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The use of insect meals as a substitute for protein sources is a current topic of interest, especially the black soldier fly (Hermetia illucens, BSFL) larvae in full-fat (FF) and de-fatted (DF) forms. Nine experimental diets were prepared for broiler starter (Day 14-21) and finisher (Day 21-35) phases. The control diet was formulated to contain, 10% fish meal (FM) (T1). The other eight experimental diets were replaced FM in the control diet with BSFL FF at 2.5% (T2), 5% (T3), 7.5% (T4), and 10% (T5) and BSFL DF at 2.5% (T6), 5% (T7), 7.5% (T8), and 10% (T9), respectively. On day 14, two hundred and sixteen (216) unsexed, Cobb-500 broilers having uniform body weights (BW±SD: 343.5 g/head±13.01) were randomly consigned to 36 battery cages (60 cm×60 cm×60 cm) (04 replicates per treatment, six birds per replicate). From day-14, the birds were evaluated for growth performances. On day-35, 72 birds; two birds from each replicate were selected and evaluated for carcass traits, meat quality, and digestive tract measurements. Sensory characteristics and cost-benefit analysis were also conducted. The feed intake (FI) was influenced (P<0.05) by the treatments. The breast yield was enhanced (P<0.05) by the birds fed T3. The thigh weight was increased (P<0.05) by the birds fed T3 and T6. The back and heart weights were comparable (P>0.05) among the birds fed T1, T3 and T5 diets. The length of the large intestine was augmented (P<0.05) by the inclusion of FF BSFL above 5% level and DF BSFL from 2.5 to 10%. T3 had the highest sensory attributes and was the most cost-effective diet. In summary, the current study indicates that the inclusion of FF BSFL meal up to 5% into broiler diets did not have any negative impact on the tested parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolic changes in donkey meat during the early postmortem period have not been previously reported. Methods: The LC–MS-based metabolomics technique was conducted to understand the metabolic profiles and identify the key metabolites of donkey meat in the first 48 h postmortem. Results: The pH values showed a decreasing trend followed by an increasing trend. Shear force was the lowest at 4 h and the highest at 24 h (p < 0.05). For the metabolome, some candidate biomarker metabolites were identified, such as adenine, inosine, n-acetylhistidine, citric acid, isocitrate, and malic acid. Predominant metabolic pathways, such as citrate cycle (TCA cycle), alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, and purine metabolism, were affected by aging time. Overabundant n-acetylhistidine was identified in LT, declined at 12 h postmortem aging, and then increased. This may explain the significantly lower pH at 12 h postmortem. Adenine was higher at 4 h postmortem, then declined. Decreased ADP may indicate a fast consumption of ATP and subsequent purine metabolism in donkey meat. Conclusions: The results of this study provided new insights into early postmortem aging of donkey meat quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this experiment was to explore the correlation between meat traits such as backfat thickness, eye muscle area and eye muscle depth and body weight, and to provide a reference for the production and breeding of Pishan Red Sheep. 506 six-month-old Pishan red sheep were selected for the experiment. The meat traits and body weight were measured by portable B-ultrasound. The influencing factors were analyzed by SAS 9.2 and the correlation analysis was carried out by SPSS 25.0 software. The results showed that lambing type, sex, and group had significant or extremely significant effects on backfat thickness, eye muscle depth, and eye muscle area, respectively (P<0.05 or P<0.01). The eye muscle depth of single lamb was extremely higher than that of three lambs (P<0.01), the eye muscle depth of double lamb was extremely higher than that of three lambs (P<0.01), the eye muscle surface of single lamb was extremely higher than that of multiple lambs (P<0.01), the eye muscle depth of double lamb was significantly higher than that of three lambs (P<0.05) and significantly higher than that of four lambs (P<0.05). Sex had an extreme effect on three meat traits index (P<0.01), among which male lambs were higher than female lambs in backfat thickness, eye muscle depth, and eye muscle area. Eye muscle area has the highest correlation with body weight, followed by eye muscle depth and backfat thickness. Eye muscle area has the greatest direct effect on Pishan red sheep, followed by eye muscle depth and eye muscle area. The study indicates that the backfat thickness, eye muscle depth, and eye muscle area of six-month-old lambs were affected by birth type, sex and feeding, and management methods of lambs, and their effects on these traits should be considered in feeding and breeding of six-month-old