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Different nutritional management during the rearing and finishing periods can determine changes on beef fatty acid profile. Beef lipid composition was quantified in 224 male Hereford calves weaned at 8 wk of age with an average initial live weight (LW) of 170 ± 17 kg. After weaning, 4 nutritional treatments were imposed to obtain different daily LW gains (LWG; kg/d) during the first winter. Nutritional management groups were high LWG in feedlot (HF), low LWG in feedlot (LF), high LWG in pasture (HP), and low LWG in pasture (LP). The finishing phase began when each group reached a mean LW of 350 ± 28 kg. During the finishing phase, one-half of the HF, LF, HP and LP animals were finished on pasture and the other half in a feedlot. The animals were slaughtered when calves in each treatment attained a mean LW of 500 kg. Analysis of beef fatty acids was performed by extraction and methylation from LM, and the fatty acids were quantified using a gas chromatography. The statistical model included the groups at growing phase (HF, LF, HP, and LP) and the groups at finishing phase (feedlot or pasture) and the interaction between growing and finishing phase as fixed effects and LW at the beginning of the finishing phase as a covariable. Tukey's test was applied to compare the means (P < 0.05). There was interaction between the growing and finishing phases for myristic acid and CLA cis 9, trans 11. Animals from HF finished on pasture presented the highest concentration of myristic acid (2.54%) when compared with the other treatments. The LP and HP groups finished on pasture had more CLA cis 9, trans 11 in their beef composition (0.60 and 0.58%, respectively), whereas animals finished in the feedlot presented the lowest concentrations (average of 0.28%). Finishing phase affected the fatty acid profile (P < 0.05). Higher concentrations of palmitic, oleic, and linoleic acids were observed in beef from animals finished in the feedlot than in beef from those finished on pasture. However, the beef from animals finished on pasture presented high concentrations of stearic, docosapentaenoic, and docosaexaenoic acids. Animals finished on pasture had higher concentrations of linolenic, arachidonic, and eicosapentaenoic acids compared with those finished in feedlot. Interestingly, the LP group presented higher concentrations of linolenic and eicosapentaenoic acids, regardless of the finishing phase. The same results were observed in the LF group for arachidonic acid. In general, the LP and HP groups finished on pasture resulted in healthy beefs, with the greatest CLA and omega-3 concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have demonstrated the damaging effect of gases such as ammonia in the production of broilers chickens, especially on the performance and blood parameters. However, few studies have evaluated the effect of using additives to treat poultry litter on the chicken meat quality. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the effects of aluminum sulfate doses (Al2(SO4)3·18H2O; 0, 200, 400, and 600 g/m²) to treat poultry litter and stocking density (12 and 14 birds/m²) on chicken meat quality traits. A total of 532 broiler male Cobb 500 chicks presenting an initial mean weight of 46 g ± 2.3 were used and housed in a completely randomized experimental design, with 4 × 2 factorial arrangement, totaling 8 treatments with 7 replicates each. Standard industry diets were used throughout the study, including starter (0 to 21 d), grower (21 to 35 d), and finisher (35 to 42 d) diets. At the end of the experimental period (42 d), 2 birds per replicate were randomly chosen and harvested. The traits analyzed in chicken meat were pH (24 h postmortem), color (L*, a*, and b*), cooking loss, and shear force. Statistical analyses were performed using PROC MIXED of SAS, including the fixed effect of factors (aluminum sulfate and stocking density) and interactions. No interaction was detected between treatments for any meat quality trait evaluated (P > 0.05). The treatments with a highest sulfate levels and density presented the lowest cooking loss (28.80%). There was a curvilinear response (cubic) of aluminum sulfate doses for meat color on the a* value (P = 0.0214), with the addition of aluminum sulfate (0 to 200 g/m²) decreasing the a* value. However, the a* values increased when the doses of aluminum sulfate were 400 and 600 g/m². In conclusion, the addition of aluminum sulfate (Al2 (SO4)3·18H2O) and stocking densities