Despite a high volume of market (cull) dairy cows entering the food chain every year, beef from market dairy cows is largely considered insignificant when compared with beef from beef cattle in the ...market and is widely thought to be used for ground beef only. Our study aimed to evaluate the effects of feeding dairy market cows on a lactating TMR diet before slaughter on carcass and beef quality traits. Forty-three Holstein market cows were randomly assigned into 2 treatments: Fed or Direct. Fed cows (n = 22) were dried off, then fed a lactating cow TMR ration for approximately 60 d whereas Direct cows (n = 21) were sent directly to slaughter. Hot carcass weight (HCW) was used to calculate the dressing percentage (DP) together with the animals' body weight recorded when animals left the farm to go to the abattoir. At 24h post-mortem, the rib fat thickness (RFT) and rib eye area (REA) were measured by a certified grader. Afterward, rib samples were collected between the 12th −10th ribs from one side of the carcass and divided into 5 ribeye steaks. The first steak was used for intramuscular fat (IMF) content analysis by NIRS. The other 4 steaks were then aged for 7, 14, 21, or 28 d. Following aging, the steaks available were assessed for tenderness using the Warner-Bratzler Shear Force protocol. Data were analyzed by mixed linear regression to compare experimental groups for continuous outcomes. HCW of the Fed cows was higher than the Direct cows, with a mean HCW of 408.3 kg and 326.1 kg, respectively (SE ± 9.0). Average DP in Fed cows was 49.1%, compared with 42.5% in Direct cows (SE ± 0.69). The average percentage of IMF in Fed cows was 8.1% and in Direct cows was 5.0% (SE ± 0.43). Fed cows had a mean REA of 68.1 cm2 and Direct cows had a mean of 57.7 cm2 (SE ± 11.9). No differences were found for RFT. The steaks aged for 14 d resulted in meat with a mean shear force (SF) of 4.19 kg in Fed cows, while Direct cows had a mean SF of 6.28 kg (SE ± 0.29) Feeding market dairy cows for 60 d before slaughter enhanced carcass weight and yield, IMF content, and tenderness. These results indicate that approximately 60 d of feeding can improve the quality of market dairy cow meat and may help improve market cow value.
The quality of the
muscle has been compared in male moose, red deer, fallow der and roe deer from wild populations. The results of this study indicated that Cervid meat had favorable chemical ...composition and high sensory quality but its properties were affected by the species of the animal. The highest quality was characterized roe deer meat. It was found that her meat had the best water-holding capacity and was most tender, and intramuscular fat had highest nutritional value. However, due to the high diversity and variation of factors affecting game meat quality, further research is needed to confirm the observed interspecific differences between members of the family Cervidae.
This study examined the impact of dietary guanidino acetic acid (GAA) and rumen-protected methionine (RPM) on beef quality in Simmental bulls. For 140 days, forty-five bulls (453.43 ± 29.05 kg) were ...randomly divided into control (CON), 0.1% GAA (GAA), and 0.1% GAA + 0.1% RPM (GAM) groups with 15 bulls in each group and containing 3 pen with 5 bulls in each pen. Significant improvements in eye muscle area, pH48h, redness (a*) value, and crude protein (CP) content of longissimus lumborum (LL) muscles were observed in the GAA and GAM groups (P < 0.05). Conversely, the lightness (L*) value, drip loss, cooking loss, and moisture contents decreased (P < 0.05). Additionally, glutathione (GSH) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-PX) concentrations of LL muscles in GAM were higher (P < 0.05), while malondialdehyde (MDA) content of LL muscles in GAA and GAM groups were lower (P < 0.05). Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) profiles were enriched in beef from GAM group (P < 0.05). The addition of GAA and RPM affected the expression of genes in LL muscle, such as HMOX1, EIF4E, SCD5, and NOS2, which are related to hypoxia metabolism, protein synthesis, and unsaturated fatty acid synthesis-related signaling pathways. In addition, GAA and RPM also affected the content of a series of metabolites such as L-tyrosine, L-tryptophan, and PC (O-16:0/0:0) involved in amino acid and lipid metabolism-related signaling pathways. In summary, GAA and RPM can improve the beef quality and its nutritional composition. These changes may be related to changes in gene expression and metabolic pathways related to protein metabolism and lipid metabolism in beef.
