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European consumers demand locally produced meat, preferably from regional breeds, but meat quality is unknown. Heifers from two dual-purpose breeds, Valdostana Chestnut (VC) and Valdostana Red Pied (VR), autochthonous to the Aosta valley, were compared with Piedmontese (PI), a beef breed. Fourteen VC and VR each grazed high alpine pastures, and ten PI received fresh grass in a lowland barn. In each group, the heavier half of the animals were slaughtered after the grass-feeding period. All others received hay and concentrate for another 48 days. Properties of the carcase and the longissimus thoracis (LT) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles (aged 7 or 28 days) were determined. Sensory analysis of the LT and BF muscles was performed by 10 trained panellists and 53 consumers, respectively. The VC and VR grew faster than the PI, but dressing percentages and conformation scores were inferior. The LT was perceived as less tender from the VC and VR compared to the PI, and shear force and insoluble collagen were also higher. Finishing accentuated the problem for VC and did not improve carcase and meat quality otherwise. Prolonged ageing did not render the beef more tender. Compared to the LT, the BF was more resistant to factors of influence in quality. Consumers perceived long-aged beef to be preferable and comparably inexpensive for its quality. No other factor influenced sensory impression. In conclusion, the LT and, less so, the BF from the autochthonous breeds were not fully competitive in quality with those of the beef breed.HIGHLIGHTS Grass-fed autochthonous Valdostana breeds were compared with Piedmontese cattle. Valdostana heifers performed better but were inferior in dressing percentage and carcase conformation. The beef from the Valdostana breeds was less tender than that from the Piedmontese.

In the mountains, autochthonous and robust breeds are often used to valorize biodiverse grasslands. Along with their lower nutrient requirements, compared to specialized dairy breeds, they are expected to be better adapted to complex environments and valorize grasslands into dairy products of high quality. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to investigate the grazing selection of three contrasting dairy breeds on a biodiverse mountain pasture, and its consequences on milk fatty acid (FA) profile and prevalence of individual terpenes. A dual-purpose breed from the Italian Alps, the Valdostana Red Pied (Va), was compared to Montbéliardes (Mo), more specialized in milk production, and the highly specialized Holsteins (Ho). Diet selection was measured by scan-sampling, calculating selectivity indexes, and collecting simulated bites during two consecutive days in June (end of first grazing cycle) and July (second grazing cycle). Milk samples were collected at each milking during these experimental periods. Yield of milk and its fat and protein contents were measured. Milk FA and terpenes were analyzed by gas chromatographic methods. We tested the effects of breed, period and their interaction in a repeated mixed model, and calculated Pearson's correlations between behavioral data and milk FA as well as terpenes. The Va grazed less mature vegetation than Ho, but this difference was not sufficient to lead to a major breed effect on milk FA profile and prevalence of terpenes. However, the proportion of α-linolenic acid (C18:3 n-3) was always higher in the milk fat of Va than Ho (Mo were intermediary), but this without any correlation to grazing selection. This could be a consequence from a different metabolism concerning ruminal biohydrogenation, but must be further investigated. Finally, we confirmed previous studies that highlighted a link between milk quality and cows' grazing behavior, but here without differences among breeds. All cows adapted their behavior to the herbage evolution during the season, leading to higher proportions of unsaturated FA in July than June milks. Our study suggests that under mountain grazing conditions (biodiverse pasture and cows in late lactation), milk quality depends more on herbage composition than on cow breed.

The aim of this study was to determine how cows with different genetic merit behave and perform when grazing biodiverse and heterogeneous mountain pastures with different slopes. Three groups of 12 cows in late lactation, each composed of four Holstein, four Montbéliarde and four Valdostana Red Pied cows, breeds of increasing presumed robustness and decreasing milk yield (MY) potential. Cows grazed without concentrate either on a low-diversity flat pasture or on two species-rich mountainous pastures having slopes of either 7° or 22°. Milk yield, BW and grazing behaviour were monitored two times in the first and once in the second grazing cycle. Cows of different breeds had similar behaviour on all pastures. The Montbéliarde cows performed close to their production potential; Holstein and Valdostana cows produced less milk than anticipated. No breed difference in terms of BW loss was found. The Valdostana cows exhibited the least selective behaviour with respect to plant species and plant growth stage. Still, all cows searched for the most palatable vegetation regardless of pasture diversity. On the steep pasture, cows optimised the trade-off between ingesting and saving energy to obtain feed. They remained longer at the lowest zone and selected forbs, whereas cows on the flatter pasture went to the upper zone to select grasses. The present study gave no evidence for a superior short-term adaptation to harsh grazing conditions through an optimised feeding behaviour of the Valdostana breed compared to Montbéliarde and Holstein cows.

European consumers demand locally produced meat, preferably from regional breeds, but meat quality is unknown. Heifers from two dual-purpose breeds, Valdostana Chestnut (VC) and Valdostana Red Pied (VR), autochthonous to the Aosta valley, were compared with Piedmontese (PI), a beef breed. Fourteen VC and VR each grazed high alpine pastures, and ten PI received fresh grass in a lowland barn. In each group, the heavier half of the animals were slaughtered after the grass-feeding period. All others received hay and concentrate for another 48 days. Properties of the carcase and the longissimus thoracis (LT) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles (aged 7 or 28 days) were determined. Sensory analysis of the LT and BF muscles was performed by 10 trained panellists and 53 consumers, respectively. The VC and VR grew faster than the PI, but dressing percentages and conformation scores were inferior. The LT was perceived as less tender from the VC and VR compared to the PI, and shear force and insoluble collagen were also higher. Finishing accentuated the problem for VC and did not improve carcase and meat quality otherwise. Prolonged ageing did not render the beef more tender. Compared to the LT, the BF was more resistant to factors of influence in quality. Consumers perceived long-aged beef to be preferable and comparably inexpensive for its quality. No other factor influenced sensory impression. In conclusion, the LT and, less so, the BF from the autochthonous breeds were not fully competitive in quality with those of the beef breed. Grass-fed autochthonous Valdostana breeds were compared with Piedmontese cattle. Valdostana heifers performed better but were inferior in dressing percentage and carcase conformation. The beef from the Valdostana breeds was less tender than that from the Piedmontese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to determine how cows with different genetic merit behave and perform when grazing biodiverse and heterogeneous mountain pastures with different slopes. Three groups of 12 cows in late lactation, each composed of four Holstein, four Montbéliarde and four Valdostana Red Pied cows, breeds of increasing presumed robustness and decreasing milk yield (MY) potential. Cows grazed without concentrate either on a low-diversity flat pasture or on two species-rich mountainous pastures having slopes of either 7° or 22°. Milk yield, BW and grazing behaviour were monitored two times in the first and once in the second grazing cycle. Cows of different breeds had similar behaviour on all pastures. The Montbéliarde cows performed close to their production potential; Holstein and Valdostana cows produced less milk than anticipated. No breed difference in terms of BW loss was found. The Valdostana cows exhibited the least selective behaviour with respect to plant species and plant growth stage. Still, all cows searched for the most palatable vegetation regardless of pasture diversity. On the steep pasture, cows optimised the trade-off between ingesting and saving energy to obtain feed. They remained longer at the lowest zone and selected forbs, whereas cows on the flatter pasture went to the upper zone to select grasses. The present study gave no evidence for a superior short-term adaptation to harsh grazing conditions through an optimised feeding behaviour of the Valdostana breed compared to Montbéliarde and Holstein cows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]