Meat flavour, performance, carcass and meat traits of Nelore steers fed diets with different cottonseed levels, rancified or not

• Grant number: 05/00798-6
• Support Opportunities: Regular Research Grants
• Start date: November 01, 2005
• End date: October 31, 2007
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal Investigator: Paulo Roberto Leme
• Grantee: Paulo Roberto Leme
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Zootecnia e Engenharia de Alimentos (FZEA). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Pirassununga , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The purpose of this research is to study the effects of the inclusion of rancified or not rancified whole cotton seed in the diet of feedlot Nelore steers, in terms of yield and meat profiles and organoleptic quality. The 48 subjects will be stratified by live weight, placed in a feedlot regimen for 112 days and fed four different diets containing high concentrate levels. The four treatments will be applied in triplicate to each pen, and the individual feed intake will be determined by means of automatic gates. Performance will be estimated by live weight, feed intake and feed conversion rate. Corn silage will be used for forage and the treatments will be: T1 (control), without addition of whole cottonseed; T2- 10% of whole cottonseed on a dry matter basis; T3- 20% of whole cottonseed on a dry matter basis and T4- 20% of rancified whole cottonseed on a dry matter basis. Every 28 days during the experimental period, the steers will be weighed and ultrasonographic measurements of subcutaneous fat thickness, loin eye area between the 12th and 13th ribs and biceps femuris fat thickness will be taken. Ureic nitrogen serum levels will be measured at 56 and 112 days. Measurements of pH, subcutaneous fat thickness, loin eye area, perinephric and pelvic fat and carcass weight will be taken at slaughter. Meat composition, fatty acids profile and cholesterol levels will also be analyzed, as well as the sensory characteristics of roasted meat. (AU)