The Quality of Salted Sun-Dried Meat from Young Nellore Bulls Fed Diets with Lauric Acid.

This study aims to evaluate the quality of salted sun-dried meat from young bulls (Nellore cattle) fed with a diet containing 0.0, 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5% of lauric acid in the total dry matter (DM). Thirty-two Nellore bulls with initial body weight of 368 ± 32 kg were used. A linear decrease (p < 0.05) in pH and protein content of the salted sun-dried meat was observed with the inclusion of lauric acid. The moisture, ash, lipid, collagen content, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, color indexes (L*, a*, b*, C*), and shear force were not affected. Lipid oxidation at 7 days of storage increased linearly in the salted sun-dried meat. Most of the fatty acid composition of the salted sun-dried meat from the semimembranosus muscle of young bulls was not influenced (p > 0.05) by the lauric acid inclusion in the bulls' diet. However, there was a linear increase (p < 0.05) in the SFA lauric acid (C12:0), PUFAn-3 EPA (C20:5n − 3) and DHA (C22:6n − 3), and a quadratic increase in the PUFAn-6 arachidonic (C20:4n − 6) due to lauric acid addition from palm kernel oil in the diet. There was a liner increase (p < 0.05) in the total ∑PUFA, ∑n − 6, ∑n − 3 contents of salted sun-dried meat from the semimembranosus muscle of young bulls and the h:H health index of the level of lauric acid inclusion in bull's diet. In contrast, the thrombogenicity health index (TI) and ∑n − 6:∑n − 3 ratio content in salted sun-dried meat from the semimembranosus muscle of young bulls presented a linear decrease (p < 0.05) due to lauric acid addition in the bulls' diet. Lauric acid (C12:0) inclusion up to 1.5% in the diet of young Nellore bull improved the fatty acid composition of the salted sun-dried meat, increasing EPA, DHA, n − 6 and n − 3, TI, and h:H indexes, which are associated with a better lipid quality of meat products, and further improves tenderness at the highest concentration.

Sunflower Cake from the Biodiesel Industry in the Diet Improves the Performance and Carcass Traits of Nellore Young Bulls.

We aimed to determine the optimal inclusion level of sunflower cake (0, 90, 180, and 270 g/kg total DM) as a partial replacement of soybean meal and corn ground in young bulls' diets by examining nutrient intake and digestibility, ingestive behavior, nitrogen balance, metabolic serum profile, growth performance, and carcass traits. Thirty-two intact Nellore bulls (BW 374 ± 42.5) were distributed in a completely randomized design. The experiment lasted 90 days. The final BW of the animals was 515.25 ± 24.7. There was a linear decrease effect in the intake of DM, crude protein and nonfibrous carbohydrates, eating and rumination efficiency, N-urinary, N-total excretion, and blood urea nitrogen. Sunflower cake did not affect the NDF digestibility, nitrogen (N)-fecal excretion, blood metabolites, Longissimus lumborum muscle area, or subcutaneous fat deposition. There were linear and quadratic effects on the eating and rumination time, microbial protein production and efficiency, gamma-glutamyl transferase and cholesterol serum concentrations, and muscle carcass tissue. There was a quadratic effect on ether extract intake, final BW, and total gain with the inclusion of sunflower cake in the young bull's diet. The replacement of soybean meal and corn ground with sunflower cake at the level of 90 g/kg of DM in the diet of young bulls is recommended because it reduces the DM intake and digestibility, increases microbial protein synthesis and muscle tissue deposition, and consequently improves the performance, feed efficiency, and carcass traits.

Performance, Digestibility, Nitrogen Balance and Ingestive Behavior of Young Feedlot Bulls Supplemented with Palm Kernel Oil.

Vegetable oils can be used to increase energy density in diets; manipulate rumen fermentation; and alter the capacity for degradation, digestion and absorption of nutrients. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate palm kernel oil (PKO) in the diet of confined bulls with the inclusion of 0.0, 11.5, 23.0 and 34.6 g PKO/kg dry matter (DM). The first experiment evaluated nutrient intake, performance, ingestive behavior and carcass characteristics. In the second experiment, steers crossbred with a ruminal cannula were used to evaluate digestibility, nitrogen balance, microbial protein synthesis, short-chain fatty acid levels and protozoal counts. The results showed that the inclusion of PKO linearly reduced intake in kg/day (DM, crude protein-CP, neutral detergent fiber-NDFap, nonfibrous carbohydrates-NFC and total digestible nutrient-TDN) and digestibility (DM, NDFap and TDN). Ether extract intake increased quadratically with the predicted maximum intake of 15.4 g/kg DM. Regarding ingestive behavior, there was a quadratic increase in rumination time and a quadratic reduction in idle time. Nitrogen balance, nitrogen intake, nitrogen retention, microbial protein production, acetate, butyrate, acetate/propionate ratio and protozoa count showed linear decreases due to dietary PKO inclusion. Regarding the carcass characteristics, linear decreases were observed for the final weight, average daily gain, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, hot carcass yield, cold carcass yield, loin eye area and subcutaneous fat thickness. The inclusion of PKO at up to 34.6 g/kg DM in diets for confined bulls reduces intake, negatively affecting digestibility, performance and carcass characteristics.

Effect of Dietary Palm Kernel Oil on the Quality, Fatty Acid Profile, and Sensorial Attributes of Young Bull Meat.

Lipid supplementation through vegetable oils in diets for ruminants can be a nutritional strategy to increase energy density, manipulate ruminal fermentation and change the physicochemical composition and sensorial properties of meat. This study evaluated the optimal dietary inclusion of palm kernel oil (PKO) for Nellore bulls on meat quality. The diets consisted of 0.0, 11.5, 23.0, and 34.6 g/kg dry matter (DM) PKO levels. PKO inclusion did not influence the centesimal composition, pH, color indices, water holding capacity, cooking loss, or shear force of the beef. There were linear increases in the concentrations of lauric acid (C12:0) and myristic acid (C14:0) in the bull's meat. However, palmitic acid (C16:0), oleic acid (C18:0), vaccenic acid (t-11-C18:1) and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), ∑n - 6, ∑n - 3, ∑n - 6/∑n 3, the hypocholesterolemic: hypercholesterolemic ratio of the fatty acid content, and the thrombogenicity index were not affected. There were linear reductions in the oleic acid meat concentration (c-9-C18:1) and elongated enzymatic activity when PKO was added to the bull diet. The atherogenicity index increased linearly due to PKO inclusion in the bull diet. No effect of the inclusion of PKO on meat flavor, perception of tenderness, juiciness, or global acceptance from the sensorial evaluation was recorded. The inclusion of PKO up to 34.6 g/kg DM can be recommended to supplement young bulls with no effects on meat composition and quality characteristics.