Czech J. Anim. Sci., 2013, 58(8):360-368 | DOI: 10.17221/6902-CJAS

Fattening heifers on continuous pasture in mountainous regions - implications for productivity and meat qualityOriginal Paper

M. Velik1, I. Gangnat2, R. Kitzer1, E. Finotti1, A. Steinwidder3
1 Institute of Livestock Research, AREC Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Irdning, Austria
2 Animal Nutrition Group, Wageningen University, Wageningen, the Netherlands
3 Institute for Organic Farming and Farm Animal Biodiversity, AREC Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Irdning, Austria

Economical and ecological issues as well as consumer demand for sustainably produced agricultural food rise the trends to fatten beef cattle on pasture during the grazing season. However, particularly for mountainous regions, implications of turning beef cattle on pasture remain unclear concerning animal performance and product quality. Therefore, the present study was conducted to compare short grass grazing with a semi-intensive indoor fattening system in the Alps. Charolais × Simmental heifers of about 300 kg live weight were either fattened on continuous pasture (3-6 mm sward height) and finished in barn (Pasture group) or solely raised in barn on a grass silage-based diet with 2 kg concentrates (Indoor group). Animals were slaughtered at 550 kg live weight. Results showed that continuous pasture with a finishing period in barn allowed as good growth and carcass performance as fattening in barn. Over the whole experiment, average daily gain was 993 g/day in the Pasture group and 1026 g/day in the Indoor group. During the growing period, daily gain was numerically lower in the Pasture group than in the Indoor group (767 g and 936 g, respectively). Carcass fatness of pasture fed animals was lower but within the desirable threshold. Water holding capacity, meat colour, and shear force, an indicator for beef tenderness, were unaffected by feeding practices, but fat colour was more yellow in the Pasture group. Furthermore, meat from animals fattened on pasture had lower intramuscular fat contents and enhanced proportions of nutritionally valuable omega-3 fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids.