•Supplementation with GAA and RPM improves meat quality and antioxidant capacity.•Supplementation with GAA and RPM improves beef nutrient and fatty acid composition.•GAA and RPM have important applications as feed additives for altering beef quality.
The addition of macroalgae to livestock diets has demonstrated to enhance the quality of meat by improving the muscle stability, antioxidant capacity and fatty acid profile. However, information ...regarding rabbit meat is scarce. This study evaluated the effect of adding 1.025% of different macroalgae, dehydrated and as extracts (Saccharina latissima, Himanthalia elongata and Ulva spp.) to the diet of growing rabbits. Dietary supplementation with the Ulva spp. extract increased the fat content (0.96% vs 0.33% in control group) and the proportion of monounsaturated fatty acids (by 22%; P ≤ 0.022), but did not affect the moisture, protein or ash contents or the physicochemical properties of the rabbit longissiumus lumborum muscle. The antioxidant status of the meat was adequate and was not affected by the dietary supplements. The sensorial properties of the meat were also not affected, and dietary supplementation with both S. latissima and H. elongata actually enhanced the flavour and juiciness of the meat (P ≤ 0.01). Altogether, the study findings indicate that the addition of these sustainable ingredients to rabbit feed did not negatively affect meat quality, and some of them may potentially improve specific characteristics, which could make this meat more attractive to consumers.
Hybridization is used extensively in commercial layer production. However, heterosis for carcass performance and meat quality of spent laying hens remains unclear, especially under the trend of ...extended laying cycles. In this study, indigenous Beijing-You chickens (Y) and elite White Leghorn layers (W) were selected to generate purebreds (WW and YY) and reciprocal crosses (WY and YW). Data on traits including carcass compositions, meat quality, and main nutrients for breast muscle were collected when chickens were fed to 100 wk of age. Results showed that body weight (BW) and dressed weight for WY and YW with positive heterosis were significantly higher than WW (P < 0.05). YW had the heaviest breast and thigh of 232.28 g and 278.48 g, respectively. The abdominal fat weight for WY and YW were greatly higher than that for WW (P > 0.05). The yields of carcass compositions, including the dressed yield, half eviscerated yield, eviscerated yield, breast yield and thigh yield, did not differ among the four genetic groups (P > 0.05), except for the yield of abdominal fat. The largest heterosis differences appeared in breast weight (12.26% in YW vs. −0.46% in WY) and abdominal fat yield (15.26% in YW vs. 24.55% in WY). Although BW for crossbreds were similar, the specific parts of the carcass between them were different. For meat quality, WY had negative heterosis (P < 0.05) with the lowest lightness and yellowness, whereas YW had the completely opposite trend. Neither pH1h nor pH24h values had differences among purebreds and reciprocal crossbreds (P > 0.05). The drip loss and cooking loss were 4.01%-4.77% and 15.59%-21.31% respectively among the four genetic groups. The main nutrients of breast, including moisture, crude protein, intramuscular fat and unsaturated fatty acid, did not differ for purebreds and crossbreds (P > 0.05), except for saturated fatty acid. In general, the crossbreds even at the later laying period still showed divergent heterosis on carcass performance and meat characteristics. In view of the heterosis, Beijing-You chickens can be used as the sire line in the crossbreeding to improve carcass compositions of spent hens.
The optimization of animal welfare, meat quality, environmental impact, and economic sustainability in alternative poultry farming can be achieved by modulating several productive factors and ...improving the synergy between the chicken genotype and the outdoor environment. The objective of the study was to characterize 4 slow-growing chicken genotypes reared in free range conditions. Eight hundred chickens (SGs; 25 chickens/replicates/genotype/enrichment) belonging to the following genotypes, Red JA57 (RJ), Naked Neck (NN), Lohmann Dual meat-type (LD), and an Italian crossbreed (Robusta Maculata x Sasso, CB). were utilised and slaughtered at 81 d: The grazing areas were alternatively provided with enrichment constituted by strips of sorghum plants (ENR) or only grass (NO ENR). Productive performance (daily weight gain, daily feed intake, feed conversion ratio, live weight) were recorded weekly. Behaviour observations (walking and grass pecking), carcass and meat quality of breast and drumstick were also assessed in 15 chickens/replicate/genotypes/enrichment. Results demonstrated that both LD and CB showed the highest walking activity, but the different strains were differently capable of using the foraging resources (eating grass). The better productive performance was recorded in RJ followed by NN, CB and LD. In LD and CB, the different walking activities also affected the physico-chemical profiles (lower pHu, WHC, and lipids) of the breast and drumstick. The oxidative status was worse in CB than in the other groups (lower tocols, higher carbonyls), in both meat cuts. Fatty acid profile was also related to the genetic strain: a higher amount of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids was recorded both in the breast and drumstick of RJ and NN. The Healthy Fatty Index resulted excellent in all the chicken genotypes. In conclusion, the environment/animal interaction resulted as an important factor affecting the adaptability of genotypes to an extensive rearing system. All four genotypes, to different extents, showed good adaptability and production performance, with the exception of LD and CB, which were too light for the commercial supply chain requirements.
