Glycerine levels in the diets of crossbred bulls finished in feedlot: Carcass characteristics and meat quality

•Glycerine decreased myristic, palmitic and stearic acids in Longissimus muscle.•There was an increase of MUFA and PUFA in bulls fed on diets with glycerine.•The PUFA and SFA ratio was higher in bulls fed on diets with glycerine.

The effects of corn replacement by different glycerine levels on carcass characteristics and meat quality of 40 young Purunã bulls, weighing 209 ± 33.3 kg and 8 ± 0.9 months old, finished in feedlot, were evaluated. The treatments were G00: without glycerine; G06: 6% glycerine; G12: 12% glycerine; and G18: 18% glycerine in the diets, on a DM basis. Hot weight, dressing, conformation and length carcass, leg length and cushion thickness were not (P > 0.05) modified by different glycerine levels in the diets. Glycerine in the diets did not (P > 0.05) affect fat thickness, Longissimus muscle area, marbling and texture. Muscle, fat and bone percentages were not (P > 0.05) influenced by glycerine levels in the diets. No changes (P > 0.05) in lightness (L*), redness (a*) and yellowness (b*) on LM occurred when glycerine was included at 0, 6, 12 or 18% in the diet. There was no (P > 0.05) difference in LM moisture, ash, crude protein and total lipids when feeding different glycerine levels. The inclusion of glycerine decreased (P < 0.01) total saturated (10.8%), and increased monounsaturated (7.4%) and poly-unsaturated (44.0%) fatty acids, which resulted in a higher PUFA:SFA ratio (0.57).