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Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of slaughter age on carcass traits, meat quality, and the relative mRNA levels of lipid metabolism-related genes in different muscles of Taihang black goats. Methods: In this study, the triceps brachii (TB), longissimus dorsi (LD) and gluteus (GL) muscles of 15 grazing Taihang black goats slaughtered at the age of 2, 3, and 4 (designated as 2-year-old, 3-year-old, and 4-year-old, respectively) were collected. The differences in carcass shape, meat quality, amino acid composition and lipid metabolism gene expression among Taihang black goats of different ages and from different plant parts were compared. Results: Compared with goats at other ages, goats slaughtered at the age of 4 had greater live and carcass weights, meat weights, bone weights and skin areas (p<0.05). LD in the 4-years-old had the lowest cooking loss and moisture content. The crude protein content in the LD of 2-year-old was significantly greater than that in the other age group, and at the age of 2, the LD had the highest crude protein content than TB and GL. The highest fat content was in LD, followed by TB, for goats slaughtered at the age of 4. Eight out of 9 essential amino acids had higher content in the TB compared with other muscles, regardless of age. The total essential amino acid content was highest in the 4-year-old and lowest in the GL muscle at the age of 3. The sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) genes were significantly more abundant in the TB muscle than in the other muscles for goats slaughtered at the age of 2. At the age of 4, the ATGL and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) genes were significantly more abundant in the GL than in the LD, while the fatty acid synthase (FAS) genes were significantly less abundant in the GL than in the other muscles. Similarly, compared with those in goats of other ages, the relative mRNA expression levels of the FAS and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) genes in goats slaughtered at the age of 4 were the highest, and the relative mRNA expression of the PPARγ gene was the lowest (p<0.05). The relative mRNA expression of the H-FABP and FAS genes was positively correlated with the intramuscular fat (IMF) content, while the relative mRNA expression levels of the PPARγ and ATGL genes was negatively correlated with the IMF content. Conclusion: Overall, a better nutritional value was obtained for TB from 4-year-old goats, in which the total essential amino acid and fat contents were greater than those of other muscles. The comprehensive action of lipid metabolism genes was consistent with that of the IMF content, among which the FAS, H-FABP, PPARγ, and ATGL genes had positive and negative effects on the process of IMF deposition in Taihang black goats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hanwoo beef is in high demand because of its unique flavor, freshness, and high-fat content. However, the longer rearing period required to enhance marbling in Hanwoo cattle has adverse environmental consequences, such as greenhouse gas emissions and overall rearing costs. To address consumer preferences for leaner and healthier meat, the Korean meat industry has recently introduced Hanwoo heifer meat as an alternative source, but its quality traits are still unclear. Nevertheless, there is a limited body of research exploring the impact of Hanwoo gender (steer, heifer, and cow) and their corresponding slaughter ages on meat quality traits. This study looked into how gender affected the physicochemical and qualitative features of Hanwoo striploin at their respective slaughter ages. Results revealed that cow striploin has higher levels of moisture (66.81%) and protein (20.76%), whereas it contains lower levels of fat (10.66%) and cholesterol (34.66 mg/100 g). Regarding the physicochemical properties, cow striploin exhibited significantly lower shear force, color indexes, and soluble collagen (p < 0.05). However, chondroitin (1.19%) and muscle fiber area (1,545.23 μm2) were significantly higher in steer striploin than in heifer and cow (p < 0.05). Cow striploin exhibited significantly higher levels of oleic acid, unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) while having lower levels of eicosadienoic acid and atherogenic index compared to the other two groups. Cows and heifers had higher concentrations of amino acid metabolites than striploin from steers. Furthermore, bioactive metabolites such as carnitine and carnosine content were found higher in cow and heifer respectively. Overall, Hanwoo cattle gender influences the qualitative attributes of striploin; nevertheless, compared to steer and heifer striploin, cow striploin is a relatively good source of protein, fatty acid content, and metabolites conducive to a healthy diet.

This study aimed to investigate the difference in growth performance and carcass characteristics of lambs slaughtered at 56, 84, 112, and 140 days of age. Thirty-two male fat-tailed Afshari lambs, with an initial body live weight of 30.2 ± 3.6 (SD) kg and an average age of 90 ± 15 (SD) days, were used in this study. The lambs were equally and randomly distributed in 4 groups. The experiment was conducted in four periods, including 56, 84, 112, and 140 days, and the nutrient requirements of lambs in each period were determined using NRC 2007. At the end of each period, four lambs were randomly chosen and slaughtered, and longissimus thoracic muscle (LT) sampled. The results showed that by increasing the weight of slaughter, dry matter intake (DMI), feed conversion ratio (FCR) (i.e., kg DM/kg gain), and empty body weight increased, but empty digestive tract decreased linearly. The side carcass cuts (neck, shoulder, brisket-flank, rack-loin, and leg) were unaffected by slaughter weight. By increasing the slaughter weight, backfat thickness, LT area increased, and the percentage of dressing, tail fat, and internal fat also increased linearly. As the slaughter weight increased, the ratio of total unsaturated fatty acids to saturated fatty acids (UFA/SFA) decreased in LT fat, but that ratio increased in LT muscle linearly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Physico-chemical properties of fish flesh are reliable predictors of fillet quality and nutritional value. In our study, the age-related variations of the chemical composition, pH, water activity (aw), water holding capacity (WHC), color and texture analysis, protein thermal stability, myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI), glycogen content, protein oxidation and protein profiles were investigated in Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) fillet. The results revealed that protein denaturation temperatures (Tmax1 and Tmax2) decreased by 2 % and 11.6 % depending on fish age. Tmax1 and Tmax2 values in the same groups were raised 71 % at 11 months' fish and this increase was 58 % at 23 months’ fish. An age-related reduction by 66.6 % and 31.25 % was noticed for protein oxidation markers sulfhydryl groups and disulfide bonds. MFI value increased by 86.6 % connected with age.The characteristics of fish meat quality are complex and are influenced by various factors that affect the degree of freshness of the product and its acceptance in the market. Taking into account the different demands of the consumer, this study has shown that age at slaughter has an impact on final product quality and that the recommended age at slaughter, taking into account market weight, positively affects meat quality.

The beef consumed worldwide comes from different categories of cattle slaughtered at different ages. The aim of this work was to study the effects of the cattle category (young bulls, heifers, cull cows) and slaughter age on carcase and meat traits, using data on 721 Charolais cattle. At 24h post-mortem in slaughterhouse, 14 carcase traits were measured on each carcase. Then, 2 ribs were collected and aged 14 days. Ten measurements were performed on raw meat (longissimus or rhomboideus muscles) and ten others on longissimus cooked meat. Our results showed that young bulls produced carcases with higher conformation scores, lower fat and meat that had less juiciness, and flavour intensity compared to heifers and cull cows. The carcase traits were more sensitive to variation in the slaughter age than in meat traits. Heifers and cull cows slaughtered at an older age produced heavier carcases. Cull cows slaughtered at above 6 years of age produced carcases with darker muscle and yellower fat. Slaughter age had no effect on the sensory descriptors of cooked meat from all three cattle categories. Heifers slaughtered at earlier than 32 months or later than 36 months produced carcases and meat with similar traits, except for the carcase weight. For cull cows over 6 years old, there was no effect of age at slaughter age on carcase and meat traits. Whatever the cattle category, the slaughter age impacted weakly the traits of raw and cooked meat. Meat from heifers was the most appreciated by trained panellists.HIGHLIGHTS Cooked meat from heifers was better appreciated than cooked meat from young bulls or cull cows. In young bulls, slaughter age had no effect on any carcase and meat traits other than intermuscular fat assessed at the 6th rib. In cull cows, slaughter age affected mostly carcase traits and weakly meat traits.

