Two-Year Study Comparing High-Energy Forage and Feedlot Finishing Impact on Beef Consumer Acceptability and Sensory Characteristics in the Upper Midwest

The 2-yr. study determined consumer acceptability and sensory attributes of beef longissimus thoracis steaks from steers grazing high-energy forages vs. a conventional feedlot diet. Steaks were from 62 steers fed 1 of 4 treatment diets: mixed pasture (MIX); simple cereal grain/brassica mixture (SIMP); complex cereal grain/brassica mixture; and conventional feedlot ration (FLOT). Steers grazed perennial mixed pasture prior to treatment assignment. Steers were fed FLOT (n=8/yr.) diet for 92 (yr. 1) and 128 (yr. 2) d. Steers in MIX (n=8/yr.), SIMP (n=8/yr. 1; 6/yr. 2), and COMP (n=8/yr.) grazed respective pastures for 76 (yr. 1) and 70 d (yr. 2). All steers were slaughtered on the same day each yr. Marbling scores were evaluated 48 hr. post-mortem. Carcasses were aged 7 d prior to fabricating 2.54 cm steaks. Vacuum packaged steaks were aged an additional 8 d and frozen (-20 °C) until evaluation for Warner Bratzler shear force (WBSF). Consumer panelists (n = 106/yr. 1; 107/yr. 2) evaluated cooked steaks aged 15 d for flavor, texture and firmness, juiciness, and overall acceptability using a 9-point hedonic scale (1 = dislike extremely, 9 = like extremely). Sensory characteristics and consumer acceptability data were analyzed with Proc Mixed (SAS 9.4). Marbling scores of steaks from FLOT (541) were greater (P < 0.01) compared to MIX (436), SIMP (428), and COMP (431). There was a treatment effect (P < 0.05) for WBSF where steaks from FLOT steers (3.12 ± 0.34 kg) were more tender compared to MIX (4.01 ± 0.34 kg), SIMP (3.94 ± 0.34 kg), and COMP (3.99 ± 0.34 kg). Panelists preferred (P < 0.01) the texture and firmness of steaks from steers fed FLOT (7.09) diet compared to SIMP (6.73), MIX (6.30) and COMP (6.43). There was a preference (P < 0.01) for the juiciness and overall acceptability of steaks from steers fed FLOT (6.48 and 6.76) and SIMP (6.34 and 6.66) diets compared to MIX (6.09 and 6.24) and COMP (5.94 and 6.23). There was a yr. effect (P < 0.05) where yr. 2 was preferable to yr. 1 for overall acceptability (6.59 vs. 6.35) and flavor (6.67 vs. 6.39) and no treatment difference (P > 0.05) for flavor. Because there was no year effect for marbling score and WBSF, the basis for year differences are inconclusive. Results indicate that steaks from steers finished on FLOT or SIMP had greater overall acceptability when compared to other treatments.