The effects of including corn silage, corn stalk silage, and corn grain in finishing ration of beef steers on meat quality and oxidative stability

Abstract

The effect of cattle feed on beef quality and oxidative stability was investigated. A corn silage (CS)-based finishing diet was compared with the diets based on corn stalk silage (SS) or corn stalk silage combined with its expected corn grain (SSC), containing a ratio of stalk to grain of corn plant of 1.5:1. Replacing CS with SS in the finishing diet had no effect on the proximate nutrients, cholesterol content, fatty acids profile, pH, color, water holding capacity, tenderness, texture profile, or oxidative stability of beef muscle. Compared to the CS diet and SS diet, cattle fed SSC diet showed an inferior antioxidant capacity, lower SOD and higher MDA concentrations in blood. SSC diet fed cattle also showed higher MDA and protein carbonyl concentrations in beef muscle indicating increased oxidation damage, and potentially resulting in a greater drip loss of the beef muscle. Corn silage can be replaced in the finishing feed of beef cattle with corn stalk silage without any negative effects on measures of beef quality.

Keywords: Antioxidant capacity; Corn silage; Finishing cattle; Meat quality; Production mode.