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ARS Home » Plains Area » College Station, Texas » Southern Plains Agricultural Research Center » Food and Feed Safety Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #161648
Title: FEED AND WATER SUPPLEMENTATION WITH EXPERIMENTAL CHLORATE PREPARATIONS: EFFECT ON CARCASS QUALITY, DISPLAY LIFE, AND TENDERNESS

Author
item KING, D - TX A&M UNIVERSITY
item Anderson, Robin
item MILLER, RHONDA - TX A&M UNIVERSITY
item CARSTENS, GORDON - TX A&M UNIVERSITY
item SAVELL, JEFF - TX A&M UNIVERSITY
item Jung, Yong Soo
item Callaway, Todd
item Edrington, Thomas
item Genovese, Kenneth - Ken
item Nisbet, David

Submitted to: Meat Science
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 12/13/2004
Publication Date: 5/20/2005
Citation: King, D.A., Anderson, R.C., Miller, R.K., Carstens, G.E., Savell, J.W., Jung, Y.S., Callaway, T.R., Edrington, T.S., Genovese, K.J., Nisbet, D.J. 2005. Effects of pre-harvest supplemental chlorate on beef carcass and meat quality. Meat Science. 70:215-221.

Interpretive Summary: Certain Escherichia coli strains such as E. coli O157:H7 are important foodborne pathogens that threaten public health. In the United States, an estimated 73,000 human infections caused by E. coli O157:H7 occur each year. Cattle are recognized as carriers of Escherichia coli O157:H7. To help ranchers get rid of this bacterium from their cattle we are developing a new experimental feed and water supplement. In order to determine whether or not this supplement adversely effects product quality, beef carcasses and selected cuts from cattle given the experimental chlorate product were examined. Results from the study indicated that the supplments could be given to cattle to reduce their carriage of pathogens without negatively affecting meat quality. These results have the potential to provide beef producers a powerful tool to ensure continued production of an affordable, safe, high quality and wholesome meat product for the American consumer.

Technical Abstract: Consequences of administering experimental chlorate feed supplement preparations on carcass quality, tenderness, and color stability were evaluated. Heifers (n = 64) were fed an experimental chlorate product at 0 %, 0.01% of body weight for the last day on feed, 0.01% of body weight for the last 5 days on feed or 0.05% of body weight for the last day on feed and were provided water containing 0 or 30 mM chlorate for 12 h before harvest. The experimental chlorate product at 0.01% of BW produced higher marbling scores than feeding 0.01% of BW for 5 d, but decreased significantly (P<0.05) tenderness in cattle fed 0.05% of BW at the last feeding. Such differences may have been due to pre-existing variation in these cattle. Neither feed nor water supplementation affected color stability. Data indicate that the experimental chlorate preparations can be used to reduce pathogens in animals without adversely impacting meat quality or display life.