Antecedentes: Entre os fatores não genéticos, a idade de abate é apontada como o fator mais significativo que influencia as propriedades de qualidade da carne e a quantidade de carne bovina. Objetivo: Comparar os efeitos da idade de abate e tipos de músculos nas características de carcaça e atributos de qualidade da carne de touros da raça Holstein Friesian. Métodos: Touros foram abatidos com 18 meses (grupo jovem=YG) e 24 meses (grupo velho=GO) de idade. No final do período de engorda, foram abatidos os 30 touros (YG=14 cabeças; OG=16 cabeças) que foram engordados numa quinta privada. Em seguida, foram avaliadas as características de carcaça e qualidade da carne dos músculos Longissimus dorsi (LD) e Gluteus medius (GM). Resultados: Foi determinado que os touros podem ser abatidos mais tarde porque suas características de carcaça não foram significativamente afetadas ao longo do tempo. Embora as medidas de gordura da carcaça, como escore de marmoreio, espessura de toucinho, o escore de gordura do European Beef Carcass Classification System (SEUROP) aumentou numericamente com o avanço da idade de abate, apenas o aumento da porcentagem de rim, pelve e coração (KPH) o teor de gordura foi estatisticamente significativo (p<0,05). Touros abatidos aos 24 meses de idade tiveram área LD 13,4% maior (p<0,01) do que os do grupo YG. Os touros Holstein Friesian no grupo OG tiveram peso de abate significativamente (p<0,01) maior, bem como pesos de carcaça quente e fria. No entanto, as porcentagens de rendimento de carcaça quente e fria não foram significativamente afetadas pela idade de abate. Os valores de L* (luminosidade), a* (vermelhidão), b* (amarelamento), croma (intensidade da cor) e matiz da carne de touros da raça Holstein Friesian no grupo OG não diferiram significativamente dos touros no YG grupo. No entanto, os valores de L*, a* e croma do músculo GM foram maiores do que os do músculo LD, enquanto o valor de pH24 do músculo GM foi significativamente (p<0,01) maior do que o do músculo LD. Conclusões: Parece mais vantajoso abater touros aos 24 meses de idade para obter carcaças não apenas mais pesadas, mas também com maior pontuação de marmoreio e mais musculosas e, portanto, mais adequadas às exigências atuais do consumidor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this work was to analyze the effects of dentition and finishing degree on weight and carcass yield of predominantly Aberdeen Angus cattle, finished in feedlot. The independent variables evaluated were dentition and degree of finishing. The dependent variables evaluated were cold carcass weight (PCF), cold carcass yield related to farm weight (RFZ) and cold carcass yield related to slaughterhouse weight (RFG). Data of 7,171 bovines, castrated steers and heifers, finished in feedlot of the slaughterhouse that provided the data were considered. The feedlot and slaughterhouse are located in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil, and the data were collected during the years 2020 and 2021. These were analised to interaction and linear regression. For steers and heifers, the regression equations of the dependent variables as a function of dentition are significant, presenting a positive estimator for PCF. For RFZ the equation was not significant for steers, and for RFG the equation was not significant for the heifers. The equations of the variables in relation to the finishing degree were significant, presenting a positive estimator for steers and heifers. The increase in dentition increases PCF in both males and females, but decreases RFZ in females, not changing in steers. The GFR decreases in males with advancing maturity, but does not change in females. The increment in the finishing degree increases the PCF, and the yields of cold carcass, RFZ and RFG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beef consumed worldwide comes from different categories of cattle slaughtered at different ages. The aim of this work was to study the effects of the cattle category (young bulls, heifers, cull cows) and slaughter age on carcase and meat traits, using data on 721 Charolais cattle. At 24h post-mortem in slaughterhouse, 14 carcase traits were measured on each carcase. Then, 2 ribs were collected and aged 14 days. Ten measurements were performed on raw meat (longissimus or rhomboideus muscles) and ten others on longissimus cooked meat. Our results showed that young bulls produced carcases with higher conformation scores, lower fat and meat that had less juiciness, and flavour intensity compared to heifers and cull cows. The carcase traits were more sensitive to variation in the slaughter age than in meat traits. Heifers and cull cows slaughtered at an older age produced heavier carcases. Cull cows slaughtered at above 6 years of age produced carcases with darker muscle and yellower fat. Slaughter age had no effect on the sensory descriptors of cooked meat from all three cattle categories. Heifers slaughtered at earlier than 32 months or later than 36 months produced carcases and meat with similar traits, except for the carcase weight. For cull cows over 6 years old, there was no effect of age at slaughter age on carcase and meat traits. Whatever the cattle category, the slaughter age impacted weakly the traits of raw and cooked meat. Meat from heifers was the most appreciated by trained panellists. Cooked meat from heifers was better appreciated than cooked meat from young bulls or cull cows. In young bulls, slaughter age had no effect on any carcase and meat traits other than intermuscular fat assessed at the 6th rib. In cull cows, slaughter age affected mostly carcase traits and weakly meat traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of different slaughter ages on the meat quality, intramuscular fat content and muscular long-chain fatty acid content of the Longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle of Xianan cattle (Bos taurus), newborn, 12-month-old and 24-month-old Xianan cattle (three bulls of each age with similar body mass) were slaughtered to measure meat quality indexes of Longissimus dorsi including pH, cooking loss, drip loss and shear force. Oil red O stained sections were prepared and examined. Triglyceride (TG) levels and intramuscular fat content were detected, and the composition of medium-chain and long-chain fatty acids in the muscle was analyzed by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The results showed that the pH of the LD of 12-month-old cattle was significantly higher than that of newborn cattle (P < 0.05), and the cooking loss of the LD of newborn cattle was significantly higher than that of 24-month-old cattle (P < 0.05). The linoleic acid content in the LD of 24-month-old cattle was significantly higher than that in newborn and 12-month-old cattle (P < 0.01). The arachidonic acid content in the LD of cattle aged 12 and 12 months was significantly higher than that in newborn cattle (P < 0.05). The total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content in the LD of 24-month-old cattle was higher than that in newborn and 12-month-old cattle. In this study, there were no significant differences in the drip loss and shear force of the LD among cattle of different ages. In terms of intramuscular fat content and long-chain fatty acid composition, it is suggested that the meat of 24-month-old cattle is more in line with human health standards.

An experiment was conducted to estimate growth parameters for commercial broiler chickens in Indonesia. The data was collected from July 2021 to June 2022. A total of 1,570 samples consisting of four strains of broiler chickens were collected from 74 houses. The samples were daily weighed from 0 to 7 days of age, and they were weekly weighed from 1 to 5 weeks of age. A nonlinear Gompertz growth model was fitted to the observed body weights (BW). The results for five growth parameters were as follows: the asymptotic value (A) of the mature live weight ranged from 3.733 to 5.044 kg; the turning point of growth (B) ranged from 4.499 to 4.561; the value growth rate constant (K) ranged from 0.049 to 0.059 kg/week; Inflection points in ranged from 25.292 – 30.970 days, and 1.373 – 1.855 kg for inflection age (IA) and inflection weight (IW), respectively. The model was an excellent fit for the growth data in the commercial broiler with a low Akaike information criterion (AIC), and high coeffi-cient determination (R2).

