The influence of peri-conception and first trimester dietary restriction of protein in cattle on meat quality traits of entire male progeny

Abstract

<p>Primiparous Santa Gertrudis heifers were used to evaluate the effects of gestational dietary protein content on meat quality traits of 20 month old bull progeny (n = 40). At −60 d before AI, heifers were randomly allocated to HIGH or LOW protein diet (HPERI and LPERI). From 24 dpc, half of each treatment group changed to an alternative post-conception HIGH or LOW protein diet (HPOST and LPOST). LPERI and LPOST diets resulted in higher shear force of the <i>semitendinosus</i> muscle than HPERI (<i>P </i>= 0.053) and HPOST (<i>P </i>= 0.003), respectively. Heat-soluble collagen in the <i>semitendinosus</i> muscle was lower (<i>P </i>= 0.019) for LPERI than HPERI. Collagen and tenderness of the <i>longissimus</i> muscle were not affected by dam nutrition (<i>P </i>> 0.05). Color, pH, sarcomere length, cooking loss, compression values, desmin and troponin-T degradation, fiber type, intramuscular fat and polyunsaturated fatty acid content were not affected by dam nutrition during the peri-conception and first trimester gestational period (<i>P </i>> 0.05).</p>