Effect of Feeding Calcium Gluconate Embedded in a Hydrogenated Fat Matrix on Performance, Gastrointestinal Fermentation, Ruminal Morphology, Carcass Merit and Meat Quality for Finishing Beef Heifers

Twenty-one beef heifers were used in a randomized complete block design lasting 206 ± 8 d (mean ± SD) to evaluate DMI, growth, and gastrointestinal tract and carcass characteristics with increasing dose of dietary hydrogenated fat-embedded calcium gluconate (HFCG). Dietary treatments included HFCG included at: 0.0 (CON); 0.09% (CG09), or 0.18% DM (CG18). Heifers were fed individually and fecal samples were collected on d 171 and 192. Gastrointestinal tissue, digesta, carcass merit, and meat quality and sensory characteristics were assessed after slaughter. Data were analyzed to determine the linear and quadratic effects of HFCG dose. Dry matter intake, ADG, and G:F were not affected (P ≥ 0.08) by dose of HFCG. Gastrointestinal fermentation was minimally affected but quadratic responses (P = 0.03 and P = 0.01, respectively) were observed for jejunal digesta pH and for the molar proportion of isovalerate in colon digesta where both increased and then decreased as HFCG dose increased. Carcass (P ≥ 0.30), meat quality (P ≥ 0.06), and sensory characteristics (P ≥ 0.21) were not affected by dose of HFCG. We conclude that feeding HFCG to finishing beef heifers diet did not affect DMI, growth, gastrointestinal fermentation parameters, or carcass merit, meat quality and palatability.