Abstract This study was conducted to examine the effects of a diet formulated with industrial amino acids and a commercial vitamin-mineral mixture on the characteristics of carcass and meat cuts of slow-growing broilers slaughtered at different ages. The experiment involved 600 one-day-old male and female white Naked Neck chicks. The chicks were allotted randomly to a 2 × 3 factorial arrangement consisting of two diets and three slaughter ages, in a completely randomized experimental design with five replicates of 20 birds each. The experimental period was 84 days. Six chicks were selected and slaughtered on the first day, and then at 56, 70 and 84 days of age 10 birds unit was selected and slaughtered per experimental period. Weight and yield of carcass, abdominal fat and breast, thigh and drumstick meat were determined. Additionally, moisture, protein, fat and mineral matter contents and protein and fat deposition in the breast, drumstick and thigh muscles were determined. The diet did not influence the yields of carcass, abdominal fat, or meat cuts or the nutritional composition of meat. Slaughter age influenced the yields of breast and thigh meat and abdominal fat; the protein content of breast meat; and the moisture, crude protein, fat, and mineral matter contents of drumstick and thigh meat. There was an interaction effect between diet and slaughter age for protein deposition in breast meat. The age factor influenced fat deposition in the drumstick muscles. Protein deposition in the thigh muscles was influenced by the diet. Moreover, a difference was observed between the ages for protein and fat deposition in the thigh muscle. In conclusion, the use of a commercial mixture in the diet results in decreased protein deposition in the breast and thigh muscles, although this difference does not affect the characteristics of carcass or meat cuts. Birds slaughtered at 70 days exhibit similar carcass characteristics to those of birds slaughtered at 84 days, indicating the possibility of an earlier slaughter age.

ABSTRACT: Chemical composition, amino acids (AAs), and fatty acid (FAs) profiles, and health and nutrition values of breast muscle of ROSS 308 broiler chickens were studied after being slaughtered at 28, 35, 42, and 49 d of age (n = 126 males and 126 females/slaughter age). The slaughter age significantly affected some AAs levels including glutamic acid, valine, isoleucine, histidine, and leucine, and some FAs level including capric acid, tetradecanoic acid, eicosanoic acid, total saturated fatty acids, 9-pentadecenoic acid, hexadecatetraenoic acid, α-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, linoleic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, adrenic acid, omega 6, sum polyunsaturated fatty acids (Ʃ PUFAs), and unsaturation index. Subsequently, the slaughter age significantly affected some health indexes including the n-6/n-3 ratio, thrombogenic index, hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio, and health-promoting index. Valine, leucine, isoleucine, histidine, and glutamic acid levels increased with increasing slaughter age until 35 d of age and then decreased with increasing slaughter age until 49 d of age. Moreover, the health indices of fatty acids were best at slaughter age of 35 d, followed by 49 d, and the lowest health-promoting indices were at 42 d, followed by 28 d. The sex did not affect (P ˃ 0.05) all the evaluating parameters including chemical composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and related health indices. There was no significant interaction effect between sex and slaughter age in all evaluating parameters except in stearidonic acid level. In conclusion, amino acids and fatty acids profiles and health and nutritional values of male and female ROSS 308 broiler chicken breast muscle can be affected by slaughter age. The study provides valuable insights into the nutritional value of meat, including its composition, amino acid, and fatty acid profiles, and associated health indices, for both male and female fast-growing ROSS 308 broiler chickens, as the slaughter age increases.

Copyright of Kocatepe Veterinary Journal / Kocatepe Veteriner Dergisi is the property of Afyon Kocatepe University, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

An experiment was conducted to estimate growth parameters for commercial broiler chickens in Indonesia. The data was collected from July 2021 to June 2022. A total of 1,570 samples consisting of four strains of broiler chickens were collected from 74 houses. The samples were daily weighed from 0 to 7 days of age, and they were weekly weighed from 1 to 5 weeks of age. A nonlinear Gompertz growth model was fitted to the observed body weights (BW). The results for five growth parameters were as follows: the asymptotic value (A) of the mature live weight ranged from 3.733 to 5.044 kg; the turning point of growth (B) ranged from 4.499 to 4.561; the value growth rate constant (K) ranged from 0.049 to 0.059 kg/week; Inflection points in ranged from 25.292 - 30.970 days, and 1.373 - 1.855 kg for inflection age (IA) and inflection weight (IW), respectively. The model was an excellent fit for the growth data in the commercial broiler with a low Akaike information criterion (AIC), and high coefficient determination (R²). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Shipin Kexue/ Food Science is the property of Food Science Editorial Department and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study aimed to investigate the effects of slaughter age and gender on carcase characteristics and meat quality of native Mexican turkeys raised under an extensive production system. Forty-five native turkeys (36 males and 9 females) were used. They were sacrificed at 24, 32, and 40 weeks of age. Slaughter age significantly affected slaughter weight (SW), hot carcase weight (HCW) and cold carcase weight (CCW). Also, dressing percentages, non-carcase components, internal organs, abdominal fat, and most carcase parts and proportions were affected. Gender significantly affected SW, HCW and CCW, non-carcase components, internal organs, and carcase parts weights. Regarding the physical properties of breast and leg meat, pH values and colour parameters taken at 45 min and 24 h post-mortem, as well as the water-holding capacity (WHC), cooking (CL), and drip loss (DL), were significantly affected by slaughter age, except CL in leg meat. Meanwhile, gender influenced L*45min, b*24h, the pH24h values, and CL in breast meat. Concerning the chemical composition of the meat, slaughter age had a significant effect on the ether extract (EE) content of breast meat and on dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), EE, ash, and energy contents of leg meat. Gender significantly affected the DM, CP, and energy contents of breast meat and DM, EE, and energy contents of leg meat. These results indicate that the carcase weight and yield, and its components, as well as meat quality, were better in older male turkeys than in adult females. HIGHLIGHTS Slaughter age and gender significantly influence carcase yield and composition and as well as meat quality in native Mexican turkeys raised under extensive traditional conditions. It is recommended that native turkeys be slaughtered at around 40 weeks to obtain more acceptable carcase yields and meat of better nutritional value. The native Mexican turkey is a viable poultry resource for ecological production systems.

