Levels of essential oils in high grain diets for beef cattle finished in feedlot: performance, animal temperament, carcass characteristics and meat quality

Abstract

Given that the utilization of essential oils as castor and cashew oil have antimicrobial, anti-inflammatory and antioxidant features, may increase the feed efficiency of bulls finished in feedlot and the shelf life of meat and that the animal temperament has direct effect in handling of animals and consequently in the carcass and meat quality, the objective with this research are assess the effect of inclusion of essential oils in the diet and the bulls temperament finished in feedlot, assess the carcass and meat quality than more the animal performance. The experiment will be conducted in Experimental Farm Lageado (FMVZ-Unesp), located in Botucatu/SP. Will be used 60 crossbreed bulls (½ Nelore vs. ½ Angus) with 310 kg and 18m. The animals finished in feedlot. Will be used to analysis of variance considering the model of repeated measures in independent groups and test for the assessment of Goodman contrasts between treatments. Will use the statistical package SAS (2003). (AU)