The effects of feeding fresh forage and silage on some nutritional attributes of beef: an overview

Summary

This narrative review synthesises evidence from the prior decade on how forage and silage-based finishing systems affect beef nutritional composition compared to grain-based rations. The evidence indicates that green fodder and silage feeding (with the exception of maize silage) yields beef with a more favourable fatty acid profile—lower intramuscular fat, higher n-3 PUFAs, improved n-6:n-3 ratio, and elevated vitamin E and β-carotene—though cholesterol content differences are not nutritionally significant. The findings address consumer concerns about saturated fat in beef and provide a basis for considering forage-based finishing as a means to improve the nutritional profile of ruminant meat.

Regional applicability

Findings are applicable to United Kingdom beef production, where grass-fed and forage-finishing systems are common and increasingly marketed for their nutritional benefits. The review's conclusions support evidence-based messaging around pasture-finished beef nutrient composition relative to grain-finishing, relevant to UK farming practice and consumer nutrition policy, though the mixed results with maize silage warrant contextual consideration given its use in UK systems.

Key measures

Intramuscular fat content; n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs); n-6:n-3 PUFA ratio; vitamin E content; β-carotene content; cholesterol content

Outcomes reported

Compared nutritional attributes of beef from cattle finished on fresh forage and silage versus grain-based rations, measuring intramuscular fat content, polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios, vitamin E, and β-carotene levels. Found that forage and silage feeding (except maize silage) produced beef with lower intramuscular fat but higher n-3 PUFA proportion, improved n-6:n-3 ratio, and elevated micronutrient content.

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