*3.4. Meat Quality Characteristics*

Meat quality characteristics are reported in Table 6. Maternal treatment did not influence (*p* > 0.05) crude fat percentage, moisture content, WBSF, or sensory characteristics of steaks from offspring. Heifers had decreased (*p* < 0.05) moisture and increased crude fat content compared to steers and tended (*p* = 0.068) to have improved WBSF values compared to steers. No differences (*p* > 0.05) were detected between steers and heifers for sensory characteristics of steaks. As expected, WBSF improved (*p* < 0.05) with each aging period (4.75 ± 0.152 kg, 3.79 ± 0.112 kg, 2.98 ± 0.088 kg, and 2.65 ± 0.064 kg for steaks aged 3, 7, 14, and 21 days, respectively).

**Table 6.** Least square means for meat characteristics of progeny from dams fed a prepartum dietary carbohydrate source consisting of concentrate-based (Conc) or forage-based (For) diet during mid- and late-gestation.


<sup>1</sup> Diets formulated based on NRC (2000) requirements for dams fed either a concentrate or forage diet during mid- and late-gestation. <sup>2</sup> Probability of difference among least square means. <sup>3</sup> Standard error of the mean. <sup>4</sup> Warner-Bratzler Shear Force. <sup>5</sup> Strip loin samples were evaluated for juiciness (1 = extremely dry; 18 = extremely juicy), tenderness (1 = extremely tough; 18 = extremely tender), and beef flavor (1= extremely bland; 18 = extremely intense).

#### *3.5. Fatty Acid Composition*

Fatty acid composition data is reported in Tables 7 and 8. The concentration (mg/g wet raw tissue; Table 7) of arachidonic (C20:4n6), nervonic (C20:1n9), and docosapentaenoic (C22:5n3) acids were increased (*p* < 0.05) in samples from the concentrate treatment; however, treatment did not influence (*p* > 0.05) concentration of other fatty acids. The concentration of capric (C10:0), myristic (C14:0), myristoleic (C14:1n5), palmitoleic (C16:1n7), and heptadecenoic (C17:1) acids were increased (*p* < 0.05) in samples from heifers compared with steers. Sex did not influence (*p* > 0.05) concentration of other fatty acids.


**Table 7.** Least squares means for the fatty acid composition (mg/g raw wet tissue) of progeny from dams fed a prepartum dietary carbohydrate source consisting of concentrate-based (Conc) or forage-based (For) diet during mid- and late-gestation.

<sup>1</sup> Diets formulated based on NRC (2000) requirements for dams fed either a concentrate or forage diet during mid- and late-gestation. <sup>2</sup> Probability of difference among least square means. <sup>3</sup> Standard error of the mean.




**Table 8.** *Cont.*

<sup>1</sup> Diets formulated based on NRC (2000) requirements for dams fed either a concentrate or forage diet during mid- and late-gestation. <sup>2</sup> Probability of difference among least square means. <sup>3</sup> Standard error of the mean.

> When analyzed as a percentage of total fatty acids (%, g/100 g total fatty acids; Table 8), docosatrienoic (C22:3), nervonic (C24:1n9), and docosapentaenoic (C22:5n3) acids were increased (*p* < 0.05) in samples from the concentrate treatment compared with the forage treatment. Treatment did not influence (*p* < 0.05) the percentage of other fatty acids. The percentage of myristic (C14:0), palmitoleic (C16:1n7), and heptadecenoic (C17:1) acids were increased (*p* < 0.05) in samples from heifers compared with steers, but the percentage of stearic (C18:0) acid was increased (*p* < 0.05) in samples from steers. Sex did not influence (*p* > 0.05) the percentage of other fatty acids.
