Effect of forage to concentrate ratio on growth performance, and on carcass and meat quality of Podolian young bulls

The effect of forage to concentrate ratio: 60–40 [high concentrate group (HC) and 70–30 [low concentrate group (LC)] on growth, slaughtering performance and meat quality were evaluated in twenty organically farmed Podolian young bulls. Meat quality characteristics were measured on three different muscles [Longissimus dorsi (LD), Semimembranosus (SM) Semitendinosus (ST)], vacuum-packaged and chilled stored at 2–4°C for 15 days. The animals in the HC group had higher weight gain than those in the LC group (P < 0.05). Slaughter data were not influenced by ration composition. The higher forage to concentrate ratio produced an improvement in fatty acid composition of the three muscles, with a higher polyunsaturated to saturated ratio (P < 0.001). Vitamin E and malondialdehyde (MDA) contents were not affected by the feeding treatment. Panel scores for tenderness and flavour (P < 0.01) and Warner–Bratzler Shear force (P < 0.001) were significantly affected by muscle, the LD muscle being the most tender and the richest in flavour but they not affected by dietary treatment.