Simple Summary: As the aging population is rapidly increasing worldwide, consumer interest in age-friendly foods and healthy foods is increasing. Recently, as the nutritional value of black goat meat has been proven, the consumption of black goats has increased. However, the best age of slaughter has not been established for black goats, and studies on meat characteristics according to the age of slaughter are also insufficient. Therefore, in this study, the physicochemical properties of black goat meat according to the slaughter age (3, 6, 9, 12, 24, and 36 months of age) were investigated. As the age of the black goats increased, the shear force, redness, and yellowness increased, and the brightness decreased. In addition, the results for water holding capacity, cooking yield, mineral content, and fatty acid composition, showed that it is appropriate to slaughter black goats after 12 months of age. This study was conducted to analyze the physicochemical properties of black goat meat according to the slaughter age (3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36 months). The moisture content tended to decrease, whereas the fat content, pH, and free amino acid composition tended to increase with increasing slaughter age. The collagen content increased significantly with the increasing slaughter age (p < 0.05). The cooking yield showed a tendency to increase up to 12 months of age, and there was no significant difference after 12 months of age. In all mineral contents, the sample for 12 months of age showed higher values than the others. Considering fatty acid composition, the saturated fatty acid content of the 12-month sample had a lower value than the other samples. However, the unsaturated fatty acid of the 12-month sample had higher values than the other samples. Therefore, the best slaughter age for black goats occurs at 12 months of age when nutrition is excellent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of slaughter age (young vs. old), muscle type (Longissimus dorsi (LD), Gluteus medius (GM)) and fat deposits (kidney knob and channel fat, subcutaneous fat, intramuscular fat) on chemical, organoleptic, textural characteristics and fatty acid composition of Holstein Friesian bull meat. For this purpose, the carcasses of 26 Holstein Friesian bulls that had been fattened on the same private farm were assigned to two experimental groups based on their age at slaughter: a young group (YG) (average age: 17.0 ± 1.0 months old) and an old group (OG) (average age: 22.0 ± 1.0 months old). The percentage of crude protein, panel tenderness score, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and saturated fatty acid (SFA) content, the PUFA/SFA ratio and the hypocholesterolemic fatty acid (DFA)/hypercholesterolemic fatty acid (OFA) ratio of the bull carcasses decreased significantly with increasing slaughter age. By contrast, the OFA content of the carcasses significantly increased (p < 0.05) with increasing slaughter age. Advanced slaughter age resulted in lower panel tenderness scores. Additionally, the meat of the bulls in the OG was considered to be less healthy because of the less desirable fatty acid composition and nutritional indices, such as the PUFA/SFA and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratios, compared to the meat from the bulls in the YG. Furthermore, the intramuscular fat and internal fat contained high percentages of PUFA and SFA and high PUFA/SFA and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratios. Interestingly, the percentage of OFA content in the internal and intramuscular fat tissues decreased with increasing slaughter age. In conclusion, this study provided evidence that slaughter age and muscle and fat type are essential sources of variations in the textural characteristics, sensory panel attributes and fatty acid profile of meat from Holstein Friesian bulls. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to investigate the effects of slaughter age and gender on carcase characteristics and meat quality of native Mexican turkeys raised under an extensive production system. Forty-five native turkeys (36 males and 9 females) were used. They were sacrificed at 24, 32, and 40 weeks of age. Slaughter age significantly affected slaughter weight (SW), hot carcase weight (HCW) and cold carcase weight (CCW). Also, dressing percentages, non-carcase components, internal organs, abdominal fat, and most carcase parts and proportions were affected. Gender significantly affected SW, HCW and CCW, non-carcase components, internal organs, and carcase parts weights. Regarding the physical properties of breast and leg meat, pH values and colour parameters taken at 45 min and 24 h post-mortem, as well as the water-holding capacity (WHC), cooking (CL), and drip loss (DL), were significantly affected by slaughter age, except CL in leg meat. Meanwhile, gender influenced L*45min, b*24h, the pH24h values, and CL in breast meat. Concerning the chemical composition of the meat, slaughter age had a significant effect on the ether extract (EE) content of breast meat and on dry matter (DM), crude protein (CP), EE, ash, and energy contents of leg meat. Gender significantly affected the DM, CP, and energy contents of breast meat and DM, EE, and energy contents of leg meat. These results indicate that the carcase weight and yield, and its components, as well as meat quality, were better in older male turkeys than in adult females. Slaughter age and gender significantly influence carcase yield and composition and as well as meat quality in native Mexican turkeys raised under extensive traditional conditions. It is recommended that native turkeys be slaughtered at around 40 weeks to obtain more acceptable carcase yields and meat of better nutritional value. The native Mexican turkey is a viable poultry resource for ecological production systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships between broiler strain, slaughter age, and post-chill (PC) aging duration in terms of measurable meat quality parameters. Two hundred fifty Hubbard on one day old chicks classic and two hundred fifty Lohman were bread in a commercial setting. Each strain had half of its broiler chicks slain at 32 days of age and the other half at 42 days of age. A total of 168 bodies (84 Hubbard and 84 Lohman) were selected at random on each day of processing, with each strain being divided into 28 groups and aged for 0, 4, and 24 hours. Each strain had a comparable average weekly body weight. Hubbard strain animals demonstrated greater feed conversion ratios during weeks two and three of life (P≥ 0.05). A bird's age had a significant effect (p≥0.05) on initial pH of the carcass, with birds that were 32 days old having lower pH values (41 days old). Carcass temperature of Lohman’s was higher than Hubbard's at 0h, 2h, and 4h post-PC (p≥0.001). Breast temperature was lower in younger birds throughout all PC assessment intervals (p≥0.001). Stress, age, and aging time had no effect on thaw loss, cook loss, and water holding capacity. Meat of Lohman strain was softer (P≥0.05) than meat of Hubbard strain, and as broiler age and aging time rose, softness also improved. The Hubbard strain produced meat was lighter in color and less red than that of Lohman strain, which came from birds of that darker. It was determined that the breast meat quality features were most affected by strain, slaughter age and PC aging period and that softer fillet could be achieved by maturing for 4 hours before to deboning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: In this study, it was aimed to reveal the beef supply structure throughout the province by examining; the hot carcass weights, cattle age, cattle breed, sex, etc. data of the cattle slaughtered in Burdur province. Materials and Methods: The material of the study consists of the data of the Gucbirligi Inc. slaughterhouse, which has an average of 50% of the cattle slaughter carried out throughout the province of Burdur over the years. In this context, the data of 52,677 cattle slaughtered between the months of 2014/1 - 2018/9 and whose information is not missing were included in the study. Data were evaluated with the Independent Sample t-Test or ANOVA in terms of the number of groups, and the Tukey Multiple Comparison Test was used to control the significance of the relationship between the subgroups. Results: According to the analysis results, although different cattle breeds are slaughtered in Burdur province, Holstein and Simmental breeds constitute 88.61% and 8.31% of the slaughter, respectively. As the slaughtered animals were examined according to gender, it was determined that the female animals were 32.23% and the male animals were 67.77%. It was determined that the number and year-end total carcass weights (hot carcass) of the cattle sent to the slaughterhouse decreased continuously by 60.32% and 67.08%, respectively, between 2014 and 2017. Conclusion: In the general production structure of Burdur province, dairy cattle breeding is the main branch of activity, while fattening beef cattle breeding is carried out as a complementary production branch to support dairy cattle breeding. In this context, it is predicted that increasing the number of enterprises specialized in cattle breeding in Burdur will contribute to the producers' minimization of risks by increasing production diversity and to a significant increase for production in the province. The results obtained from this study show that maintaining the sustainability and stability in the amount of meat and milk produced in the region depends on the price, cost and support policies that ensure the continuity of dairy cattle.

This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship among market weight, slaughter age, yield grade, and primal cut yield in Hanwoo. A total of 403 Hanwoo (Korean native cattle) was assessed for carcass traits such as carcass cold weight, backfat thickness, ribeye area, dressing percentage, yield index, and marbling score. The production yield of the individual major primal cuts of Hanwoo beef was also measured. Carcass cold weight, ribeye area, and backfat thickness, which affect meat quality increased with increased market weight (p < 0.05). The production yield of the ten major primal cuts also increased with increased market weight (p < 0.05). In terms of slaughter age, carcass cold weight, ribeye area, and backfat thickness all increased from 25 months to 28–29 months, and the production yield of all prime cuts also increased with increasing slaughter age. According to the meat yield grade, carcass cold weight and backfat thickness increased from grade A to grade C, although the ribeye area was not affected. The combined findings of the study suggest that slaughtering Hanwoo at the weight of 651–700 kg and 701–750 and age of 28.23 and 29.83 months could be desirable to achieve the best quality and quantity grade of Hanwoo beef. However, the positive correlation of carcass cold weight and backfat thickness, and the negative correlation of the yield index according to primal cuts yield indicated that it is necessary to couple the slaughtering management of cattle with improved genetic and breeding method of Hanwoo to increase the production yield of the major prime cuts of Hanwoo beef.

