Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2025, 70(12):518-527 | DOI: 10.17221/5/2025-CJAS

Effect of extruded flaxseed supplementation during the indoor fattening of yearling bulls on beef carcass, meat composition, and fatty acid profileOriginal Paper

Emir Mujić ORCID...1, Javier Mateo2, Mahsa Dehnavi2, Halil Omanović3, Aida Džaferović1, Munevera Begić3, Selma Čorbo3
1 Biotechnical Faculty, University of Bihac, Bihać, Bosnia and Herzegovina
2 Department of Food Hygiene and Technology, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences, University of León, Campus de Vegazana, León, Spain
3 Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, University of Sarajevo, Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina

This study investigates the impact of supplementing extruded flaxseed to the diet of yearling bulls during the indoor fattening on beef carcass quality, meat composition, and fatty acid profile. Twenty male crossbred calves (Holstein × Simmental) were divided into two groups: control group and flaxseed-supplemented group, each with 10 calves. The control group received a conventional diet, while the flaxseed group was fed the same diet enriched with 5% extruded flaxseed on a dry-matter basis. The study revealed no significant differences in growth performance, carcass weight, or yield between the two groups. However, the flaxseed-supplemented group exhibited a higher intramuscular fat content, which was likely due to the increased energy intake from the flaxseed lipid content. Additionally, flaxseed supplementation improved the fatty acid profile of beef by increasing the percentage of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and reducing the saturated fatty acid (SFA) percentage and the n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratio. Despite these improvements, the study did not reveal any significant increase in the proportion of n-3 fatty acids in the meat. These findings suggest that while flaxseed supplementation enhances the nutritional profile of beef, further research is needed to optimise the balance of energy intake to maximise the increase in n-3 fatty acids.

Keywords: extruded flaxseed; Holstein-Simmental crossbreds; indoor fattening; intramuscular fat; monounsaturated fatty acids; n-6, n-3 ratio

Received: January 13, 2025; Accepted: December 11, 2025; Published: December 30, 2025  Show citation

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Mujić E, Mateo J, Dehnavi M, Omanović H, Džaferović A, Begić M, Čorbo S. Effect of extruded flaxseed supplementation during the indoor fattening of yearling bulls on beef carcass, meat composition, and fatty acid profile. Czech J. Anim. Sci. 2025;70(12):518-527. doi: 10.17221/5/2025-CJAS.
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