Effect of post-weaning growth rate on carcass traits and meat quality of Nellore cattle

• Autor(a) principal: Silva, Luiz H.P.
• Data de Publicação: 2016
• Outros Autores: Paulino, Pedro V.R., Assis, Gutierrez J.F., Assis, Debora E.F., Estrada, Mauricio M., Silva, Matheus C., Silva, Jaqueline C., Martins, Taiane S., Valadares Filho, Sebastião C., Paulino, Mário F., Chizzotti, Mario L.
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: LOCUS Repositório Institucional da UFV
• Texto Completo: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2016.10.005; http://www.locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/19767
• topic: Compensatory gain; Meat tenderness; Myofibrillar fragmentation index; Sarcomere length

This study evaluated the effects of growth rate during post-weaning growing phase on carcass traits and beef quality. Thirty-four Nellore young bulls were randomly assigned to one of three treatments: LOW, MEDIUM or HIGH growth rate during post-weaning growing phase followed by high growth rate in the finishing phase. The growth rate affected (P < 0.05) all carcass traits evaluated at the end of post-weaning growing phase, except ultimate pH. Carcass dressing was greatest (P < 0.05) for the HIGH growth rate group in both phases. Beef from the HIGH group exhibited the greatest (P < 0.05) sarcomere length and a* and b* colour values at the end of post-weaning growing phase. However, post-weaning growth rate did not affected (P > 0.05) collagen content and solubility, myofibrillar fragmentation index and Warner-Bratzler shear force. Our data suggest that a low post-weaning growth rate produces lighter and leaner carcasses, but it does not affect meat quality traits in Nellore young bulls.