The interplay between genetics and economics is important in understanding how crossbreeding can be harnessed to optimize sustainable poultry production, meat quality, and economic viability. This ...study was conducted to investigate the effect of crossbreeding on growth performance, meat quality, and production economics. A total of 451 unsexed day-old chicks were raised for 12 wk in a pure (Sasso X Sasso SS; Wassachie X Wassachie WW) and reciprocal cross (Sasso X Wassachie SW; Wassachie X Sasso WS) design. Data was collected on growth performance, meat quality, sensory evaluation, proximate analysis, and production economics. Genotype did not affect (P > 0.05) moisture, dry matter, ash, sensory evaluation, pH, and meat temperature. The carcass weights, final body weight, and cumulative weight gain of the hybrids were intermediate while the SS recorded the highest (P < 0.05) values. Drip loss between the WW and the reciprocal crosses was similar (P > 0.05) but lower (P < 0.05) than the SS genotype. Protein contents between the purebreds were similar likewise the crossbreds (P > 0.05). The SW cross recorded a higher (P < 0.05) lipid content compared to the WW cross while the WS recorded a higher (P < 0.05) protein content compared to the SS. The SS incurred higher feeding costs, and gross and net returns followed by the SW and then the WS with the WW having the lowest values. Crossbreeding improved growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality, chemical composition, and the gains in the crossbreds with the SW genotype having better results. The SW cross is recommended for better performance.
Se comparó el efecto del periodo de días en alimentación (DIA) para alcanzar el peso al sacrificio sobre características productivas, rendimiento de la canal caliente y fría y rendimientos de cortes ...primarios y al detal de corderos criollos alimentados en confinamiento con raciones totales (RT). La calidad de la carne incluyendo el perfil de ácidos grasos también fue determinada. La RT conteniendo 70% de alimento concentrado y 30% heno de gramíneas tropicales se ofreció al 4.5% del peso vivo del cordero en base seca hasta lograr determinar los DIA para alcanzar un peso al sacrificio de 20 a 25 kg (PS1) o de 46 a 50 kg (PS2). Tres jaulas con cuatro ovinos criollos de cinco a siete meses se utilizaron como unidades experimentales durante el periodo de DIA para alcanzar el PS1 y dos animales por jaula durante los DIA para alcanzar el PS2. En cada periodo de DIA se cuantificó el consumo voluntario (CV) por jaula de los corderos. Para determinar la ganancia en peso diaria (GPD) por animal y la conversión alimenticia (CA) por jaula, los corderos se pesaron semanalmente. Al obtener el PSI y PS2, seis corderos de cada peso se sacrificaron en un matadero comercial para determinar el rendimiento de la canal caliente (RCC) y fría (RCF), y el rendimiento de cortes primarios y al detal con relación al peso de la canal fría. Los cortes primarios evaluados fueron nuca (N), costilla 1-5/pernil delantero (CPD), costillas 6-13
Microalgae, small-sized algae, have been studied as a natural marine resource for a number of economically relevant applications, including animal feed. In this review, we unveil the dietary ...microalgae effects currently known on production and meat quality of livestock species (ruminants, pigs, poultry and rabbits). Microalgae are classified into diatoms (Bacillariophyceae), green algae (Chlorophyceae), golden algae (Chrysophyceae) and blue-green algae cyanobacteria (Cyanophyceae). The most important phototrophic species belong to Arthrospira, Chlorella, Dunaliella and Haematocussus genus. In addition, heterotrophic marine organisms, such as Crypthecodinium, Schizochytrium and Ulkenia, have been successfully cultivated for n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LCPUFA) production. Microalgae are mainly composed by proteins, carbohydrates, lipids, vitamins, minerals and bioactive compounds, such as carotenoids. This variable nutrient composition depends on species, strain and algae growing conditions. Research evidence so far has shown that the inclusion of microalgae in animal diets could improve growth and meat quality in ruminants, pigs, poultry and rabbits. These findings