With the demand for healthier foods rising with every passing year, it may be the opportunity Bos indicus breeds need to appeal to the greater consumer market. It has already been established that Bos indicus cattle and their offspring have a lower fat content than European breeds, but a recent study conducted in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Florida has confirmed that there is also a difference in the fatty acid composition of the marbling. Bos indicus cattle have a lower marbled beef, which earned it a less desirable status in the past, but the recent study showed that the fatty acid composition of the marbling had a higher nutritional value than that of other breeds.
In meat, the nutritional value of fat is identified through the ratio of saturated fatty acids and polyunsaturated fatty acids. The link has been made between “bad fats”, such as trans fats and short-length saturated fats, and increased risk for coronary heart diseases and other diseases. A link has also been established between “good fats”, such as monounsaturated fats, and polyunsaturated fats, and the decreased risk of coronary heart diseases.
The fatty acid composition in beef can be affected by a number of factors, such as the breed of animal from which it came, and the diet that these animals were fed. This presents an opportunity for farmers to identify which types of cattle contribute towards a healthier fatty acid composition, as consumers are more likely to pay more for meat that has a higher nutritional and health value.
Scientists have identified a number of genes that are responsible for the fatty acid composition in beef, which could be used to improve the fatty acid composition of many breeds through genetic selection. This is great news for producers raising Brahman-influenced cattle.
Beef with an improved nutritional fatty acid profile caters to the demands of consumers looking for a healthier alternative to highly marbled meat. Producers should focus on the positive health benefits of beef that does not meet the required standard of marbling, which could result in a very profitable future for Brahman-influenced cattle producers.
