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Lipid and energy metabolism are major constituents of mammal growth and thus fattening performance of cattle. This study was designed to evaluate the effects of polymorphisms in lipid and energy metabolism-related genes including oxidized low-density lipoprotein receptor 1 (OLR1), lactoferrin (LTF), stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), beta-lactoglobulin (LGB), thyroglobulin (TG), annexin A9 (ANXA9), myogenic factor 5 (MYF5), protein kinase AMP-activated non-catalytic subunit gamma 3 (PRKAG3), and pituitary-specific transcriptional factor 1 (PIT1), on fattening performance in Simmental cattle. A total of 72 purebred Simmental bulls with a similar initial age and weight were fattened on the same farm for 10 months. Association analysis was performed using linear mixed models. The OLR1 marker was significantly associated with the final weight (FW), hot carcass weight (HCW), chilled carcass weight (CCW), dressing percentage (DP), and total weight gain (TWG). SCD affected the FW, TWG, and average daily live weight gain (ADWG). The present results clearly demonstrated the significant impact of the TG marker on fattening performance. It was highly significantly associated with the FW, HCW, CCW, and TWG. The SCD × TG and the OLR1 × TG interactions had remarkable effects on the traits analyzed. The GACC and CCCC haplotypes of the SCD × TG and OLR1 × TG, respectively, were found to be powerful markers for fattening performance in Simmentals. Novel associations in this study may be useful for further genetic evaluations to improve beef cattle breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The biological clock (also known as circadian clock) is closely related to growth and development, metabolism, and diseases in animals. As a part of the circadian clock, the cryptochrome circadian regulator 1 (CRY1) gene is involved in the regulation of biological processes such as osteogenesis, energy metabolism and cell proliferation, however, few studies have been reported on the relationship between this gene and animal carcass traits. Herein, a total of four insertion/deletion (InDel) loci within the CRY1 gene were detected in Shandong Black Cattle Genetic Resource (SDBCGR) population (n = 433). Among them, the P1-6-bp-del locus was polymorphic in population of interest. Moreover, the P1-6-bp-del locus showed two genotypes, with a higher insertion/insertion (II) genotype frequency (0.751) than insertion/deletion (ID) genotype frequency (0.249). Correlation analysis showed that the P1-6-bp-del locus polymorphisms were significantly associated with twenty carcass traits (e.g., slaughter weight, limb weight, and belly meat weight). Individuals with II genotype were significantly better than those with ID genotype for eighteen carcass traits. Therefore, the P1-6-bp-del locus of the CRY1 gene can be used as a molecular marker for beef cattle breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of fermented Chinese herb residues on the growth performance, nutrient apparent digestibility, serum biochemical indices and microflora of Simmental beef cattle during the fattening period. Twenty-four healthy Simmental beef cattle with an average body weight of 358.54 ± 65.63 kg were randomly divided into four treatment groups, with 6 replicates. The dietary treatments were as follows: I: basal diet; II, III and IV: 10% corn husk in the diet was replaced by Chinese herb residue, enzyme-fermented residue, and enzyme bacteria co-fermented residue, respectively. The experimental period was 49 days. There was no significant difference in the growth performance of beef cattle (p > 0.05). The ether extract (EE) apparent digestibility of groups III and IV was significantly higher than that of group I (p < 0.05); the apparent digestibility values of nitrogen free extract (NFE) and total phosphorus (P) in group IV were significantly lower than those in the other groups (p < 0.05). The maleic dialdehyde (MDA) contents in groups I and II were significantly higher than those in groups III and IV (p < 0.05). The ACE and Chao1 indices of groups I and III were significantly higher than those of groups II and IV (p < 0.05). The Shannon indices of groups I and III were significantly higher than that of group II (p < 0.05). The abundance of Firmicutes in group III was significantly lower than that in group II (p < 0.05). In conclusion, fermented Chinese herb residues could replace 10% corn husk and be used in beef cattle breeding. Dietary replacement of 10% corn husk with Chineseherb residue can improve nutrient digestibility of fattening cattle. Concentrate containing 10% fermented Chinese herb residues as a corn husk replacement can be used for feedlot cattle without adverse effects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Qinchuan