INFLUENCE OF GRASS-SILAGE, MEADOW HAY AND CORN-SILAGE ON MEAT QUALITYOF HEIFERS

A fattening trial with 71 Fleckvieh heifers was conducted to examine t he effect of grass silage, meadow hay and corn silage (whole plant) on meat quality. Calfs were purchased at the age of five to eight weeks and after raising, they were kept in lots of 8-10 animals each and fed grass products and concentrate (1.5 kg/d). At the age of one year, th e animals were allotted to three groups similar with respect to sires and age, and fed the three different forages. To achieve equal weight gains in this 6 months lasting main fattening period, the following qu antities of concentrate were fed per day: Grass silage plus 1.5 kg bar ley/wheat Meadow hay plus 2.0 kg barley/wheat Corn silage plus 0.8 kg soybean meal The heifers of the three feeding groups were slaughtered at the same age (553 days on average). The average of the final live w eights was 463 kg, the averages of the daily gains from birth to final age and in the main fattening period were 770 g and 630 g, respective ly. In almost all meat quality criteria, the following order was found (first is the best): corn silage grass silage > hay. Corn silage achi eved significantly better (P < 5%) results than hay concerning texture , consistency, drip losses, intramusculare fat content, marbling and r edness. With respect to sensoric criteria - tendernes, solubility and flavour - corn silage brought, in tendency (P < 10%), better results t han hay. Shear value did not differ between corn and grass silage grou ps, but hay-fed beef needed a markedly higher shearing force. Meat bri ghtness was highest for the grass silage group, nearly as high when fe d hay, but significantly lower when fed corn silage.