Short term magnesium supplementation to reduce dark cutting in pasture finished beef cattle

K M W Loudon; G Tarr; I J Lean; L McLerie; N Leahy; D W Pethick; G E Gardner; P McGilchrist

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108560

Short term magnesium supplementation to reduce dark cutting in pasture finished beef cattle

Meat Sci. 2021 Oct:180:108560. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108560. Epub 2021 May 17.

Authors

K M W Loudon¹, G Tarr², I J Lean³, L McLerie⁴, N Leahy⁴, D W Pethick⁴, G E Gardner⁴, P McGilchrist⁵

Affiliations

¹ School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia. Electronic address: K.Loudon@murdoch.edu.au.
² School of Mathematics and Statistics, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW 2006, Australia.
³ Scibus, Camden, NSW 2570, Australia.
⁴ School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia.
⁵ School of Veterinary and Life Sciences, Murdoch University, Murdoch, WA 6150, Australia; School of Environmental and Rural Science, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2350, Australia.

PMID: 34029856
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2021.108560

Abstract

This study assessed the capacity of magnesium supplementation to reduce muscle glycogen loss, ultimate pH and increase plasma magnesium in pasture fed slaughter cattle. Beef cattle (n = 1075) from 14 farms were supplemented with or without magnesium pellets for 7-14 days prior to slaughter. Magnesium was allocated at 9.83 g of elemental magnesium per head per day, while the control diet was balanced to be isoenergetic and isonitrogenous, but contained no added magnesium. Groups of cattle (n = 44) were slaughtered at the same processing plant over two consecutive seasons, from August - September 2016 to May - July 2017. Magnesium supplementation increased muscle glycogen (P < 0.01) in cattle supplied from 2 of 14 farms, and increased plasma magnesium in 4 of 14 farms (P < 0.01). Magnesium supplementation had no effect on overall incidence of ultimate pH between the magnesium and control supplementation groups. The benefits of short term magnesium supplementation prior to slaughter was inconsistent for protecting muscle glycogen.

Keywords: Glycogen; Meat quality; Pre-slaughter; Stress.

MeSH terms

Animal Feed / analysis
Animals
Cattle
Diet / veterinary
Dietary Supplements
Female
Glycogen / analysis
Hydrogen-Ion Concentration
Magnesium / administration & dosage*
Magnesium / blood
Male
Muscle, Skeletal / chemistry*
Red Meat / analysis*
Tasmania

Substances

Glycogen
Magnesium