Pasture-finishing of bison improves animal metabolic health and potential health-promoting compounds in meat

Abstract

Abstract Background With rising concerns regarding the effects of red meat on human and environmental health, a growing number of livestock producers are exploring ways to improve production systems. A promising avenue includes agro-ecological practices such as rotational grazing of locally adapted ruminants. Additionally, growing consumer interest in pasture-finished meat (i.e., grass-fed) has raised questions about its nutritional composition. Thus, the goal of this study was to determine the impact of two common finishing systems in North American bison—pasture-finished or pen-finished on concentrates for 146 d—on metabolomic, lipidomic, and fatty acid profiles of striploins (M. longissimus lumborum). Results Six hundred and seventy-one (671) out of 1570 profiled compounds (43%) differed between pasture- and pen-finished conditions (n = 20 animals per group) (all, P 1500 unique compounds), having revealed previously unrecognized differences in animal metabolic health and nutritional composition because of finishing mode. Whether observed nutritional differences have an appreciable effect on human health remains to be determined. Graphical abstract

Keywords

• Bison
• Grass-fed
• Meat
• Nutrition
• Omega-3 fats
• Pasture-raised