by Rita Jane Gabbett
New research from Mississippi State University showed grazing cattle on certain grasses, even when those cattle are finished with grain, increased the percentage of fat in the beef they produce.
For grass-fed cattle not finished with grain, scientists found that fat percentage was greater in steaks from cattle fed on Indiangrass, compared with steaks from cattle fed the mixed native, warm-season grass. Moisture percentage was greater in steaks from cattle fed on bermudagrass than the Indiangrass treatment. There were no other differences in composition among the treatments.
In a similar study that evaluated grain-finished cattle, there was a large difference in fat percentage and only a slight difference in moisture percentage, according to Byron Williams, an associate research and Extension professor in the Department of Food Science, Nutrition and Health Promotion.
Also in the grain-finished beef study, steaks from the bermudagrass treatment had greater fat content and lower protein and moisture percentages, compared with steaks from cattle fed the Indiangrass and mixed native, warm-season grasses.
Overall, the steaks from all the treatments did not differ in color, pH and tenderness. Consumers gave favorable ratings to beef steaks from all the treatments in both experiments.
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Source: Meatingplace
