The effect of adding Rumensin to the diet of bulls on the quality of their meat
Mikulík, A.; Dvorák, R.; Knesel, L.; Vávrová, M.; Zoldosová, I.
Veterinarni Medicina 27(1): 19-24
1982
ISSN/ISBN: 0375-8427 PMID: 6801839 Document Number: 187280
In a pilot experiment, bullocks were given diet with a sodium monensinate supplement as the Rumensin preparation. The dose of the supplement was 125 mg per head/day and the medicated feed was given to the bullocks for 14 months. The daily weight gain of the tested bullocks increased by 3.85% and feed consumption decreased by 7.12%. The meat of the ten bullocks examined (m. longissimus dorsi) showed no statistically significant changes in the basic chemical composition as compared with the meat of ten control bullocks. In the tested group the content of hydroxyproline in meat decreased by 35.14% (from 0.12 to 0.08 g per 100 g of fresh tissue - p less than 0.05). The content of glycine decreased by 8.82% (from 3.63 to 3.31 g per 100 g of dry matter - P less than 0.01). The content of alanine decreased by 5.86% (from 5.12 to 4.82 g per 100 g of dry matter - P less than 0.05). As to essential amino acids, the content of valine in the meat of the tested bullocks increased by 4.76% (from 3.99 to 4.18 g per 100 g of dry matter - P less than 0.05). Sodium monensinate exerted a favourable influence on weight gains and nutrient conversion in the bullocks. It had no effect on the basic chemical composition and no marked influence on the content of amino acids, except hydroxyproline and, particularly, essential amino acids in the meat of the tested bullocks. A reduction in the content of hydroxyproline signalizes higher-value proteins.