Effects of supplementation period and levels of fermented mineral feed (Power-Mix®) on the growth and carcass characteristics of hanwoo steer

This study was carried out investigate the effects of the period of dietary supplementation and the level of fermented mineral feed on daily body weight gain and carcass characteristics of Hanwoo steer. The dietary treatments were compared during two supplementation periods (T1: Feeding Hanwoo steers from 18 months to 25 months, T2: feeding Hanwoo steers from 7 months to 25 months), and the diets tested were of four types (0%: normal concentrate as a basal diet, 1%: 1% addition of fermented mineral feed, 2%: 2% addition of fermented mineral feed, and 3%: 3% addition of fermented mineral feed). A Total of 35 Hanwoo steers were allocated into 7 feeding groups. The daily gain of the 0% fermented mineral feed group was lower (0.64 kg) than that of the other groups (1 %: 1.08 kg, 2%: 0.90 kg, 3% treatment: 0.75 kg) for the T1 period, and for the T2 period the order was 1% (0.98 kg) > 0% (0.75 kg) > 1 % (0.89 kg). The amount of back fat in decreasing order was as follows: 0% (12.0) > 1% (10.8) > 2% (10.2) > 3% fermented mineral feed (7.8 mm) for the T1 period, and for the T2 period the order was C (16 mm) > T1 (13.8 mm) > T3 treatment (12.6 mm). Eye muscle area increased with increased fermented mineral feed levels. The marbling score of the T1 groups was highest with 3% fermented mineral feed (4.2), and of the T2 groups, the highest score was seen with 1 % fermented mineral feed (5.6). Meat color and meat maturity were not different among all groups. The grade of meat quantity and meat quality of both the T1 and T2 groups were highest with the addition of 3% fermented mineral feed. The daily income ranged from 2,062 won to 5,265 won in the T1 groups, which were ordered as follows: 1% > 2% > 3% > 0% fermented mineral feed, and of the T2 groups, the 1% group was highest at 6,098 Won, while the 3% group was lowest at 4,590 Won.