| Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) has been shown to have possible human health benefits in animal models. Increasing CLA in beef would enhance its nutritive value. Twenty Angus crossbred steers were used to study the effect of diet on the CLA content and quality of beef. Steers were assigned to one of four treatments and were followed from weaning to slaughter. There were two feeding periods (backgrounding and finishing). During backgrounding, treatments 1, 2, and 3 received a diet consisting of a 60:40 forage-to-grain ratio. Treatment 4 received alfalfa hay only. During finishing, treatments 1 and 2 received a diet consisting of a 15:85 forage-to-grain ratio. In addition to the basal diet, treatment 2 received 84 g per head/d of a synthetic mixture of rumen-protected CLA isomers. Treatments 3 and 4 were finished on pasture. Muscle tissue samples were collected at slaughter from the loin and round of each carcass and analyzed for fatty acid profile. (Abstract shortened by UMI.). |
