This study evaluated the effects of dietary supplementation with ginger (Zingiber officinale) essential oil (GEO) on carcass characteristics, organ weights, sensory attributes, and fatty acid composition of bulls. Fifteen bull calves were randomly assigned to three dietary treatments (five animals per group) in a completely randomized design, with comparable initial body weights (95.21 kg) at approximately 10 months of age (post-weaning). The feeding trial lasted for 280 days. Data were confirmed to meet assumptions of normality and homogeneity of variance (Shapiro–Wilk and Levene’s tests), justifying the use of parametric analysis. Carcass weight at slaughter, hot carcass yield, and dressing percentage exhibited a consistent and significant increase (P < 0.05) with GEO supplementation (T2 and T3), with the highest values recorded in bulls fed 20 mL GEO/kg diet (T3). Conversely, organ weights (head, limbs, heart, kidneys, lungs, trachea) and ribeye area showed no significant variation among treatments. Primal cuts including the chuck, rib, loin, round, brisket, short plate, flank, and shank were significantly heavier in bulls supplemented with GEO, particularly in T3. Cooking loss was highest in the control group but markedly reduced in GEO-supplemented groups, while water-holding capacity (WHC) improved significantly in T3. However, shear force and meat pH at 0, 1, and 24 hours postmortem, as well as meat colour, were not significantly affected. The meat colour, tenderness, texture, juiciness, and overall acceptability were significantly improved in GEO-supplemented bulls, indicating enhanced beef quality without adverse sensory effects. In addition, GEO supplementation favorably modified the fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat. Bulls receiving 8.9 g GEO/kg diet and 17.8 g GEO/kg diet (T2 and T3) exhibited a reduction in saturated fatty acids (SFA), particularly myristic (C14:0) and stearic (C18:0) acids, alongside a progressive increase in monounsaturated (MUFA) and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). The T3 group showed the highest levels of oleic acid (C18:1n-9), linoleic acid (C18:2n-6), and α-linolenic acid (C18:3n-3), resulting in improved PUFA:SFA and n-6/n-3 ratios indicative of superior nutritional quality. In conclusion, dietary inclusion of ginger essential oil enhanced carcass yield, meat quality, and the healthfulness of meat lipids in bulls without adverse effects on organoleptic traits. Supplementation at 17.8 g GEO/kg diet was identified as optimal for improving carcass characteristics and producing meat with a more desirable fatty acid profile beneficial to human health.
Cattle large ruminants Holstein Friesian × White Fulani Bulls Tropical phytogenics Beef Organoleptic properties Carcass characteristics Meat fatty acid
| Primary Language | English |
|---|---|
| Subjects | Animal Biotechnology in Agriculture |
| Journal Section | Research Article |
| Authors | |
| Submission Date | August 28, 2025 |
| Acceptance Date | December 6, 2025 |
| Publication Date | December 26, 2025 |
| Published in Issue | Year 2025 Volume: 9 Issue: 4 |
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