Potential of Maremmana cattle for organic beef production

Aim of this study was to evaluate whether growth performance and meat quality of Maremmana bulls organically farmed could be significantly improved by the dietary inclusion of chickpea during the finishing period. The study was conduced in an extensive organic farm located in Viterbo province, Central Italy. Twelve Maremmana bulls (270±8.1 days of age; 239±31.4 kg body weight (BW)) were divided into two homogeneous groups: one was fed the farmer’s diets, based on barley meal, maize meal and alfalfa hay, and the other was fed diets in which barley meal was substituted by chickpea meal. Composition of diets was adjusted for growth-related changes in BW until the fixed slaughter weight of 630 kg. The dietary content of chickpea ranged from 23 to 11%, as fed. Animals were weighed at the beginning of the trial and thereafter every 3 weeks. Carcasses form each animal were weighed and scored for conformation and fat grade. Meat quality assessment was performed on 7-day aged Longissimus thoraci. Average growth curves were calculated by the regression of BW against age, the regression slopes of the two curves were compared by the F- test. Carcass traits and meat quality parameters were analyzed by one-way ANOVA. Carcass conformation and fatness score were analyzed by the Kruskal-Wallis test. BW increased linearly with age and chickpea-fed bulls showed higher BW from the age of 410 days onward. There were significant differences among dietary treatments for almost all the growth parameters evaluated. Carcasses from bulls fed chickpea were significantly better conformed than carcasses from barley fed bulls, but had higher fatness score. No differences were observed for meat quality parameters except for drip loss (higher in barley group) and cooking loss (higher in chickpea group). The analysis of feed costs indicated that the use of chickpea can determine an increase in the profit per bulls over 50%.