Abstract
Consumer interest in the potential benefits of grass-finished beef is high, but adoption of this approach to cattle feeding has been limited in Iowa. Although some producers successfully meet this niche market demand, consistently producing a high-value carcass from forage-fed cattle is challenging. Intramuscular fat or marbling is a major factor in quality grading of beef. Marbling is heavily influenced by cattle genetics and energy concentration of the diet. Finishing cattle on grain is a proven approach to consistently produce a high-value carcass for the commodity beef market. Researchers at Iowa State University have pioneered the use of ultrasound measurements to select Angus cattle with high-marbling potential. Forage quality can be manipulated through pasture management, ultimately influencing cattle growth and performance. It is hypothesized that grass-finished cattle will consistently produce high value carcasses if excellent pasture management is combined with combining high-marbling genetics.
Keywords: RFR A1284, Animal Science, Veterinary Diagnostic and Production Medicine
How to Cite:
Lammers, P. J., Millman, S. T., Dewell, R., Juarez, J. R., Christianson, M. L., Maxwell, D. L. & Honeyman, M. S., (2013) “Grass-finished Beef Pilot Project: Cattle Performance”, Iowa State University Research and Demonstration Farms Progress Reports 2012(1).
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