasture-Based Diets

MERAYO, M.; PIGHIN, DARÍO GABRIEL; CUNZOLO, S.A.; VEGGETTI, M.; SOTERAS, T.; CHAMORRO, V.C.; PAZOS, A.A.; GRIGIONI, G.

Agriculture

MDPI

Lugar: Basilea; Año: 2023

2077-0472

Distiller grains (DG), which are the by-product from the bioethanol industry, represent aninteresting alternative as animal feedstock. To our knowledge, little information is available on theinclusion of DG on the quality of meat from pasture-fed heifers. Thus, the aim of the present studywas to evaluate the effect of DG inclusion in pasture-based systems on the main meat quality attributes of Charolais x Aberdeen Angus heifers. For this purpose, meat from heifers fed with a pasturebased diet without supplementation (P) or with 0.75% of live weight DG supplementation (PDG; DG plus dry-rolled corn, 50:50) or with 0.75 % of live weight dry-rolled corn supplementation (PRC) was evaluated. Physical (pH, WHC, color, texture), sensory and nutritional (fat content, fatty acid, and amino acid profile) attributes were evaluated in beef samples. No effect of supplementation was observed on meat pH or color (p > 0.05). Meat from PDG heifers showed higher values of WBSF than meat from P heifers (p = 0.039). However, the overall tenderness evaluated by trained panelists showed no differences due to supplementation (p > 0.05). Our results indicate that the inclusion of DG as a partial corn-replacement supplementation for heifers under grazing represents a strategic tool not only related to meat quality, but also as an alternative to reduce food–feed competition.