Effect of supplementation in Belgian Blue bulls finished at grass : animal performance, carcass and meat characteristics

In Belgium, beef meat is traditionally produced with growing fattening bulls kept indoors and fed concentrate. Alternatives exist to this technic. Dufirasne et al. (1995) showed that young bulls may spend one season on pasture before a finishing period indoors. It has been reported recently that the finishing of young Belgian Blue bulls at grass did not provide carcasses with the required qualities (Hornick at al., 1995). The supplementation at grass has been suggested as an alternative. The aim of the present experiment was to study the effects of supplementation of bulls finished at grass on animal performance, carcass and meat characteristics.