The aim of the study was to determine chemical and fatty acid composition in meat of Cika bulls fattened in two production systems. Eight bulls were semi-intensively fattened with a total mix ratio (TMR), while ten were grazed without cereals supplementation. Housed bulls were slaughtered at the age of 20.0 months while grazed bulls were slaughtered at the age of 23.5 months. Samples of M. longissimus dorsi located between the 7th and 8th rib were used to determine the chemical and fatty acid composition. Data were analysed using the GLM procedure of the SAS/ STAT. Model 1 was used to test the effect of production system on the chemical composition of meat. Model 2 was used to test the effects of production system and the intramuscular fat content nested within the production system as linear regression on the fatty acid composition. Significant differences were determined in intramuscular fat (14.54 vs. 8.57 g/kg, P = 0.015) and in dry matter content (231.85 vs. 239.49 g/kg, P = 0.032) in beef meat of TMR fed and in grazed bulls, respectively. Beef meat of grazed bulls contained significantly lower palmitic acid (19.87 vs. 21.03 wt.%, P = 0.002), oleic acid (26.18 vs. 30.01 wt.%, P = 0.007) and MUFA (29.88 vs. 33.80 wt.%, P = 0.010) and higher α-linolenic (3.33 vs. 1.45 wt.%, P = 0.014), EPA (1.40 vs. 0.57 wt.%, P = 0.002), DPA (1.84 vs. 1.06 wt.%, P = 0.001), PUFA (21.42 vs. 19.43 wt.%, P = 0.047) and n-3PUFA (6.80 vs. 3.24 wt.%, P = 0.001) compared to TMR fed bulls.

Cika cattle; production system; intramuscular fat; fatty acids

Published by University of Zagreb, Faculty of Agriculture, Zagreb, CROATIA
Sponsored by Ministry Science and Education of the Republic of Croatia