Effects of Probiotic Supplementation on Growth Performance, Blood Metabolites, and Meat Quality of Hanwoo Steer
In this study, the effect of probiotic supplementation on growth performance, blood metabolites, and meat quality of Hanwoo steer was investigated. A total of 32 Hanwoo steers (15-17 months, average body weight 462±37.9 kg) were randomly allotted to 4 dietary treatments (0, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5% mixed probiotics), with four Hanwoo steers per pen (two replicates per treatments), and reared for 12 months. There were no differences among treatments in growth performance of Hanwoo steer (P>0.05); however, feed intake decreased linearly with increasing levels of mixed probiotics. Growth hormone and Blood Urea Nitrogen (BUN) levels responded linearly with increasing levels of dietary mixed probiotics (P<0.05), but not insulin and blood glucose did not. In particular, total cholesterol was significantly lower for the 1% mixed probiotic treatment in comparison with that of the other treatments (P<0.05). The pH, Thiobarbituric Acid Reactive Substances (TBARS), cooking loss, and meat color were influenced by increasing levels of mixed probiotics (P<0.05), but the carcass characteristics and shear force were not. Regarding sensory evaluation, the addition of mixed probiotics resulted in significant difference in meat color, tenderness, aroma, off-flavor, juiciness, and marbling score, but not in overall acceptability. In addition, fatty acid profiles indicated no differences between control and mixed probiotic treatments. In conclusion, mixed probiotic treatment at 1% levels can enhance consumer preferences possibly by reducing cholesterol and TBARS.