Effects Of Sulfur Additives On Growth Performance And Beef Quality In Yanbian Yellow Cattle

This study was conducted to determine the effects of sulfur additives on growth performance, beef quality in Yanbian Yellow cattle. A total of60healthy Yanbian Yellow cattle bullock with initial body weight of (550±16) kg were randomly allocated into4treatments, included:1) control group (Ⅰ), late fattening diet;2) test group1(Ⅱ),2.5mg/kg sulfur additives (average cattle/day) with late fattening diet;3) test group2(Ⅲ),3mg/kg sulfur additives (average cattle/day) with late fattening diet;4) test group3(Ⅳ),3.5mg/kg sulfur additives (average cattle/day) with late fattening diet. Preliminary trial period lasted for10d, trial period lasted for90d. Five catties from each treatment were slaughtered to determine slaughter traits at the end of trial period. The results showed that:(1)Growth performance:The average daily gain of IV group was significantly increased by34.69%(P<0.05) compared with Ⅰ group, there were no significant differences in the average daily gain between Ⅱ,Ⅲ group and Ⅰ, Ⅳ group(P>0.05). The dry matter intake of Ⅳ group was significantly improved by4.33%(P<0.05) compared withⅠ group, there were no significant differences in the dry matter intake between Ⅱ, Ⅲ group and Ⅰ, Ⅳ group (P>0.05). The feed conversion rate of Ⅳ group was significantly increased by28.98%(P<0.05)compared with Ⅰ group(2)Nutrients apparent digestibility:The apparent digestibility of crude protein of Ⅳ group was significantly improved by5.28%(P<.05) compared with I group. The apparent digestibility of crude fiber of Ⅲ, Ⅳ group was significantly increased by4.61%(P<0.05),5.35%(P<0.05) compared with I group. No significant differences were observed in apparent digestibility of dry matter, ether extract, ash, Ca, P (P>0.05)(3)Biochemical indexes of blood:Sulfur additives for test cattle alanine aminotransferase, aspartate aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, glucose, low-density lipoprotein levels was not significant influence(P>0.05). Total cholesterol and triglyceride levels along with improved levels of sulfur decreased, each test group were lower than the control group, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05). With the improvement of the level of sulfur additives, high-density lipoprotein concentration, immunoglobulin IgM, IgA and IgG levels were higher, each test group were higher than the control group, but the difference was not significant (P>0.05).(4) Slaughter performance:With the improvement of the level of sulfur additives, the test cattle live weight, carcass weight, dressing percentage and eye muscle area were rising, but the difference was not significant(P>0.05). Thickness of backfat in each test group was lower than the control group, the difference was not significant (P>0.05). Net meat percentage, net meat percentage of carcass, ratio of meat to bone in test group were higher than the control group, the difference was not significant(P>0.05).(5)Beef Quality:The shear force, cooking loss of IV group were significantly increased by7.54%(P<0.05),9.32%(P<0.05) compared with I group, the difference between other groups was not significant (P>0.05). The difference of drip loss in each group was not significant (P>0.05). The beef marbling of the control group was better than the test group. Sulfur additives had no significant effect on the meet color and fat color of test cattle.(6)Nutrition content of beef:With the improvement of the sulfur additives level, crude protein content in beef was on the rise, crude fat content was on the decline, no significant difference was observed in each group (P>0.05). There was no significant difference between test group and control group in the dry matter, crude ash, calcium, phosphorus content of beef (P>0.05).(7)Fatty acid content:The linoleic acid content of Ⅲ,Ⅳ group was significantly increased by18.53%(P<0.05),15.54%(P<0.05) compared with I group, the difference between other groups was not significant (P>0.05). With the improvement of the level of sulfur additives level, myristic acid, stearic acid, saturated fatty acid content were on the decline, palmitoleic acid, oleic a,cid, linoleic acid, unsaturated fatty acid content were on the rise, but the difference in each group was not significant (P>0.05). (8)Amino acid, content:The alanine content of Ⅲ, Ⅳ group was significantly increased by15.66%(P<0.05),22.69%(P<0.05) compared with I group. The aspartate content of Ⅲ group was significantly increased by13.34%(P<0.05) compared with I group. The glutamate content of Ⅲ group was significantly increased by8.92%(P<0.05) compared with I group. The arginine content of Ⅲ, Ⅳ group was significantly increased by15.78%(P<0.05),11.21%(P<0.05) compared with I group. The methionine content of Ⅱ, Ⅲ, Ⅳ group was significantly increased by26.87%(P<0.05),31.26%(P<0.05),20.64%(P<0.05) compared with I group. The cystine content of Ⅲ, Ⅳ group was significantly increased by9.64%(P>0.05),10.02%(P<0.05) compared with I group. Other amino acid content in the test group and the control group showed no significant difference(P>0.05).The experimental results show that:supplementation of sulfur additives in late fattening diet can obtain favorable effects on growth performance and nutrient apparent digestibility of Yanbian cattle. Improved the shear force and the cooking loss, reduce fat deposition in Yanbian yellow cattle, improved the content of unsaturated fatty acid and the content of flavor amino acid and essential amino acid in Yanbian yellow cattle, also reduced the content of saturated fatty acids. Have no significant effect on blood biochemical indexes, slaughter performance, beef nutrition, meat color and fat color of Yanbian yellow cattle. So based on growth performance and meat quality,3mg/kg sulfur additives (average cattle/day) is considered to be the optimal level in the concentration under conditions in this study.