are highly dependent on microalgae own composition and their amount in the diet. In a general overview, the inclusion of Arthrospira platensis in pig and poultry diets increases average daily gain but negatively affects feed conversion ratio. Regarding Schizochytrium sp., this microalga improves fatty acid composition in pork and poultry meat, essentially due to its high content in docosahexaenoic acid (DHA). Chlorella, at very low percentages in feed, benefits growth performance parameters of poultry. The use of microalgae as feed ingredients is very promising as an alternative to corn and soybean, thus mitigating the current competition among food-feed-biofuel industries. In addition, microalgae contribute for the protection of environment and natural resources, namely land degradation and water deprivation. Microalgae also provide a sustainable alternative for n-3 LCPUFA availability, thus protecting worldwide fatty fish stocks. However, the cost-effective production and use of microalgae is a major challenge in the near future. In fact, the current microalgae cultivation technology should be improved to reduce their production costs. In addition, we foresee that the efficiency of microalgae incorporation in monogastric diets could be largely improved by the use of Carbohydrate-Active enZymes (CAZymes). CAZymes will allow the increase of nutrients bioavailability, as a consequence of recalcitrant microalgae cell walls degradation. Overall, the inclusion of microalgae in feed represents a very promising strategy for the maintenance and development of livestock sector, as an environmental friendly alternative to balance food-feed-biofuel industries.
•The use, potential and constraints of microalgae in livestock diets is reviewed.•Inclusion of microalgae in feed could improve animal growth and meat quality.•Microalgae are very promising alternatives to staple food crops in feeds.•Microalgae could help the sustainability of livestock production systems.•The cost-effective use of microalgae is a major challenge for animal feeding.
Abstract
‘Woody breast’ (WB) and ‘white striping’ in broiler meat is a global problem. With unknown etiology, WB negatively impacts bird health, welfare and is a significant economic burden to the ...poultry industry. New evidence has shown that WB is associated with dysregulation in systemic and breast muscle-oxygen homeostasis, resulting in hypoxia and anaemia. However, it has been observed that phytase (Quantum Blue (QB) a modified, E. coli-derived 6-phytase) super dosing can reverse dysregulation of muscle-oxygen homeostasis and reduces WB severity by ~5%. The objective of this study was to assess whether levels of Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5, the main allosteric regulator of haemoglobin, are influenced by changes in plasma myo-inositol arising from super dosing with phytase. To enable this, methods suitable for measurement of myo-inositol in tissues and inositol phosphates in blood were developed. Data were collected from independent trials, including male Ross 308 broilers fed low and adequate calcium/available phosphate (Ca/AvP) diets supplemented with QB at 1,500 phytase units (FTU)/kg, which simultaneously decreased gizzard InsP6 (P<0.001) and increased gizzard myo-inositol (P<0.001). Similarly, male Cobb 500 broiler chicks fed a negative control (NC) diet deficient in AvP, Ca and sodium or diet supplemented with the QB phytase at 500, 1000 or 2,000 FTU/kg increased plasma (P<0.001) and liver (P=0.007) myo-inositol of 18d-old birds at 2,000 FTU/kg. Finally, QB supplementation of Cobb 500 breeder flock diet at 1,250 FTU/kg increased blood myo-inositol (P<0.001) and erythrocyte Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5 (P=0.011) of their 1d-old hatchlings. These data confirmed the ability of phytase to modulate inositol phosphate pathways by provision of metabolic precursors of important signalling molecules. The ameliorations of WB afforded by super doses of phytase may include modulation of hypoxia pathways that also involve inositol signalling molecules. Elevations of erythrocyte Ins(1,3,4,5,6)P5 by phytase supplementation may enhance systemic oxygen carrying capacity, an important factor in the amelioration of WB and WS myopathy.
