Project Number: 1932-21630-003-04
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 01, 2008
End Date: May 31, 2013

Objective:
1. Develop criteria for pasture raised beef that define ¿the window of acceptability¿. 1a. Evaluate utilization of nutrients from forage and their transformation into end products. 1b. Identify life cycle risk factors relevant to meat quality. 1c. Define "window of acceptability" by relating animal production systems, meat quality and consumer parameters. 2. Identify management and nutritional strategies for minimizing weaning stress in calves. 2a. Characterize relationship between cattle behavior and carcass quality.

Approach:
The approach will be to compare meat quality attributes of carcasses from animals produced under various production systems (cow-calf, backgrounding, stocker, finishing). Clemson University will assess the composition, color, palatability, fatty acid content and nutraceutical levels of beef produced under these various systems. Statistical analyses will be conducted for all meat quality attributes to differentiate and increase marketing avenues for beef products produced on pasture-based systems.