Puerarin improved growth performance and postmortem meat quality by regulating lipid metabolism of cattle under hot environment

This study aims to evaluate the effect of puerarin on performance, meat quality, and serum indexes of beef cattle under hot environment. Thirty-two bulls were divided into four groups and fed diet supplemented with puerarin at 0, 200, 400, or 800 mg/kg. Results showed that heat stress was employed for 54 out of 60 days, 400 mg/kg group declined serum cortisol (COR) contents, all treatments increased the contents of total cholesterol, high density lipoprotein cholesterol, and total superoxide dismutase activity; in addition, glutathione peroxidase activity of 200 mg/kg group were enhanced, only 800 mg/kg group enhanced immunoglobulin (IgA, IgM, and IgG) and low density lipoprotein cholesterol contents compared with the control (p < .05). Moreover, 400-mg/kg puerarin increased serum growth hormone levels compared with 200 mg/kg group but declined COR concentrations compared with 200 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg groups (p < .05). More importantly, average daily gain and daily matter intake, and intramuscular fat contents of 400 mg/kg group were enhanced, but the shear force of beef in 400 mg/kg and 800 mg/kg groups were declined compared with the control (p < .05). These findings indicated that supplemental with puerarin enhanced immune and antioxidant, and 400 mg/kg of puerarin improved performance and meat quality by normalizing levels of stress hormones and increasing intramuscular fat deposition of beef cattle under hot environment.