cattle has gradually improved in body shape and growth rate in the long-term breeding process from the draft cattle to beef cattle. As the head of the five local yellow cattle in China, the Qinchuan cattle has been designated as a specialized beef cattle breed. We investigated the selection signatures using whole genome sequencing data in Qinchuan cattle. Based on Fst, we detected hundreds of candidate genes under selection across Qinchuan, Red Angus, and Japanese Black cattle. Through protein-protein interaction analysis and functional annotation of candidate genes, the results revealed that KMT2E, LTBP1 and NIPBL were related to brain size, body characteristics, and limb development, respectively, suggesting that these potential genes may affect the growth and development traits in Qinchuan cattle. ARIH2, DACT1 and DNM2, et al. are related to meat quality. Meanwhile, TBXA2R can be used as a gene associated with reproductive function, and USH2A affect coat color. This provided a glimpse into the formation of breeds and molecular genetic breeding. Our findings will promote genome-assisted breeding to improve animal production and health. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There is a general perception that ruminants produce large quantities of greenhouse gases (GHG) which contribute to global warming. Ruminant production is also known as the world's largest user of land, and southern Africa is no exception. Recent estimates indicate that livestock are responsible for approximately 4% of the world's GHG emissions through methane production, compared with an initial estimate of 18% by the FAO. Estimates indicate that the total GHG emissions directly related to livestock production in southern Africa did not increase over a period of 20 years, whereas the intensity of livestock–production-related GHG emissions (per kg animal product) was reduced by 40%. This may be the result of increased livestock productivity and breed selection. For instance, increases in the productivity of four indigenous beef cattle breeds decreased the calculated carbon footprint by 7–12%. Recent studies indicated that the methane intensity between beef breeds in South Africa can differ by 44%, and that crossbreeding can have small to moderate effects on the carbon footprint of weaner calf production. Interventions such as the use of indigenous and adapted genotypes, alternative breeding objectives, alternative production systems as well as sustainable management will be key to environmentally friendly livestock production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review has described factors affecting a particular situation in Poland, current opportunities and challenges in the implementation and recognition of Polish red cattle (PRC) as beef production. This knowledge may be are an essential tool as part of strategic planning in this context. PRC are one of the few red cattle breeds indigenous in Europe. Several desirable features characterize them: high disease resistance, good health and fertility, longevity, the nutritional value of milk and meat and disadvantageous - very low milk productivity. Currently, by implementing the new - meat direction of PRC, breeders who keep this breed for dairy purposes do not experience problems with selling cattle suckers for further breeding for meat purposes, which is financially reasonable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although numerous studies investigated the effect of UASMS2 polymorphism in leptin gene on cattle production, a consensus has not yet been reached. Therefore, we reviewed and meta-analyzed the effects of UASMS2 on cattle. We searched potentially relevant studies from seven databases (to December 25, 2019). Standard mean difference along with 95% confidence intervals was calculated to assess the strength of association through the random-effects model. Six published articles containing 1378 cattle samples were included in our meta-analysis. We found UASMS2 was not related to carcass weight, dressing percentage and loin muscle area in the recessive genetic model, but there was a significant association between UASMS2 and average daily weight gain, dry matter intake, body weight, marbling score, and backfat thickness. This meta-analysis indicated that UASMS2 was associated with growth and meat quality traits of cattle, implying that this SNP can be used reliably in beef cattle breeding. This study may provide valuable information on improving beef yield and quality in cattle production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to evaluate the population dynamics and phenotypic parameters of indigenous beef breeds as well as constraints affecting their conservation in Gokwe North, Zimbabwe. A multi-stage sampling procedure was used to identify participants from three wards (13, 15 and 36), which were randomly selected from five villages (Rusere, Zvichemo, Matendere, Kwashira and Chigova). Purposive sampling was employed to select 155 (60% male and 40% female) households practising beef production. The generalised linear model procedure of SAS (2010) was used to investigate the phenotypic parameters. Results showed that Mashona (60%) was the dominant breed, followed by Tuli (14%), Afrikaner (18%) and their crosses (4%). The average herd sizes were 7.8 ± 0.96, 7.3 ± 0.96 4.8 ± 0.71 for wards 36, 13 and 15, respectively. Lack of grazing, lack of drinking water, low fertility and diseases were the major (P < 0.05) constraints limiting production. Tuli animals had higher (P < 0.05) values of 147.3 ± 0.38, 489.1 ± 0.46, 169.3 ± 0.37, 135.6 ± 0.72 and 35.7 ± 0.28 for body length (BL), body weight (BW), heart girth (HG), height at withers (HW) and shank circumference (SC), respectively. Mature cows weighed up to 301, 322 and 342 kg, whereas the bulls weighed up to 413, 525 and 630 kg for Mashona, Africander and Tuli, respectively. It can be concluded that phenotypic characteristics of indigenous beef breeds vary widely and there is evidence of genetic purity indicated by a lack of variation among wards. It is recommended that breeding programmes target the improvement of maternal traits to suit climatic conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There has been a significant decrease in genetic diversity on a global scale for several livestock species, including beef cattle. Therefore, the aim of this study was to deliver fine-scale analysis of the genomic structure and to describe the diversity status of six beef cattle breeds, with a specific focus on genomic inbreeding and the trend of effective population size. The genome-wide data of 639 animals belonging to cosmopolitan (Aberdeen Angus, Charolais, Hereford and Limousin) and local (Piedmontese and Romagnola) cattle breeds were included due to their importance for the local and global beef industry in Europe. In addition, the local dual-purpose Slovak Pinzgau was used to extend the study due to increasing interest from beef cattle breeders in Slovakia. The results showed that more than 3% of the Aberdeen Angus, Hereford and Romagnola genomes, less than 1% of the Limousin, Charolais and Slovak Pinzgau genomes and 0.38% of the Piedmontese genome could have been significantly affected by the mating of relatives over the last three generations. The estimates of effective population size indicated a linear decline within each of the analysed populations. The decrease was mainly evident in populations of the Slovak Pinzgau (7.39 animals per generation), Limousin, Piedmontese and Charolais cattle (average 5 animals per generation). Due to the fact that the decrease in effective population size may be accompanied by a decrease in breed competitiveness with regard to a changing production environment, genetic diversity should be continuously monitored to preserve the long-term potential of the analysed breeds. Decreased diversity across beef breeds is evident Monitoring genetic diversity is needed to prevent inbreeding depression Use of genomic data can increase the accuracy of breeding schemes [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have been essentially involved in all kinds of important biological processes, such as cell differentiation and development. In this study, we comprehensively profiled genome-wide lncRNAs of bovine skeletal muscle in two Chinese cattle breeds using RNA-seq approach. The longissimus dorsi samples were collected from three Charolais (CH) and three Tongjiang (TJ) adult cattle, respectively. Approximately 80 million reads were obtained per library, and by which we assembled 31,009 unique transcripts. We successfully identified a total of 4155 different lncRNAs in six muscle samples, consisting of 3204 intronic lncRNAs, 737 intergenic lncRNAs, 113 sense lncRNAs and 101 antisense lncRNAs. Among them, 32 lncRNAs were differentially expressed (Fold Change >1.0, FDR < 0.05) between CH and TJ. Among these lncRNAs, 1744 identified bovine lncRNAs were located adjacent to 1146 protein-coding genes (<100 kb upstream and downstream) and functionally enriched in organ development, gene regulation and signal transduction. Our results provide a catalogue of bovine skeletal muscle-related lncRNAs, which will complement the list of bovine lncRNAs and contribute to understanding of the molecular mechanism of underpinning muscle development in cattle. The first study to compare specialised beef cattle breed with Chinese local beef cattle breed on long non-coding RNA (lncRNA). The 4155 different lncRNAs in beef cattle genome were identified to complement the list of bovine lncRNAs. The 1146 protein-coding genes were found maybe in cis-regulatory relationships with lncRNAs to understand the molecular mechanism underpinning muscle development in cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