(1) Background: Autochthonous breeds meat is well accepted due to its sensory characteristics, perceived low environmental impact, and animal welfare. We aimed to evaluate the effect of weaning and slaughter age on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of Arouquesa, a Portuguese Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) meat and to evaluate the psychological effect of knowing the weaning age on the consumer's hedonic evaluation. (2) Methods: Meat from 26 animals was assigned to 4 groups, with combinations of weaning (W) at 9 or 5 months and slaughter (S) at 9 or 12 months: W9-S9, W9-S12, W5-S9, and W5-S12. The meat was analysed for pH24h, colour (L*a*b*), cooking losses and shear force. A Check All that Apply test was made with 70 consumers; they were also asked to punctuate the hedonic appreciation of anonymous and weaning age-identified meat. (3) Results: W9-S9 were more tender, had lower shear force, and was juicier than W5-S9. When animals were slaughtered at 12 months, there were no differences in the physicochemical and sensory characteristics between the weaning ages. The effect of information about the weaning age influences the consumer's hedonic evaluation, as revealed by the comparison between the anonymous and identified samples. (4) Later weaning resulted in more tender meat when the slaughter was at 9 months and positively impacted consumer perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to investigate the influence of age and body weight on carcass composition of white Fulani cattle raised n Akwa Ibom State University, Obio Akpa, Nigeria. Nine male white Fulani cattle were used for the study, which were categorized into three age groups (3 - 3.5, 4 - 5 and 5.5 - 6.5 years) respectively. Data on the animal carcass composition and external offal (slaughter weight, carcass weight (CW) and dressing percentage) were obtained, predicting model for carcass composition were also generated. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance. The results indicated that means for dressing percentages for the three age groups were 52.93 ± 1.18, 51.84 ± 0.53 and 53.92 ± 0.76 respectively. The results also indicated that age had significant influence (p<0.05) on live weight (LW), carcass composition and some external offal. The correlation between LW and carcass compositions were high with correlation coefficient ranging from 0.64 - 0.97, 0.90 - 1.00 and 0.71 - 0.99 for age groups 3 - 3.5 years, 4 - 5 years and 5.5 - 6.5 years respectively. However, the correlation between age, carcass composition and external offal were also positively high with correlation coefficient ranging from 0.50 - 1.00, 0.84 - 1.00 and 0.78 - 0.96 respectively across the different age group. Thus, this study revealed a strong and positive (p<0.001) relationship between animal age, LW, carcass composition and some external offal. The present study could be used as reliable indices for carcass composition and some external offal prediction or estimation as age strongly influenced animal LW and carcass trait. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of the rearing system (artificially vs. naturally milk-fed) and the slaughter age (3-weeks milk-fed vs. 3-months pasture-fed) on consumer liking of East-Friesian-cross dairy lamb Longissimus lumborum muscle and its association with lipid content and composition were evaluated. The artificially reared lambs were removed from their dams at 2–3 days of age and reared with cow milk. Intramuscular fat content (2.8%) was similar between treatments. Only 3 of the 25 fatty acids evaluated were influenced by the rearing system and 15 by the slaughter age. The rearing system had a minor impact (p < 0.10), but the slaughter age had a major (p < 0.01) impact on consumer liking. All consumers preferred on average meat from 3-weeks-old lambs. However, based on overall liking scores, Cluster-1 (60% of consumers) preferred meat from 3-weeks-old lambs driven by all sensory attributes but mostly tenderness, whereas Cluster-2 preferred meat from 3-months-old lambs driven by flavor only, indicating a preference for stronger flavor from older lambs finished on pasture. Meat fatty acid profile and consumer liking were not influenced by the rearing system but by lamb slaughter age, showing a niche product opportunity for the 3-weeks milk-fed lambs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the effect of slaughter age on carcass traits, meat quality, and the relative mRNA levels of lipid metabolism-related genes in different muscles of Taihang black goats., Methods: In this study, the triceps brachii (TB), longissimus dorsi (LD) and gluteus (GL) muscles of 15 grazing Taihang black goats slaughtered at the age of 2, 3, and 4 (designated as 2-year-old, 3-year-old, and 4-year-old, respectively) were collected. The differences in carcass shape, meat quality, amino acid composition and lipid metabolism gene expression among Taihang black goats of different ages and from different plant parts were compared., Results: Compared with goats at other ages, goats slaughtered at the age of 4 had greater live and carcass weights, meat weights, bone weights and skin areas (p<0.05). LD in the 4-years-old had the lowest cooking loss and moisture content. The crude protein content in the LD of 2-year-old was significantly greater than that in the other age group, and at the age of 2, the LD had the highest crude protein content than TB and GL. The highest fat content was in LD, followed by TB, for goats slaughtered at the age of 4. Eight out of 9 essential amino acids had higher content in the TB compared with other muscles, regardless of age. The total essential amino acid content was highest in the 4-year-old and lowest in the GL muscle at the age of 3. The sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) genes were significantly more abundant in the TB muscle than in the other muscles for goats slaughtered at the age of 2. At the age of 4, the ATGL and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ (PPARγ) genes were significantly more abundant in the GL than in the LD, while the fatty acid synthase (FAS) genes were significantly less abundant in the GL than in the other muscles. Similarly, compared with those in goats of other ages, the relative mRNA expression levels of the FAS and heart-type fatty acid binding protein (H-FABP) genes in goats slaughtered at the age of 4 were the highest, and the relative mRNA expression of the PPARγ gene was the lowest (p<0.05). The relative mRNA expression of the H-FABP and FAS genes was positively correlated with the intramuscular fat (IMF) content, while the relative mRNA expression levels of the PPARγ and ATGL genes was negatively correlated with the IMF content., Conclusion: Overall, a better nutritional value was obtained for TB from 4-year-old goats, in which the total essential amino acid and fat contents were greater than those of other muscles. The comprehensive action of lipid metabolism genes was consistent with that of the IMF content, among which the FAS, H-FABP, PPARγ, and ATGL genes had positive and negative effects on the process of IMF deposition in Taihang black goats.

This study aims to evaluate the age of off-odor detection to ensure more efficient and economical provision of antioxidants in the production of Cihateup ducks. This study used a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with 3 different treatments of slaughter age, i.e. 4, 8 and 12 week. Each treatment consisted of 6 replications and each replication consisted of 13 ducks. The results showed that the percentage of fat content at the age of 12 weeks was higher than the age of 4 and 8 week. High fat-containing meat tends to undergo fat oxidation. High levels of Fe at 12 week of slaughter age cause high levels of myoglobin in duck meat. Fe2+ is a catalyst in the process of fat oxidation. the brightness value (L) is inversely proportional to the value a of Cihateup duck meat. The darker brightness of the meat causes the flesh to be redder due to myoglobin level in duck meat. The percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (ALTJG) is 4- and 12-week slaughter age lower than 8 week of age. The high levels of MDA at 12 week of slaughter age are due to fat oxidation which causes off-odor. Based on the result, the conclusion is that the high fat content, Fe content, color of Cihateup duck meat at 12 weeks of slaughter age caused the percentage of polyunsaturated fatty acids (ALTJG) to be low due to fat oxidation. Fat oxidation caused high levels of MDA in duck meat (12 weeks of slaughter age) resulting in Off-odors in Cihateup duck meat.

This study was conducted to analyze the physicochemical properties of black goat meat according to the slaughter age (3, 6, 9, 12, 24, 36 months). The moisture content tended to decrease, whereas the fat content, pH, and free amino acid composition tended to increase with increasing slaughter age. The collagen content increased significantly with the increasing slaughter age (p < 0.05). The cooking yield showed a tendency to increase up to 12 months of age, and there was no significant difference after 12 months of age. In all mineral contents, the sample for 12 months of age showed higher values than the others. Considering fatty acid composition, the saturated fatty acid content of the 12-month sample had a lower value than the other samples. However, the unsaturated fatty acid of the 12-month sample had higher values than the other samples. Therefore, the best slaughter age for black goats occurs at 12 months of age when nutrition is excellent.

Thirty castrated Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) pigs were randomly divided into three groups and slaughtered at 180, 210, and 240 days of age, respectively. Here, we found that the live weight, carcass weight, carcass length, dressing percentage, eye muscle area, backfat deposit, muscle yellowness b* value, drip loss, and cooking loss increased significantly, and the muscle pH 45 min value decreased dramatically as the slaughter age of DLY pigs extended. Moreover, increasing the slaughter age of DLY pigs could obtain higher n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) percentage, crude protein, essential amino acids (EAA) contents and EAA/NEAA level, and lower n-6/n-3 PUFA level and antioxidant capacity. Together, this study suggests that the older slaughter age improves the carcass traits and nutritional value of pork, but leads to a significant decrease in pork sensory quality in DLY finishing pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Eurasian Journal of Veterinary Sciences is the property of Eurasian Journal of Veterinary Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study aimed to determine the carcass and meat quality of broiler chickens based on the slaughter age (28, 30, 32, and 34 days). The carcass characteristics included live and carcass weights, carcass rate, dressing rate, and retail cut weight. The meat quality properties were determined through proximate composition, pH, color, water holding capacity (WHC), cooking yield, and shear-force. The broiler chicken live, carcass, breast, thigh, and wing weights significantly increased with the slaughter age (p < 0.05); the tenderloin weight also exhibited a similarly increasing trend. However, the carcass rate of the day 28 sample was significantly lower than the other samples (p < 0.05). The protein and ash contents of the breast exhibited an increasing trend with increasing slaughter age. The protein content of the thigh of the day 28 sample was significantly lower than that of the other samples (p < 0.05), while the ash contents of the day 28 and 30 samples were significantly lower. The redness of the breast showed an increasing trend, and the pH and lightness of the thigh exhibited a decreasing trend with slaughter age. The WHC and cooking yields of the day 30 and 32 breast and thigh samples were significantly higher than those of the day 28 and 34 samples (p < 0.05). The breast and thigh shear-force of the day 30–34 samples were significantly higher than those of the day 28 sample (p < 0.05). The present study showed that even with a two-day difference in slaughter age, the broiler chicken meat quality showed a significant difference in several characteristics.

