Effect of forage to concentrate ratio on growth performance, and on carcass and meat quality of Podolian young bulls

The effect of forage to concentrate ratio: 60-40 [high concentrate group (HC) and 70-30 [low concentrate group (LC)] on growth, slaughtering performance and meat quality were evaluated in twenty organically farmed Podolian young bulls. Meat quality characteristics were measured on three different muscles [Longissimus dorsi (LD), Semimembranosus (SM) Semitendinosus (ST)], vacuum-packaged and chilled stored at 2-4°C for 15 days. The animals in the HC group had higher weight gain than those in the LC group (P0.05). Slaughter data were not influenced by ration composition. The higher forage to concentrate ratio produced an improvement in fatty acid composition of the three muscles, with a higher polyunsaturated to saturated ratio (P0.001). Vitamin E and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were not affected by the feeding treatment. Panel scores for tenderness and flavour (P0.01) and Warner-Bratzler Shear force (P0.001) were significantly affected by muscle, the LD muscle being the most tender and the richest in flavour but they not affected by dietary treatment.