Keywords: beef cattle; Alpine pasture; daily gain; product quality; fatty acid

Published: August 31, 2013  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Velik M, Gangnat I, Kitzer R, Finotti E, Steinwidder A. Fattening heifers on continuous pasture in mountainous regions - implications for productivity and meat quality. Czech J. Anim. Sci. 2013;58(8):360-368. doi: 10.17221/6902-CJAS.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Acker L., Bergner K.G., Diemair W., Heimann W., Kiermeier F., Schormüller J., Sourci S.W. (eds) (1968): Handbuch der Lebensmittelchemie: Tierische Lebensmittel Eier, Fleisch, Fisch, Buttermilch. Band III, 2. Teil. 1st Ed. Springer Verlag, Berlin, Heidelberg, New York.
    2. Council Regulation (1981): Council Regulation (EEC) No 1208/81 of 28 April 1981 determining the Community scale for the classification of carcases of adult bovine animals. Official Journal of the European Communities, L123, 3-6.
    3. Crook D.S., Jones A.M. (1999): Traditional irrigation and its importance to the tourist landscape of Valais, Switzerland. Landscape Research, 24, 49-65. Go to original source...
    4. Dannenberger D., Nuernberg K., Nuernberg G., Ender K. (2006): Carcass and meat quality of pasture vs. concentrate fed German Simmental and German Holstein bulls. Archiv für Tierzucht, 49, 315-328. Go to original source...
    5. Descalzo A.M., Insani E.M., Biolatto A., Sancho A.M., Garcia P.T., Pensel N.A., Josifovich J.A. (2005): Influence of pasture or grain-based diets supplemented with vitamin E on antioxidant/oxidative balance of Argentine beef. Meat Science, 70, 35-44. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    6. De Smet S., Rae K., Demeyer D. (2004): Meat fatty acid composition as affected by fatness and genetic factors: a review. Animal Research, 53, 81-98. Go to original source...
    7. Deutsche Gesellshaft für Fettwissenschaft (eds) (2006): Methode C-VI 11 (98): Fettsäurenmethylesther (TMSHMethode). In: DGF-Einheitsmethoden: Deutsche Einheitmethoden zur Untersuchung von Fetten, Fettprodukten, Tensiden und verwandten Stoffen. 2nd Ed. Wissenschaftliche Verlagsgesellschaft Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany, 1-4.
    8. Dufey P.A., Chambaz A., Morel I., Chassot A. (2002): Performances d'engraissement de boeufs de six races à viande. Revue Suisse Agricole, 34, 117-124.
    9. Durgiai B. (1996): Mit Kurzrasenweide die Milchproduktionskosten senken. Agrarforschung, 3, 509-512.
    10. Ender K., Augustini C. (2007): Schlachttierwert von Rind und Kalb. In: Branscheid W., Honikel K.O., von Lengerken G., Troeger K. (eds): Qualität von Fleisch und Fleischwaren. Deutscher Fachverlag, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, 157-205.
    11. Folch J., Lees M., Sloane Stanley G.H. (1957): A simple method for the isolation and purification of total lipids from animal tissues. Journal of Biological Chemistry, 226, 497-509. Go to original source...
    12. French P., O'Riordan E.G., Monahan F.J., Caffrey P.J., Vidal M., Mooney M.T., Troy D.J., Moloney A.P. (2000a): Meat quality of steers finished on autumn grass, grass silage or concentrate-based diets. Meat Science, 56, 173-180. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    13. French P., Stanton C., Lawless F., O'Riordan E.G., Monahan F.J., Caffrey P.J., Moloney A.P. (2000b): Fatty acid composition, including conjugated linoleic acid, of intramuscular fat from steers offered grazed grass, grass silage, or concentrate-based diets. Journal of Animal Science, 78, 2849-2855. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    14. Frickh J.J. (2005): Untersuchung des Pinzgauer Rindes auf Fleischqualität im Rahmen einer stationären Fleischleistungsprüfung. Forschungsbericht 2005. Landwirtschaftliche Bundesversuchswirtschaften GmbH, Wieselburg, Austria.
    15. Frickh J.J., Baumung R., Luger K., Steinwidder A. (2002): Einfluss der Kategorie (Stiere, Ochsen, Kalbinnen) und des Kraftfutterniveaus (Fütterungsintensität) auf der Basis von Gras- und Maissilage auf die Schlachtleistung und Fleischqualität. In: Proc. 29 th Viehwirtschaftliche Fachtagung, Bundesanstalt für alpenländische Landwirtschaft Gumpenstein, Irdning, Austria, 1-19.
    16. Garcia P.T., Pensel N.A., Sancho A.M., Latimori N.J., Kloster A.M., Amigone M.A., Casal J.J. (2008): Beef lipids in relation to animal breed and nutrition in Argentina. Meat Science, 79, 500-508. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    17. Gruber S.L., Tatum J.D., Scanga J.A., Chapman P.L., Smith G.C., Belk K.E. (2006): Effects of post-mortem ageing and USDA quality grade on Warner-Bratzler shear force values of seventeen individual beef muscles. Journal of Animal Science, 84, 3387-3396. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    18. Keane M.G., Moloney A.P. (2009): A comparison of finishing systems and duration for spring-born Aberdeen Angus × Holstein-Friesian steers. Livestock Science, 124, 223-232. Go to original source...