evaluated did not affect chicken meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to identify genomic regions associated with the total amount of saturated (SFA), monounsaturated (MUFA), and polyunsaturated (PUFA) fatty acids in the beef of Nellore cattle. The investigated dataset contained records from 963 Nellore bulls, about two years old, finished in feedlot (90 days). Meat samples of Longissimus dorsi muscle, between the 12th and 13th ribs of the left half-carcasses, were taken to measure the fatty acids (FAs). FAs were quantified by gas chromatography (GC-2010 Plus - Shimadzu AOC 20i autoinjector) using SP-2560 capillary column (100 m × 0.25 mm diameter with 0.02 mm thickness; Supelco, Bellefonte, PA). The animals were genotyped using the high-density SNP panel (BovineHD BeadChip assay 777k, Illumina Inc., San Diego, CA). Those SNP markers with minor allele frequency less than 0.05, call rate less than 90%, monomorphic, located on sex chromosomes, and those with unknown position were removed from the analysis. After genomic quality control, 470,007 SNPs and 868 animals were available for the analyses. Missing genotypes were imputed using FImpute software. Genotypes were phased to haplotypes using fastPHASE software and then haplotype blocks were defined based on linkage disequilibrium using HaploView software. Genome-wide association analyses were performed considering one haplotype at a time. The model included fixed effects of contemporary group (92 levels), haplotype (linear regression on number of copies), and age at slaughter as a linear covariate. Bonferroni correction was applied at 5% significance to adjust for multiple tests. A total of 83,883 haplotypes were included in the genome-wide association analyses. From those haplotypes, 292, 17, and 31 were significantly associated (P < 0.05) with SFA, MUFA, and PUFA, respectively. Most associations were found on BTA17, BTA3, BTA1, BTA8, BTA25, and BTA2. These significant regions harbor genes such as GALNT12, SLC6A7, CAMK2A, SYTL3, EPAS1, PRKCB, EPHA6, MPZL1, UHMK1, KIRREL, FYN, LTBP1, PRKCE, SIK2, TOM1L1, NF1, DNAJA3, SH2B2, AFAP1L2, and AGAP1. These genes are involved in lipid metabolism, reproductive hormone receptors, transport and use of fatty acids and cholesterol, phospholipid and membrane hydrolysis and biosynthesis, energy metabolism, and protein kinase synthesis. Thus, the identification of these associated haplotypes may contribute to further studies to validate these regions and prospect candidate genes that would be useful for breeding programs to improve the beef quality of Nellore cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the present study was to evaluate the effect of oregano essential oil and black wattle tanniniferous extract in the diet of feedlot lambs on meat fatty acid composition. At the beginning of the trial, 36 intact male lambs (Dorper × Santa Inês × Texel), at approximately 90 d of age and initial BW of 26 kg, were housed in individual stalls. The lambs were allocated into 3 treatments (n = 12) in a randomized block design, using initial BW as blocking criteria, and fed for 60 d. The experimental treatments evaluated were 1) a Control diet, 2) the Control diet with inclusion of oregano essential oil (1 mL/kg of concentrate), and 3) the Control diet with inclusion of black wattle tanniniferous extract (5% of diet; DM basis). Each diet had a dietary forage:concentrate ratio of 30:70. The samples were taken on deboned of animals, 96 h after slaughter. Meat samples were collected and ground for fatty acid profile; lipids were extracted as described by Folch et al. (1957), from 2 g of ground steak; and the fatty acids were quantified by gas chromatography. Data were analyzed using the MIXED procedure of SAS software (2001). The inclusion of oregano essential oil and black wattle tanniniferous extract in the diet of feedlot lambs increased the meat fat concentration of n-3 (P = 0.01). Additionally, lambs fed diets with supplements had a trend of increased meat concentration of vaccenic (P = 0.07) and n-6 (P = 0.09) fatty acids. However, the inclusion of oregano essential oil and black wattle tanniniferous extract reduced the oleic fatty acid concentration (P = 0.01) and had no effect on n-6:n-3 ratio (P = 0.44) and on cis-9 trans-11 CLA (P = 0.55). There was no difference between oregano essential oil and black wattle tanniniferous extract on meat fatty acid composition (Table 666). Therefore, we conclude that dietary inclusion of oregano essential oil and black wattle tanniniferous extract may change the meat fat composition, increasing the n-3 fatty acid content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The use of functional oils replacing additives, such as antibiotics, ionophores, and growth promoters, has shown good results. Furthermore, there is an increasing demand from consumers for healthier meat. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of the inclusion of functional oils (Ricinus communis and Anacardium occidentale) and vitamin E in high-grain diets on meat sensory traits of lambs. A total of 30 crossbred lambs (12 males and 18 females), 5 mo of age, were used. Lambs presenting initial mean weights of 26 ± 3.6 kg for females and 28 ± 3.6 kg for males were grouped into a randomized block design, confined, and assigned to the following treatments, with 10 replicates each: no additives inclusion (CON), inclusion of functional oils (500 mg/kg DM; OIL), and inclusion of functional oils (500 mg/kg DM) + vitamin E (500 IU vitamin E/kg DM; OILVIT). Animals were fed ad libitum with a high-grain diet containing 85% concentrate. At the end of the experimental period (77 d), the animals were harvested with final mean weights of 38.59 ± 4.15 kg (females) and 47.11 ± 4.24 kg (males). Vacuum-packaged steaks (2.54-cm thick) from the LM were collected and stored at -18°C pending analysis for sensory traits. An acceptance test was used, in which 100 untrained laboratory consumer panelists evaluated 1 sample from each treatment class. Each panelist evaluated the samples using an evaluation form including a 9-point hedonic scale, where 1 = dislike extremely and 9 = like extremely, for sensory attributes such as aroma, flavor, tenderness, and juiciness and a scale from 1 to 5, where 1 = very strong and 5 = absent, for off-flavor and off-aroma. Statistical analyses were performed using PROC MIXED of SAS (version 9.2). No difference was found between treatments for aroma, off-flavor, and off-aroma (P > 0.05). The best scores were observed in OILVIT for the tenderness and juiciness attributes when compared with the other treatments (P < 0.05). For the flavor attribute, the best scores were observed in OILVIT and CON when compared with the OIL treatment (P < 0.05). The inclusion of functional oils and vitamin E in the sheep diets appears to be a good option to improve lamb sensorial traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beef fatty acid profile can be modified by the sex of the animals. Therefore, the goal of this study was to evaluate the influence of gender status on beef fatty acid profile of feedlot Angus × Nellore cattle. A total of 176 cattle, 20 wk of age, from the Brazilian Certified Angus Beef Program were assigned to 4 sex classes: 32 bulls, 48 steers, 48 immunocastrates, and 48 heifers, presenting initial mean weights of 251.4 ± 3.62 kg for bulls, 266.6 ± 2.95 kg for immunocastrates, 226.4 ± 2.95 kg for steers, and 255.4 ± 2.95 kg for heifers. Cattle were fed during 190 d an ad libitum high-grain diet containing 80% concentrate. At the end of the experimental period, cattle were slaughtered. Steaks were collected from the LM and stored at -80°C pending analysis for fatty acid profile. Beef fatty acid was extracted and then the methyl esters were formed. Fatty acids were quantified using a gas chromatography. Statistical analyzes were performed using PROC MIXED of SAS, including the fixed effect of gender status and the random effect of cattle within gender groups. The gender status had no effect on the total SFA, but significant differences were observed for MUFA, PUFA, CLA, n-6, the n-6:n-3 ratio, and the PUFA: SFA ratio (P < 0.05). Beef from heifers had greater levels of MUFA (45.77%; P < 0.01) and CLA (0.42%; P = 0.0006) when compared with bulls (41.56 and 0.30%, respectively), steers (44.21 and 0.30%, respectively), and immunocastrates (43.95 and 0.36%, respectively). The highest levels of MUFA in the heifers' beef was mainly related to the higher levels of the major single fatty acids in this group, namely C18:1 n-9 (35.65%; P < 0.01) and C16:1 n-9 (2.94%; P < 0.01). On the other hand, the levels of PUFA and n-6 and the PUFA:SFA and n-6:n-3 ratios were greater (P < 0.01) in beef from bulls (9.76, 8.36, 0.22, and 4.83%, respectively) compared with the other gender statuses. In conclusion, beef from heifers can be considered healthier to humans because it presented lower levels of n-6 and myristic acid and higher levels of CLA, MUFA, and oleic acid. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]