The aim was to investigate the growth of certain non-carcass components and hind limb tissues using allometric coefficients in Saanen goat kids reared under natural and artificial systems and slaughtered at 80 days or 120 days of age. 42 Saanen kids were used in the study [(24 artificial reared kids (SA-80: 12 kids, SA-120: 12 kids), 18 natural reared kids (SA-80: 9 kids, SA-120: 9 kids)] for determination of indicated parameters. The effects of rearing system were not significant in weights of non-carcass components and hind limb tissue compositions, which indicate that, even though they were fed with milk replacers, artificial reared kids can have similar growth performance when they are slaughtered at similar age with natural raised kids. However, slaughter age had significant effect on many non-carcass components, since the weight of the organs increases in parallel with animal’s live weight. It is seen that allometric growth of non-carcass parameters, except skin and testis in both rearing groups and stomach and intestines in natural rearing, was slower (b<1) than EBW of kids slaughtered at 120th days of age. This result shows that when the Saanen kids will be slaughtered at later ages, the increase of live weight will be mainly due to the increased saleable carcass components. Additionally, tissue compositions showed that muscle growth continued rapidly (b=1.494 for natural and b= 1.251 for artificial reared) in both groups on the 120th day of age. This situation reveals that prolonging the fattening period with Saanen kids can increase meat production for both rearing systems. On the other hand, it is observed that the amount of both subcutaneous and intermuscular fat increased more rapidly at the 120th day of age in both groups. Therefore, the optimal slaughter age at 120th days should be determined by taking into account the possible increasing amount of fat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of slaughter age (young vs. old), muscle type (Longissimus dorsi (LD), Gluteus medius (GM)) and fat deposits (kidney knob and channel fat, subcutaneous fat, intramuscular fat) on chemical, organoleptic, textural characteristics and fatty acid composition of Holstein Friesian bull meat. For this purpose, the carcasses of 26 Holstein Friesian bulls that had been fattened on the same private farm were assigned to two experimental groups based on their age at slaughter: a young group (YG) (average age: 17.0 ± 1.0 months old) and an old group (OG) (average age: 22.0 ± 1.0 months old). The percentage of crude protein, panel tenderness score, polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and saturated fatty acid (SFA) content, the PUFA/SFA ratio and the hypocholesterolemic fatty acid (DFA)/hypercholesterolemic fatty acid (OFA) ratio of the bull carcasses decreased significantly with increasing slaughter age. By contrast, the OFA content of the carcasses significantly increased (p < 0.05) with increasing slaughter age. Advanced slaughter age resulted in lower panel tenderness scores. Additionally, the meat of the bulls in the OG was considered to be less healthy because of the less desirable fatty acid composition and nutritional indices, such as the PUFA/SFA and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratios, compared to the meat from the bulls in the YG. Furthermore, the intramuscular fat and internal fat contained high percentages of PUFA and SFA and high PUFA/SFA and hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratios. Interestingly, the percentage of OFA content in the internal and intramuscular fat tissues decreased with increasing slaughter age. In conclusion, this study provided evidence that slaughter age and muscle and fat type are essential sources of variations in the textural characteristics, sensory panel attributes and fatty acid profile of meat from Holstein Friesian bulls.

Physico-chemical properties of fish flesh are reliable predictors of fillet quality and nutritional value. In our study, the age-related variations of the chemical composition, pH, water activity (aw), water holding capacity (WHC), color and texture analysis, protein thermal stability, myofibrillar fragmentation index (MFI), glycogen content, protein oxidation and protein profiles were investigated in Oncorhynchus mykiss (rainbow trout) fillet. The results revealed that protein denaturation temperatures (T max 1 and T max 2) decreased by 2 % and 11.6 % depending on fish age. T max 1 and T max 2 values in the same groups were raised 71 % at 11 months' fish and this increase was 58 % at 23 months' fish. An age-related reduction by 66.6 % and 31.25 % was noticed for protein oxidation markers sulfhydryl groups and disulfide bonds. MFI value increased by 86.6 % connected with age. The characteristics of fish meat quality are complex and are influenced by various factors that affect the degree of freshness of the product and its acceptance in the market. Taking into account the different demands of the consumer, this study has shown that age at slaughter has an impact on final product quality and that the recommended age at slaughter, taking into account market weight, positively affects meat quality., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

Hanwoo beef is in high demand because of its unique flavor, freshness, and high-fat content. However, the longer rearing period required to enhance marbling in Hanwoo cattle has adverse environmental consequences, such as greenhouse gas emissions and overall rearing costs. To address consumer preferences for leaner and healthier meat, the Korean meat industry has recently introduced Hanwoo heifer meat as an alternative source, but its quality traits are still unclear. Nevertheless, there is a limited body of research exploring the impact of Hanwoo gender (steer, heifer, and cow) and their corresponding slaughter ages on meat quality traits. This study looked into how gender affected the physicochemical and qualitative features of Hanwoo striploin at their respective slaughter ages. Results revealed that cow striploin has higher levels of moisture (66.81%) and protein (20.76%), whereas it contains lower levels of fat (10.66%) and cholesterol (34.66 mg/100 g). Regarding the physicochemical properties, cow striploin exhibited significantly lower shear force, color indexes, and soluble collagen ( p < 0.05). However, chondroitin (1.19%) and muscle fiber area (1,545.23 μm 2 ) were significantly higher in steer striploin than in heifer and cow ( p < 0.05). Cow striploin exhibited significantly higher levels of oleic acid, unsaturated fatty acids (UFAs), and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) while having lower levels of eicosadienoic acid and atherogenic index compared to the other two groups. Cows and heifers had higher concentrations of amino acid metabolites than striploin from steers. Furthermore, bioactive metabolites such as carnitine and carnosine content were found higher in cow and heifer respectively. Overall, Hanwoo cattle gender influences the qualitative attributes of striploin; nevertheless, compared to steer and heifer striploin, cow striploin is a relatively good source of protein, fatty acid content, and metabolites conducive to a healthy diet., Competing Interests: No potential conflict of interest relevant to this article was reported., (© Copyright 2024 Korean Society of Animal Science and Technology.)

The traditional production of the Iberian breed pig involves a long production cycle. It might be shortened by using Iberian pigs crossed with Duroc and by reducing the growing phase, but the age-related changes on productive performance and carcass quality should be addressed. Thus, productive performance, live measurements and carcass and primal cut traits were evaluated on Iberian × Duroc 50:50 crossed pigs according to animal age at the beginning of the free-range finishing phase (Montanera): 10, 12 and 14 months old (IBxD10 (n = 15), IBxD12 (n = 17) and IBxD14 (n = 18) animal batches, respectively) and gender (immunologically castrated female -consisted of the Improvac® vaccination- and surgically castrated males). During the growing period, animals were fed with restrictions; 1.49, 1.29 and 1.20 ± 0.023 (mean ± SEM) kg/day of commercial feeds to start Montanera with similar BW; 103.9, 102.9 and 102.1 ± 0.22 kg, for IBxD10, IBxD12 and IBxD14, respectively. IBxD14 animals yielded the highest average daily gain (ADG) and BW after Montanera, as well as larger rump height and croup width. In contrast, these animals had the lowest carcass yield. Although animals from IBxD10 yielded hams of inferior size, this could be of interest to the sector, as there is a certain segment of the market that demands hams of smaller size and, generally, this is difficult to obtain with the traditional Montanera production system. The gender had no major effects on performance and carcass and primal cut traits, so both immunologically castrated female and surgically castrated males are suitable for finishing in Montanera.

