Influence of Stall Finishing of Podolian Young Bulls Raised on Pasture on Fatty Acid Composition and Oxidative Status of Meat

Abstract

Sixteen Podolian young bulls were used to study the effects of two different feeding systems on fatty acids composition and oxidative stability of meat: C group, eight young bulls were kept indoors and fed with commercial concentrate for all experimental period (260 days); PC group, eight young bulls were allowed to graze a pasture for 200 days and shifted indoor, fed with concentrate, 60 days before being slaughtered. Meat from young bulls that were allowed, before stall finishing with concentrate, to graze a natural pasture showed lower levels of some n-6 PUFA and higher levels of some n-3 PUFA than meat from animals that were offered only concentrate for the whole experimental period. Lipid oxidation was not affected by the dietary treatment. After a period of 60-day-indoor finishing with concentrate, meat retained part of the health benefits, with regard to fatty acid composition, occurring from grazing.