Open AccessInfluence of production system and finishing feeding on meat quality of Rubia Gallega calves
Author(s) -
Raquel Rodríguez-Vázquez,
Mirian Pateiro,
María LópezPedrouso,
Antonio Gende,
Santiago Crecente,
Martina Pérez Serrano,
Jesús Salvador González,
José M. Lorenzo,
Carlos Zapata
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
spanish journal of agricultural research
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.337
H-Index - 36
eISSN - 2171-9292
pISSN - 1695-971X
DOI - 10.5424/sjar/2020183-16438
Subject(s) - polyunsaturated fatty acid , tenderness , feedlot , production system (computer science) , straw , food science , zoology , linolenic acid , fatty acid , chemistry , biology , agronomy , linoleic acid , production (economics) , biochemistry , macroeconomics , economics
Aim of study: Beef quality is mainly affected by finishing feeding (FF) and production system (PS). The effects of PS (extensive, semi-extensive, traditional and intensive systems) and FF from Rubia Gallega calves were compared in terms of meat quality.Area of study: Galicia (NW Spain)Material and methods: Calves (n=10 per treatment) were slaughtered at nine months of age and meat samples were assessed in terms of meat quality attributes such as physicochemical, nutritional and sensory analysis performed by a trained panel.Main results: Meat chemical composition varied (p<0.01) with PS and FF. The semi-extensive system showed the lowest values (p<0.05) for cooking loss (22.8%) and for shear force (26.0 N) while the extensive system presented the lowest contents of saturated fatty acids (SFA) and the highest contents of linolenic acid (p<0.001). The SFA and polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) contents varied with FF (p<0.05). The lowest and highest values for SFA and PUFA were displayed in extensive group finished with Pasture/Concentrate, meanwhile feedlot group finished with Concentrate/Straw showed and opposite trend. The n-6/n-3 ratio was lower than 4 for extensive and semi-extensive systems (p<0.001). In addition, tenderness and juiciness showed significant differences mainly due to FF.Research highlights: This study showed that meat of calves reared in extensive systems was the healthiest, regarding total fat and fatty acid composition. It can be concluded that finishing feeding, and PS affected meat quality. Hence the potential usefulness of these results is to improve meat quality and safety according to market demands.