Carcass and Meat Characteristics of Cull Heifers from Different Genetic Groups Fed Diets with Different Sources of Nonprotein Nitrogen in Confinement
Manoel Gustavo Paranhos da Silva,
Luís Carlos Vinhas Ítavo,
Camila Celeste Brandão Ferreira Ítavo,
Marina de Nadai Bonin Gomes,
Angelo Herbet Moreira Arcanjo,
Jessika Rodrigues de Figueiredo Moura,
Brenda Farias da Costa Leite Lopes,
Lucimara Modesto Nonato,
Rodrigo da Costa Gomes
Affiliations
Manoel Gustavo Paranhos da Silva
College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Avenida Senador Filinto Muler, 2443, Pioneiros, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
Luís Carlos Vinhas Ítavo
College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Avenida Senador Filinto Muler, 2443, Pioneiros, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
Camila Celeste Brandão Ferreira Ítavo
College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Avenida Senador Filinto Muler, 2443, Pioneiros, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
Marina de Nadai Bonin Gomes
College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Avenida Senador Filinto Muler, 2443, Pioneiros, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
Angelo Herbet Moreira Arcanjo
Agricultural Research Company of Minas Gerais, EPAMIG Oeste, Rua Afonso Rato, 1301, EPAMIG Oeste, Uberaba 38060-040, MG, Brazil
Jessika Rodrigues de Figueiredo Moura
College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Avenida Senador Filinto Muler, 2443, Pioneiros, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
Brenda Farias da Costa Leite Lopes
College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Avenida Senador Filinto Muler, 2443, Pioneiros, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
Lucimara Modesto Nonato
College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, Avenida Senador Filinto Muler, 2443, Pioneiros, Campo Grande 79070-900, MS, Brazil
Rodrigo da Costa Gomes
Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation, Embrapa Beef Cattle, Avenida Rádio Maia, 830, Vila Popular, Campo Grande 79106-550, MS, Brazil
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of genetic groups and diets with different sources of nonprotein nitrogen (NPN) on the carcass and meat characteristics of beef heifers. The meat from 40 heifers (20 ½ Angus ½ Nellore (A × N) and 20 ½ Charolais ½ Nellore (L × N)), finished in feedlots, was used. The heifers were fed diets containing different sources of NPN—(1) a diet with livestock urea and protected urea (LPU) and (2) a diet with extruded urea (EU)—in a completely randomized design with a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement. Carcass, composition and meat quality evaluations were carried out. There were no significant interactions between diet and genetic group for most of the variables evaluated (p > 0.05). The A × N heifers had higher hot carcass weights (305.73 vs. 279.80 kg), loin eye areas (80.87 vs. 75.45 cm2), subcutaneous fat thicknesses (8.69 vs. 6.35 mm) and lower shear forces (6.98 vs. 7.7 kg) compared to the C × N heifers (p < 0.05). The meat from the A × N heifers had higher proportions of saturated fatty acids (49.41 vs. 47.95%), with no effects on the proportions of monounsaturated (47.57%) and polyunsaturated (4.01%) fatty acids. The A × N heifers had better carcass and meat characteristics, while the C × N heifers had meat and fat with better fatty acid profiles.
