The effect of feeding native warm season grasses in the stocker phase on the quality of beef loin steak

Native Warm Season Grasses (NWSG) provide excellent wildlife habitat and are well adapted to the Southeastern United States. Steaks that were obtained from cattle fed NWSG in the stocker phase and finished on grain and tall fescue were subjected to simulated retail display for 0, 3, 6, and 9 days (grain-finished) and 0, 3, and 6 (forage-finished) days respectively. Grain finished carcasses graded as choice and select while forage finished carcasses were both select and standard. Fat percentage was higher and moisture was lower in steaks from grain finished carcasses when compared to forage finished cattle. Lipid oxidation was lower in forage finished steaks on day 6 (0.35mg malonaldehyde/kg) than grain finished steaks (0.5mg malonaldehyde/kg). The overall acceptability scores given by consumers for both treatment groups were between like slightly and like moderately.