Animal performance, beef lipid profile, and beef quality of finishing crossbred steers (Hereford x Angus) grazing two contrasting pastures

Abstract

Pastoral systems provide the basis for sustainable systems in southern Chile, which is the cheapest source of nutrients for cattle and receives a better perception by consumers. However, there is a great variability in animal performance and beef quality. This study aimed to assess animal performance, as well as fatty acid profile and beef quality from steers grazing grassland of mainly grass or legume species as a main source of feed. Steers were allocated into two grazing groups, either tall fescue (TF) or red clover (RC). For 97 days, steers on the RC pasture showed a higher LWG than the TF steers (p<0.05) and had higher marbling and flavor scores than those on the TF pasture (p<0.05). Both groups showed soft meat with low WBSF values (2.6 for both groups) and high sensorial tenderness (over 6 in the 1 to 7 scale). Due to the low levels of cholesterol and saturated fat, both were classified as extra lean. Likewise, a similar beef lipid profile was observed in beef from both pastures. Developing finishing strategies on pastoral-based systems is crucial to improving production characteristics, such as growth, without compromising the nutritive value of beef.