title: The effect of feeding native warm season grasses in the stocker phase on the carcass quality, meat quality, and sensory attributes of beef loin steaks from grain-finished steers.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of feeding native warm season grass (NWSG) to beef cattle during the stocker phase (110days) on carcass and meat quality. Treatments included Bermudagrass (BER), Indiangrass monoculture (IND), and a mixture of NWSG including Big Bluestem, Little Bluestem, and Indiangrass (MIX). Cattle were finished on grain (180days) in a commercial feedlot and carcass data were collected after harvest. The percentages of 'choice' carcasses were 100, 95.8, and 87 within MIX, BER, and IND treatments, respectively. Steaks from BER had greater (P<0.05) fat content, and lower (P<0.05) protein and moisture percentages when compared to steaks from IND and MIX treatments. However, steaks from the MIX and IND treatments had less (P<0.05) lipid oxidation than steaks from BER after 6days of refrigerated storage. Results indicate that NWSG could be effectively incorporated into forage systems for stocker cattle without compromising carcass and meat quality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, PO Box 9805, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS 39762, United States.
authors.forename: V P
authors.initials: VP
authors.lastname: Kurve
authors.affiliation: Kalsec Inc., Kalamazoo, MI, United States.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Joseph
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, PO Box 9805, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS 39762, United States.
authors.forename: J B
authors.initials: JB
authors.lastname: Williams
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, PO Box 9805, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS 39762, United States.
authors.forename: T J
authors.initials: TJ
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Prairie Research Unit, PO Box 60, Mississippi State University, Prairie, MS 39756, United States.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Boland
authors.affiliation: Department of Animal and Dairy Sciences, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS 39762, United States.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Smith
authors.affiliation: Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion, PO Box 9805, Mississippi State University, Mississippi, MS 39762, United States. Electronic address: schilling@foodscience.msstate.edu.
authors.forename: M W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Schilling
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle; D055598:Chemical Phenomena; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003433:Crosses, Genetic; D004041:Dietary Fats / Q000032:analysis*; D005518:Food Preferences; D063427:Food Quality; D060434:Herbivory; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis*; D055595:Mechanical Phenomena; D008922:Mississippi; D024510:Muscle Development; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D010084:Oxidation-Reduction; D006109:Poaceae / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000254:growth & development; D012621:Seasons; D012677:Sensation; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances / Q000032:analysis
chemical_list: D004041:Dietary Fats; D017392:Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances
keywords: Beef; Lipid oxidation; Native warm season grass; Sensory