lambs to improve the accuracy of breeding and genetic evaluation of these traits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this experiment was to investigate the effects of different energy feed on the growth performance, slaughter performance, meat traits, and amino acid and fatty acid content in muscle of Guizhou black goats. Forty-five 6-month-old Guizhou black goats with body weight of (21.12±1.25) kg were randomly divided into three groups, with three replicates in each group and five goats in each replicate. The corn group, barley group, and wheat group were fed with mixed diets with corn, barley, and wheat as main energy feed, respectively. The pre-test period was seven days, and the formal test period was 90 days. The results showed that the average daily gain of barley group was 180.56 g, which was significantly higher than the other two groups (P<0.05), and the slaughter rate of corn group and barley group was significantly higher than that of wheat group (P<0.05). The drip loss, cooked meat rate, and dry matter content of corn group were the highest, while the crude fat content of wheat group was the highest. Sixteen kinds of amino acids, including seven essential amino acids and nine non-essential amino acids, were detected in mutton of each experimental group. The content of non-essential amino acids in barley group and wheat group was significantly higher than that in corn group (P<0.05). A total of 37 fatty acids were detected in each experimental group, including 17 saturated fatty acids, nine monounsaturated fatty acids, and 11 polyunsaturated fatty acids. The content of saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids in wheat group was the highest, and the content of polyunsaturated fatty acids in barley group was significantly higher than that in corn group and wheat group (P<0.05). The study indicates that barley can improve the growth performance, slaughter performance, and the meat quality is relatively good of Guizhou black goats, which can be used as the main energy feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Guizhou white goat is an excellent local goat breed in China, however, it has the disadvantages of smaller individuals, slower growth rate and low feed conversion rate, so, we introduced Boer goat as the male parent and crossed with Guizhou white goat to obtain F3 generation of Boer × White goat hybrid to improve its production performance. To study the effect of PGAM2 gene polymorphisms on the performance of F3 generation hybrid goats, the relationship between PGAM2 gene polymorphisms and slaughter traits, meat quality traits and organ coefficients was determined in 39 F3 generation hybrid goats. The results showed that the slaughtering performance of male goats was better than that of female goats, and there were highly significant (P<0.01) and significant (P<0.05) differences in live weight and carcass weight, respectively. In meat quality, the marbling score of female goats was significantly higher than that of male goats (P<0.01), and the shear force of female goats was significantly lower than that of male goats (P<0.01). Regarding organ coefficients, the large intestine and stomach of male goats was significantly higher than that of female goats (P<0.01), whereas the liver of female goats was significantly higher than that of male goats (P<0.01). Polymorphism analysis of the PGAM2 gene showed that there were polymorphic loci in the 3'UTR (2435A→G), and there were significant (P<0.01) or highly significant (P<0.05) differences in some traits between the GG and AG or AA genotypes. Conclusion: The production performance of male goats is better than that of female goats in F3 generation hybrid goats, and the slaughtering performance of F3 generation hybrid goats was significantly improved compared with that before breeding. The correlation study showed that the slaughter performance of the GG population with the PGAM2 gene was significantly better than that of GA and AA, which could be used as a potential molecular breeding marker for research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of feeding a new hybrid of sorghum (ES Shamal, orange variety) in broiler chickens on growth, health, meat, and litter quality was evaluated from 1–42 d. A total of 360-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks (40.1 ± 2.3 g) were randomly assigned to 3 experimental diets: 100% corn-based diet (S0), partial replacement of corn with 50% sorghum (S50), total replacement of corn with sorghum (S100). All diets were calculated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric with similar content of total lysine, total sulphur amino acids, calcium, and available phosphorous. The results indicated that partial or total replacement of corn by sorghum is suitable for broiler chicken diets with no adverse effects on growth, and slaughter performance, as well as litter quality over the whole trial period. Moreover, the substitution of corn with sorghum, reduced (p = .007) abdominal fat associated with an increase in breast and thigh meat colour (L* values; p

