Change of performance, serum metabolite, and carcass characteristics on high energy diet of Hanwoo steers

The aim of this experiment was to determine the effect of a high-energy diet on the level of serum metabolites and on carcass characteristics of Hanwoo steers. High energy diets have been used for enhancing intramuscular adipose tissue in high quality beef cattle. However, there is not much information about the physiological reactions to this diet. We hypothesized that a high energy diet would increase blood metabolites and the meat quality of Hanwoo steers during the early and final fattening periods. A $2{\times}2$ factorial arrangement (High, Control, and Early, Final) in a completely randomized design was used to feed 24 Hanwoo steers. Two steers were kept in the same pen and 12 pens were used for the experiment. Blood was drawn from each steer on the first week of every other month from 11 to 28 months. Overall Average Daily Gain (ADG) and feed efficiency were not different between high energy and control diets (p > 0.05). However, Dry Matter Intake (DMI greater with the control diet than DMI with the high energy diet during the final fattening period (p < 0.05). Serum non-esterified fatty acid (NEFA) concentrations were greater in the control diet group than in the high energy diet group during the final fattening period (p < 0.05). However, serum albumin, glucose, total protein, triglyceride, and phosphorus were greater in the high energy group than those of the control group (p < 0.05). Carcass traits or physico-chemical characteristics were not different between high energy diet treatment and the control. These data indicated that a high energy diet (+ 3% TDN) increased serum triglyceride during early fattening periods and decreased non-esterified fatty acids during final fattening periods in Hanwoo steers.