The effects of the rearing system (artificially vs. naturally milk-fed) and the slaughter age (3-weeks milk-fed vs. 3-months pasture-fed) on consumer liking of East-Friesian-cross dairy lamb Longissimus lumborum muscle and its association with lipid content and composition were evaluated. The artificially reared lambs were removed from their dams at 2–3 days of age and reared with cow milk. Intramuscular fat content (2.8%) was similar between treatments. Only 3 of the 25 fatty acids evaluated were influenced by the rearing system and 15 by the slaughter age. The rearing system had a minor impact (p < 0.10), but the slaughter age had a major (p < 0.01) impact on consumer liking. All consumers preferred on average meat from 3-weeks-old lambs. However, based on overall liking scores, Cluster-1 (60% of consumers) preferred meat from 3-weeks-old lambs driven by all sensory attributes but mostly tenderness, whereas Cluster-2 preferred meat from 3-months-old lambs driven by flavor only, indicating a preference for stronger flavor from older lambs finished on pasture. Meat fatty acid profile and consumer liking were not influenced by the rearing system but by lamb slaughter age, showing a niche product opportunity for the 3-weeks milk-fed lambs.

(1) Background: Autochthonous breeds meat is well accepted due to its sensory characteristics, perceived low environmental impact, and animal welfare. We aimed to evaluate the effect of weaning and slaughter age on the physicochemical and sensory characteristics of Arouquesa, a Portuguese Protected Designation of Origin (PDO) meat and to evaluate the psychological effect of knowing the weaning age on the consumer’s hedonic evaluation. (2) Methods: Meat from 26 animals was assigned to 4 groups, with combinations of weaning (W) at 9 or 5 months and slaughter (S) at 9 or 12 months: W9-S9, W9-S12, W5-S9, and W5-S12. The meat was analysed for pH24h, colour (L*a*b*), cooking losses and shear force. A Check All that Apply test was made with 70 consumers; they were also asked to punctuate the hedonic appreciation of anonymous and weaning age-identified meat. (3) Results: W9-S9 were more tender, had lower shear force, and was juicier than W5-S9. When animals were slaughtered at 12 months, there were no differences in the physicochemical and sensory characteristics between the weaning ages. The effect of information about the weaning age influences the consumer’s hedonic evaluation, as revealed by the comparison between the anonymous and identified samples. (4) Later weaning resulted in more tender meat when the slaughter was at 9 months and positively impacted consumer perception.

Copyright of Harran Journal of Agricultural & Food Science is the property of Harran University, Faculty of Agriculture and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The aim of this study was to identify optimum slaughter age on carcass traits and meat quality of Jamuna basin lambs. Thirty lambs were divided into three age groups like T1 (6 months), T2 (9 months) and T3 (12 months) having ten lambs of each treatment. Parameters studied were carcass traits, proximate component (DM, CP, EE, and Ash), physicochemical (Ultimate pH, cooked pH, cooking loss, drip loss, water holding capacity-WHC), sensory attributes (color, flavor, tenderness, juiciness, overall acceptability) and instrumental color values (L*, a* and b*). Hot carcass weight and dressing% were found significantly (p<0.001) higher in T3 than T1 and T2 treatments. Edible by products namely viscera, head, leg, pluck, neck, shoulder, rack, loin, kidney, heart, liver, lungs and shank from three treatments were found significant effect (p<0.001). Inedible by products viz. blood, skin and spleen were found significantly higher (p<0.001) with the advancement of age. Dry matter (DM) of T2 and T3 were found significantly lower (p<0.001) than T1 treatment. Crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE) were significantly increased (p<0.001) of advancement of age of lambs. Drip loss of T2 was found significantly lower and WHC of T2 was significantly (p<0.001) higher than other two treatments. Cooking loss and ultimate pH of T3 were significantly (p<0.001) lower than other two treatments. Color, tenderness, juiciness and overall acceptability were significantly differed (p<0.001) and flavor was significantly differed (p<0.001). The instrumental color values L* decreased whereas a* and b* and chroma values were significantly (p<0.05) increased with the advancement of age of lambs. The saturation index was significantly (p<0.001) higher in 6- and 12-months age than 9 months of age. It is revealed from the study that 12 months of slaughter age showed better in terms of productive and meat quality traits. Therefore, 12 months of age may be recommended as optimum slaughter age for Jamuna basin lambs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Little information is available on carcass quality in nulliparous and primiparous ewes of different breeds and genetic groups. Objective: To evaluate the effect of genetic group, pregnancy, age and their interactions on carcass traits, meat quality and fatty acid profile in sheep. Methods: Eighty-five Santa Ines ewes and their crosses with Texel, Dorper and Ile de France, aged 12 month were bred with White Dorper rams to assess the influence of pregnancy on carcass composition and meat quality. After weaning, all ewes (nulliparous and primiparous) were fattened for slaughter at 21 months of age. A further 24 six to twenty one-month-old female lambs from the same genetic groups were included in the analysis to determine the fatty acid profile. Results: Genetic group affected muscle and fat weight as well as the eye muscle length. Fat weight, muscle and fat ratios, subcutaneous fat thickness and cooking loss were affected by pregnancy with nulliparous females being fatter. Meat purpose breeds such as Dorper, Texel and Ile de France showed better meat quality compared to the Santa Ines hair breed. Of the 19 identified fatty acids, saturated were present in greater quantities, especially stearic and palmitic. Omega-6 content was influenced by age and pregnancy. Conclusions: Younger and nulliparous females have better carcass quality in terms of fatty acid composition.

In this study the nutritional composition, fatty acid content, total and index values of fatty acids were analyzed in breast and thigh meat of pheasants (male-female mixed) reared in intensive and free-range production systems at the 14, 16 or 18 weeks of age. The experimental material consisted of skinless breast and thigh meat. Analyses were carried out on a total of 24 samples with 2 replicates from skinless breast and thigh meat samples obtained from slaughtered (male-female mixed) pheasants that were grown for 14, 16, or 18 weeks in free-range and intensive systems. Following slaughter of the pheasants, breast and thigh meat samples were frozen at -18 / -22°C until analysis. The effect of the production system (PS) on the nutrient composition of breast and thigh meat was non-significant (P>0.05). The C20:2 level in breast meat was higher in meat produced using the intensive system, while C15:0, C17:0, and C20:1 contents were higher in thigh meat produced in the free-range system (P<0.05). The C18: 2n6c, C22: 1n9, C22: 6n3, PUFA, Sn-3, and Sn-6 levels were lower and that of C20:2 was higher in breast meat at 14 weeks of slaughter age (P<0.05). Dry matter and crude ash ratios were higher in thigh meat at 18 weeks of age (P=0.05). In this study it was observed that the production system and slaughter age had no effect on meat quality traits except for some traits in breast and thigh meat of pheasants. However, considering the meat quality traits of pheasants it was determined that the meat has high nutritional value and low fat content, although its high saturated fatty acid content should also be taken into account. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of slaughter age (2 vs. 9 years) and postmortem time (6, 8, 10, 12, 24, 48 and 72 h) on the meat quality and protein changes of the longissimus lumborum muscles of the Algerian Sahraoui dromedary were investigated. Muscles of young dromedaries evidenced a slower acidification process and a significantly higher myofibrillar fragmentation index throughout the postmortem time. The SDS-PAGE of sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins revealed that meat from young dromedaries was characterized by the lowest percentage of myoglobin (p < 0.001) and the highest percentage of desmin (p < 0.01). During postmortem time, a decrease was found for phosphoglucomutase (p < 0.01), α-actinin (p < 0.05) and desmin (p < 0.01) in meat from young dromedaries. Western blot revealed an intense degradation of troponin T in younger dromedaries, with an earlier appearance of the 28 kDa polypeptide highlighting differences in the proteolytic potential between dromedaries of different ages. Principal component analysis showed that meat from young dromedaries, starting from 24 h postmortem, was located in a zone of the plot characterized by higher levels of the myofibrillar fragmentation index, 30 kDa polypeptide and enolase, overall confirming greater proteolysis in younger animals. Data suggest that the investigation of the muscle proteome is necessary to set targeted interventions to improve the aging process of dromedary meat cuts.