FABP4 is a protein primarily expressed in adipocytes and macrophages that plays a key role in fatty acid trafficking and lipid hydrolysis.FABP4gene polymorphisms have been associated with meat quality traits in cattle, mostly in Asian breeds under feedlot conditions. The objectives of this work were to characterizeFABP4genetic variation in several worldwide cattle breeds and evaluate possible genotype effects on fat content in a pasture-fed crossbred (Angus-Hereford-Limousin) population. We re-sequenced 43 unrelated animals from nine cattle breeds (Angus, Brahman, Creole, Hereford, Holstein, Limousin, Nelore, Shorthorn, and Wagyu) and obtained 22 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) over 3,164 bp, including four novel polymorphisms. Haplotypes and linkage disequilibrium analyses showed a high variability. Five SNPs were selected to perform validation and association studies in our crossbred population. Four SNPs showed well-balanced allele frequencies (minor frequency > 0.159), and three showed no significant deviations from Hardy-Weinberg proportions. SNPs showed significant effects on backfat thickness and fatty acid composition (P < 0.05). The protein structure of one of the missense SNPs was analyzed to elucidate its possible effect on fat content in our studied population. Our results revealed a possible blockage of the fatty acid binding site by the missense mutation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the heavy reliance of the New Zealand beef industry on animals produced from the dairy industry (predominantly Friesian and Friesian cross), there is a widespread belief that beef of dairy origin is inferior to beef produced from traditional ‘British’ breeds. This belief is not supported by the scientific literature. There is a large body of work that suggests there is no difference between dairy and traditional British beef breeds in growth potential, lean meat yield, yield of prime cuts, and the quality of meat produced when grazed under similar conditions and slaughtered at the same chronological age or the same level of maturity (fatness). The current New Zealand payment schedule based on carcass weight, fatness and muscularity, undervalues dairy carcasses for having a different pattern of fat distribution (i.e. less subcutaneous fat) and a different muscle shape (poorer conformation score). In New Zealand, the key commercial driver for using traditional beef-bred cattle appears to be their ability to achieve the 3 mm minimum fat depth and therefore a prime-graded carcass at a lighter carcass weight and with a younger animal compared to dairy-bred cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In total, 56 bulls of Angus × NRF or Limousin × NRF were fed two levels (either 2.5 or 5.0 kg animal[sup -1] day[sup -1]) of concentrate from 12 weeks of age to slaughter in a 2 × 2 factorial design with cross-breed and concentrate level as fixed factors. The concentrate was a mixture with barley, oats, wheat, soyabean and molasses as main components. In addition, the animals had ad libitum access to grass silage. As expected, the bulls fed the high concentrate diet had higher growth rate than bulls fed moderate level of concentrate. Angus × NRF bulls fed the high level of concentrate showed the highest growth rate of the four subgroups and were on average slaughtered at the age of 15 months. Limousin × NRF bulls fed the moderate level of concentrate were the subgroup with the lowest growth rate and needed 20 months to reach the target slaughter weight, which on average was 280 and 340 kg for Angus × NRF and Limousin × NRF, respectively. Although the animals at the high concentrate level had a greater intake of energy day[sup -1], there was no significant difference in feed conversion calculated as FUm kg[sup -1] gain between the subgroups. The Limousin cross-breeds had significantly higher relative proportions of muscle in the carcass, but less bone and fat than the Angus crossbreeds. Consequently, the Limousin × NRF bulls achieved better muscularity grading in the EUROP system than the Angus × NRF bulls. Concentrate level yielded different fatness scores in the EUROP system, while breed did not. The correlation between carcass weight and psoas major or longissimus dorsi muscles was stronger for the former muscle. There was a tendency for Angus × NRF bulls fed the moderate concentrate level to have more tender longissimus muscle than the other subgroups, but this difference was not significant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A portrait of GAR Precision 1680, composed to emphasize his assets. Credit: Gardiner Angus Ranch. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]