Bovine Fat Composition and its Relation to Animal Diet and Carcass Characteristics

Abstract

A 3-YEAR experiment involving 156 steers was conducted to evaluate the effects of vitamin A, corn silage, and raw soybeans on fatty acid composition of the carcass depot fat. Corn silage or vitamin A did not significantly affect the fatty acid composition of the carcass depot fat. However, raw soybeans in the rations decreased the total amount of saturated fatty acids. Many of the fatty acids were highly correlated among themselves; particularly stearic acid accounted for a great deal of the total saturated fatty acids while oleic acid accounted for much of the total unsaturated fatty acids. Fat thickness and the federal yield grade had little relationship to the percentages of the individual fatty acids. It was apparent, however, that increased unsaturation was associated with more marbling. It is also evident that increased ether extract from the 12th rib longissimus muscle was associated with a greater amount of unsaturation in the depot fat. The percent total saturation, percent total unsaturation, or invidual fatty acids did not affect the WarnerBratzler shear values or sensory tenderness. Individual fatty acid composition varied between animals, however, the treatments used had limited effect upon this fat composition.