The native breed of Carpathian goats, once abundant in the foothills of Poland, practically died out and was replaced by other, more efficient breeds. As a result of reintroduction activities and its inclusion in the genetic resources program, breeding was restored. The dynamically developing population of Carpathian goats is an extremely valuable element of biodiversity and a potential for the development of the market for its products, including goat meat. The study aimed to compare the carcass measurements and the quality and composition of meat from male kids of the Polish Carpathian native goat breed slaughtered at the ages of 9 and 12 months. Muscle samples were taken from the leg (m. biceps femoris) to determine the meat chemical composition and physicochemical and sensory parameters, as well as the fatty acid profile. The dressing percentage was higher in older kids (41.27%) than in younger ones (37.89%), as well as final weight and cold carcass weight. The weight of valuable cuts such as the loin and leg differed between groups, and it was significantly higher in 1-year-old kids. No differences were found in basic ingredients, such as moisture, protein, ash and vitamins A and E, depending on the kids’ slaughter age. The fat concentration was significantly higher in the group of younger kids. Significant differences occurred in relation to the physicochemical parameters, fatty acid profile and organoleptic properties. The findings demonstrated that the meat of older kids was characterised by darker colour and a slightly higher pH, and it contained a higher concentration of hypocholesterolemic fatty acids (DFA) and a more favourable DFA/OFA ratio. Roasted meat from the Carpathian kids scored high marks in the organoleptic assessment and the meat obtained from older animals was rated higher.

The study was conducted to determine growth, slaughter, and carcass characteristics of Lindovskaya geese. While a total of 237 goslings, 101 males, and 136 females were used to determine their growth characteristics, 16 male geese in total were used for the detection of the slaughter and carcass characteristics. Each slaughter group (12 weeks and 16 weeks old) consisted of 8 male geese. It was determined that the effect of sex on body weight values by week was significant (P < 0.05). In addition to this, the body weights of male geese were higher than the body weights of the female geese in all weeks. In the study, it was determined that the effect of the slaughter age on the weights of slaughter, head, blood, intestinal fat, and abdominal fat was significant (P < 0.05). Additionally, the values of the geese slaughtered at 16 weeks were higher compared to the geese slaughtered at 12 weeks. It was detected that the effect of slaughter age on the weight of the hot carcass, cold carcass, neck, breast and back, and other parts were significant (P < 0.05). Moreover, it was concluded that these values increased as the slaughter age increased. As a result, it can be said that slaughter age at 16 weeks was more preferable than at 12 weeks under breeder conditions. Additionally, it has been revealed that Lindovskaya geese need to be reared under controlled conditions, with regular care and feeding, to obtain better results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of slaughter age on chemical and physical characteristics of beef of Bali cattle reared extensively in Bima District, West Nusa Tenggara. The treatment in this study was the difference in slaughter age, namely P1 = 1.5-2 years of slaughter age; P2 = slaughter age 2.1-2.5 years and P3 = slaughter age 2.51-3 years. The design used was completely randomized design with 3 treatments and 3 replications. The data obtained were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) and continued with Duncan's New Multiple Range Test. The results showed that slaughter age had a significant effect (P <0.05) on protein content and water binding capacity of Bali beef, while its effect on water, fat and ash contents, cooking losses, tenderness, pH, was not significantly different (P>0.05). Male Bali cattle slaughtered at the age of 2.1-2.5 years could provide better meat quality compared with other slaughter ages. They also could produce meat with protein content 18,16%, high water binding capacity (21.09%), low cooking losses (42.12%), tenderness (1.51 kg/cm² ), and had normal meat pH value (5.6). It could be concluded that Protein content of Bali beef reduced as the age of slaughter increased; slaughter age influenced physical characteristics of Bali beef, the age of slaughter increased the water holding capacity of Bali beef [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laying hens are reared especially for egg production. However, at the end of their production period, they are slaughtered, and carcasses are consumed as meat or meat products. Thus, the quality of such meat is an important attribute for both consumers and manufacturers. Therefore, the present study was designed to examine the effects of slaughter age and cage type on some carcass and meat characteristics of laying hens. For this purpose, a total of 840 ISA-Brown laying hens from 16 weeks of age to the end of the experiment at 75 or 108 weeks were reared in unenriched or enriched cages with 21 cages/type and 20 laying hens per cage. The production period was extended to 108 weeks of age via induced molting using whole barley diet. At the onset of 75 and 108 weeks of age 18 birds from each cage type were slaughtered. Advancement in the slaughter age contributed to heavier hot carcass and liver weights whilst a decrease in thigh and gizzard percentages were recorded. Increased slaughter age was also characterised by a change in the colour attributes of meat being darker/redder/yellower when compared to the younger hens. Meat characteristics as dry matter, crude protein, fat, total ash, and collagen content were also increased with slaughter age. Housing differences in terms of cage system had a limited effect on carcass and meat characteristics, but it was noted that hens reared in enriched cages had higher thigh and gizzard percentages with increased collagen content in their meat. Some interactions were also noted between slaughter age and cage type. In conclusion, the results suggested that advancement in slaughter age of laying hens is accompanied by changes in carcass and meat characteristics of laying hens whilst role of cage type in determining these changes is minimal; however, further research is needed with additional sensory evaluation of meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical composition, amino acids (AAs), and fatty acid (FAs) profiles, and health and nutrition values of breast muscle of ROSS 308 broiler chickens were studied after being slaughtered at 28, 35, 42, and 49 d of age (n = 126 males and 126 females/slaughter age). The slaughter age significantly affected some AAs levels including glutamic acid, valine, isoleucine, histidine, and leucine, and some FAs level including capric acid, tetradecanoic acid, eicosanoic acid, total saturated fatty acids, 9-pentadecenoic acid, hexadecatetraenoic acid, α-linolenic acid, stearidonic acid, linoleic acid, dihomo-γ-linolenic acid, arachidonic acid, adrenic acid, omega 6, sum polyunsaturated fatty acids (Ʃ PUFAs), and unsaturation index. Subsequently, the slaughter age significantly affected some health indexes including the n-6/n-3 ratio, thrombogenic index, hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio, and health-promoting index. Valine, leucine, isoleucine, histidine, and glutamic acid levels increased with increasing slaughter age until 35 d of age and then decreased with increasing slaughter age until 49 d of age. Moreover, the health indices of fatty acids were best at slaughter age of 35 d, followed by 49 d, and the lowest health-promoting indices were at 42 d, followed by 28 d. The sex did not affect (P ˃ 0.05) all the evaluating parameters including chemical composition, amino acid and fatty acid profiles, and related health indices. There was no significant interaction effect between sex and slaughter age in all evaluating parameters except in stearidonic acid level. In conclusion, amino acids and fatty acids profiles and health and nutritional values of male and female ROSS 308 broiler chicken breast muscle can be affected by slaughter age. The study provides valuable insights into the nutritional value of meat, including its composition, amino acid, and fatty acid profiles, and associated health indices, for both male and female fast-growing ROSS 308 broiler chickens, as the slaughter age increases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]