March 09, 2023

Interpretive Summary: Productive and physiological responses of feedlot cattle receiving different sources of Ca salts of fatty acids in the finishing diet

Interpretive Summary: Productive and physiological responses of feedlot cattle receiving different sources of Ca salts of fatty acids in the finishing diet

By: Reinaldo F Cooke, Eduardo A Colombo, Shea J Mackey, Autumn T Pickett, Luiz Fernando D Batista, Ky G Pohler, Osvaldo A de Souza, Bruno I Cappellozza, Alice P Brandão

Supplemental fat has been provided to feedlot cattle to increase energy density of their diets, and may yield nutraceutical advantages if includes polyunsaturated fatty acids (FA). Alternatively, carcass quality can be improved when the fat supplement is based on saturated and monounsaturated FA. Hence, this experiment evaluated a blend of saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated FA to improve both performance and carcass merit in feedlot cattle. Steers received a finishing diet that included this blend (CSMIX), a source of saturated and monounsaturated FA (CSPALM), or no supplemental fat (CON). Growth rate and gain efficiency were improved in steers that received CSMIX compared with CSPALM and CON, and these traits did not differ between the latter treatments. Inclusion of CSMIX increased FA concentrations in the circulation of steers throughout the 147-day study and in Longissimus muscle (LM) samples collected after slaughter. This increase in FA concentrations was associated with greater accumulation of polyunsaturated and ω-6 FA, suggesting that CSMIX resulted in LM with FA profile deemed more beneficial for human consumption. Collectively, supplementing CSMIX to feedlot steers improved gain efficiency and FA composition in the LM, and these advantages may be associated with increased supply of polyunsaturated ω-6 FA to the finishing diet.

Read the full article in the Journal of Animal Science.