    19. Kenward M.G., Roger J.H. (1997): Small sample inference for fixed effects from restricted maximum likelihood. Biometrics, 53, 983-997. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    20. Legrand A.L., Keyserlingk von M.A.G., Weary D.M. (2009): Preference and usage of pasture versus free-stall housing by lactating dairy cattle. Journal of Dairy Science, 92, 3651-3658. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    21. Marino R., Albenzio M., Braghieri A., Muscio A., Sevi A. (2006): Organic farming: effects of forage to concentrate ratio and ageing time on meat quality of Podolian young bulls. Livestock Science, 102, 42-50. Go to original source...
    22. Maurer K., Weyand A., Fischer M., Stöcklin J. (2006): Old cultural traditions, in addition to land use and topography, are shaping plant diversity of grasslands in the Alps. Biological Conservation, 130, 438-446. Go to original source...
    23. Muir P.D., Deaker J.M., Bown M.D. (1998): Effects of forage- and grain-based feeding systems on beef quality: a review. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 41, 623-635. Go to original source...
    24. National Research Council (2001): Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle. 7th Ed. National Academies Press, Washington, USA.
    25. Noci F., Monahan F.J., French P., Moloney A.P. (2005): The fatty acid composition of muscle fat and subcutaneous adipose tissue of pasture-fed beef heifers: influence of the duration of grazing. Journal of Animal Science, 83, 1167-1178. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    26. Nozière P., Graulet B., Lucas A., Martin B., Grolier P., Doreau M. (2006): Carotenoids for ruminants: from forages to dairy products. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 131, 418-450. Go to original source...
    27. Nürnberg K., Dannenberger D., Nuernberg G., Ender K., Voigt J., Scollan N.D., Wood J.D., Nute G.R., Richardson R.I. (2005): Effect of a grass-based and a concentrate feeding system on meat quality characteristics and fatty acid composition of longissimus muscle in different cattle breeds. Livestock Production Science, 94, 137-147. Go to original source...
    28. ÖPUL (2007): Österreichisches Programm zur Förderung einer umweltgerechten, extensiven und den natürlichen Lebensraum schützenden Landwirtschaft: Agrarumweltprogramm und Tierschutz: Anhänge. BMLFUW, Vienna, Austria.
    29. Priolo A., Micol D., Agabriel J. (2001): Effects of grass feeding systems on ruminant meat colour and flavour: a review. Animal Research, 50, 185-200. Go to original source...
    30. Razminowicz R.H., Kreuzer M., Scheeder M.R.L. (2006): Quality of retail beef from grass-based production systems in comparison with conventional beef. Meat Science, 73, 351-361. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    31. Realini C.E., Duckett S.K., Brito G.W., Dalla Rizza M., Mattos De D. (2004): Effect of pasture vs. concentrate feeding with or without antioxidants on carcass characteristics, fatty acid composition, and quality of Uruguayan beef. Meat Science, 66, 567-577. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    32. Sami A.S., Augustini C., Schwarz F.J. (2004): Effects of feeding intensity and time on feed on performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of Simmental bulls. Meat Science, 67, 195-201. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    33. Schwarz F.J., Augustini C., Kirchgessner M. (1998): Gewichtsentwicklung sowie Schlachtkörper- und Fleischqualität von Fleckvieh- und Angus × Fleckvieh-Färsen bei unterschiedlichen Fütterungsverfahren. Züchtungskunde, 70, 61-74.
    34. Starz W., Steinwidder A., Pfister R., Rohrer H. (2011): Forage feeding value of continuous grazed sward on organic permanent grassland. In: Proc. 16th European Grassland Federation Symposium, AREC Raumberg-Gumpenstein, Irdning, Austria, 356-358.
    35. Steen R.W.J., Lavery N.P., Kilpatrick D.J., Porter M.G. (2003): Effects of pasture and high-concentrate diets on the performance of beef cattle, carcass composition at equal growth rates, and the fatty acid composition of beef. New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research, 46, 69-81. Go to original source...
    36. Steinwidder A., Starz W., Podstatzky L., Kirner L., Pötsch E.M., Pfister R., Gallenböck M. (2010): Low-input Vollweidehaltung von Milchkühen im Berggebiet Österreichs. Ergebnisse von Pilotbetrieben bei der Betriebsumstellung. Züchtungskunde, 82, 241-252.
    37. VDLUFA (eds) (1976): Die chemische Untersuchung von Futtermitteln. VDLUFA-Methodenbuch Band III. 1st Ed. VDLUFA-Verlag, Darmstatt, Germany.
    38. Velik M., Friedrich E.M., Häusler J., Steinwidder A. (2013): Färsenmast auf Kurzrasenweide oder im Stall: Einfluss auf Mastleistung, Schlachtleistung und Fleischqualität. Züchtungskunde (accepted).
    39. Warriss P.D. (2010): Meat Science. An Introductory Text. 2nd Ed. CAB International, Wallingford, UK. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content