Energy supplementation on meat chemical composition and fatty acids of steers grazing black oat pasture

Abstract

This work was carried out to evaluate the meat chemical composition (moisture, ash, crude protein, fat and cholesterol) and fatty acids contents of Longissimus dorsi muscle of cuts without and with backfat, of steers grazing black oat pasture split into two treatments: without or with daily energetic supplementation (400 g of cassava meal and 400 g of canola seeds per animal). There was no treatment effect on meat chemical composition. The fatty acids contents were similar between treatments on cuts without backfat. The cuts with backfat of supplemented animals presented lower n-6/n-3 relationship. The Longissimus dorsi cholesterol contents were similar to the values described for light meats like chicken and turkey breast. From the fatty acids presented in bovine meat, approximately 15% can be considered as potentially dangerous for the development of human cardiovascular diseases.