Brazilian beef produced on pastures: sustainable and healthy.

With a herd of 209 million cattle, Brazilian beef production estimate for 2023 is 10,935 million tons, representing an increase of 28.9% and accounting for 20% of the world trade. Beef cattle production is constantly evolving; however, there are extremes, ranging from simple existing farm ranges to intensive forage systems, strategic supplementation, updated health and genetic improvement programs for the production of quality beef. This modern production is based on scientific research carried out at universities and other research institutions. A new generation of professionals with multidisciplinary knowledge and a holistic vision of the productive chain-proposed management practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the production of grass-fed beef cattle, whose meat has high omega-3 and CLA contents. Age at slaughter of steers and of heifers at first mating, significant increases in the ratio calves/100 cows, adequate traceability for pastoral systems with hundreds or thousands of animals per farm and a more intense transference of technology are required.

Nutritional composition of the meat of Hereford and Braford steers finished on pastures or in a feedlot in southern Brazil.

Chemical and mineral composition and the intramuscular fatty acid (IMF) profile of the Longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) of 60 purebred Hereford, 1/4 Braford and 3/8 Braford steers finished either in a feedlot or on improved pastures of the Pampa biome were evaluated. Pastures were improved with the introduction of Lolium multiflorum, Trifolium repens, and Lotus corniculatus. On average, beef from pasture-fed steers presented higher concentrations of the fatty acids C18:3n-3 (P<0.001), C20:3n-3 (P=0.035), total n-3 (P<0.001) and lower n-6/n-3 ratio (P<0.001) in the IMF, and higher Mg and lower K content in muscle relative to those finished in the feedlot. C12:0 concentration in IMF was higher (P=0.027) for 3/8 Braford than the purebred Hereford steers, whereas purebred Herefords presented lower C14:1 (P=0.003) and higher C18:0 (P=0.022) concentrations than the two Braford groups. The meat composition of purebred Hereford and Braford steers was not substantially different; however, beef produced exclusively on improved pastures presented higher concentration of components that are considered beneficial to human health, such as n-3 fatty acids, and a lower n-6/n-3 ratio.

Desempenho e características da carcaça de novilhos terminados em pastejo rotacionado ou em confinamento / Performance and carcass characteristics of steers finished in rotational grassing or feedlot

Foram avaliados o desempenho e as características de carcaça de 36 novilhos Brahman (Bh), Brangus (Bg) e Hereford adaptado (He), terminados em pastejo com suplementação (PSu) ou em confinamento (Conf). Os animais foram abatidos quando apresentavam espessura de gordura maior do que 4mm. Na dieta do Conf, a relação volumoso:concentrado foi de 60:40 (com base na matéria seca), continha 13 por cento de proteína bruta (PB) e 62 por cento de nutrientes digestíveis totais (NDT). O capim-mombaça continha, em média, 7 por cento de PB e 54 por cento de NDT, e o suplemento 24 por cento de PB e 76 por cento de NDT. Foi observada diferença (P<0,05) no sistema de terminação para o ganho de peso médio diário, com 1,200kg/cab/dia para Conf e 0,675kg/cab/dia para Psu. Os novilhos Bh e Bg pesaram, em média, 445,8kg, e o rendimento da carcaça quente foi de 58,4 por cento, valores maiores que os 399,1kg e 55,4 por cento obtidos pelos animais He. A área de olho de Longissimus foi maior para os animais Bg, 76,42cm². A maciez, 3,71 vs 4,89, e a espessura de gordura subcutânea, 4,64 vs 3,39, foram melhores nos animais terminados em Conf do que nos animais em Psu, respectivamente.

The productive performance and carcass of the 36 Brahman (Bh), Brangus (Bg) and adapted Hereford (He) steers finished on feedlot (FD) or on rotational grazing with supplementation system (GS) were evaluated. The animals were slaughtered when the subcutaneous fat thickness was over 4mm. The feedlot diet had a forage: concentrate of 60:40 (in dry matter) 13 percent crude protein (CP), 62 percent of NDT. The mombaça gras CP level was 7 percent and 54 percent of NDT. The supplement had supplied 24 percent of CP and 76 percent of NDT. A significant difference was observed for the average daily gain, being 1,200kg/head/day for FD steers and 0.675kg/head/day for GS steers. The effect of breed on slaughter weight was observed, being 445.8kg for Bh and Bg and 399.19kg for He. The hot dressing percentage was higher for Bh and Bg than for He, 58.4 percent vs 55.4 percent. The rib eye area was higher for Bg, 76.42cm² and tenderness measured by the shear force was lower for FD steers, at 3.71 than for GS steers, at 4.89. The subcutaneous fat thickness was higher for FD steers, at 4.64 than for GS steers, at 3.39mm.