Meat quality traits and feeding distillers grains to cattle: a review

MERAYO, M.; PIGHIN, D.; GRIGIONI, G.

Animal Production Science

CSIRO Publishing

Año: 2020

1836-0939

Livestockmanagementandmeatproductioninvolveaseriesofstepsthataffectmeatquality.Animalgenetics, nutrition and diets, slaughter procedures and meat-preservation conditions are some of the parameters that should be controlledtomaintainmeatquality.Inregardtoanimalnutritionanddiets,novelingredientsareincreasinglyused,distillers grains(DG)beinganexample.DGareobtainedasaco-productfrombioethanolproductionandcomprisethefat,protein, fibreandmicronutrientportionofthegrains.ManypapershavestudiedtheinclusionofDGinfinishingdietsandtheireffect on growth performance and meat characteristics, but a review on the effects on meat quality is needed. Feeding with DG influences beef colour; nevertheless, a relationship between the level of inclusion and colour development has not been establishedyet.Inaddition,feedingDG-inclusiondietssometimesincreasesmeatdiscolorationduringretaildisplay.Also, thecompositionoffattyacidsismodifiedsincetotalpolyunsaturatedfattyacidcontentinmeatincreaseswiththeinclusion of DG in finishing diets. This increment in polyunsaturated fatty acid content is likely to contribute to lipid oxidation processesandmightberelatedtomeatdiscolorationduetomyoglobinoxidation.However,meattendernesshasnotbeen modifiedinmostofthecases.ThisreviewfocusedonrecentstudiesonDGinclusion,animalperformanceandmeatquality. Key points that need further research are also identified and discussed.