Bibliometric analysis is commonly used to guide decisions regarding research funding and the creation of research policies and provides scientists with helpful information about research trends, patterns, and impact. Thus, researchers can track collaborators in this subject and find prospective scientific alliances. Additionally, researchers can develop new research themes by constantly monitoring the most recent trend study topics in this area. Therefore, we performed a comprehensive bibliometric analysis of 4085 documents scanned in the Web of Science (WoS) database on some major effect genes associated with meat yield traits in livestock between 1981 and 2023. The analysis shows that interest in this topic has recently grown. The fact that numerous scholars participated in the investigations, which major research groups conducted, demonstrates the growth of this field's collaborative working culture. The publication of studies in this field in high-impact journals such as Meat Science, Journal of Animal Science, and Animal Genetics reveals the scientific impact of this field. Keywords used in studies in this field are generally related to investigating the genetic factors affecting livestock's growth, muscle development, and meat quality characteristics. In country-based studies, China and the United States have the most studies in this field. The citation records of articles reveal the significant impact of this field in literature. The scientific community has recently been particularly interested in investigating some major effect genes associated with meat yield traits in livestock. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The influence of feeding a new hybrid of sorghum (ES Shamal, orange variety) in broiler chickens on growth, health, meat, and litter quality was evaluated from 1–42 d. A total of 360-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks (40.1 ± 2.3 g) were randomly assigned to 3 experimental diets: 100% corn-based diet (S0), partial replacement of corn with 50% sorghum (S50), total replacement of corn with sorghum (S100). All diets were calculated to be isonitrogenous and isocaloric with similar content of total lysine, total sulphur amino acids, calcium, and available phosphorous. The results indicated that partial or total replacement of corn by sorghum is suitable for broiler chicken diets with no adverse effects on growth, and slaughter performance, as well as litter quality over the whole trial period. Moreover, the substitution of corn with sorghum, reduced (p =.007) abdominal fat associated with an increase in breast and thigh meat colour (L* values; p <.001). Also, a significant (p =.002) decrease in plasma triglyceride was found in broilers fed sorghum-based diets. Except for collagen and hardness in the breast and thigh, and gumminess only in the thigh muscle, there were no differences in fundamental physicochemical (pH, protein, fat, moisture) or textural attributes of meat due to dietary treatment. However, sorghum alters the intestinal microflora, resulting in a lower count of E. coli in the caeca. It can thus, be concluded that sorghum (ES Shamal, orange variety) can be included in broiler feeds from hatching to day 42, without any adverse effects on the broiler's performance. Climate changes become a threat to the livestock sector and finding novel nutritional solutions for feeding farm animals became a priority. New sorghum varieties are valuable in terms of drought-resistant plants. Replacement of corn with sorghum in broiler diets maintains growth performances and carcase characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Copy number variation (CNV) can be identified using next-generation sequencing and microarray technologies, the research on the analysis of its association with meat traits in livestock breeding has significantly increased in recent years. Hanwoo is an inherent species raised in the Republic of Korea. It is now considered one of the most economically important species and a major food source mainly used for meat (Hanwoo beef). Methods: In this study, CNVs and the relationship between the obtained CNV regions (CNVRs) can be identified in the Hanwoo steer samples (n = 473) using Illumina Hanwoo SNP 50K bead chip and bioinformatic tools, which were used to locate the required data and meat traits were investigated. The PennCNV software was used for the identification of CNVs, followed by the use of the CNV Ruler software for locating the different CNVRs. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis was performed. Results: We found a total of 2,575 autosomal CNVs (933 losses, 1,642 gains) and 416 CNVRs (289 gains, 111 losses, and 16 mixed), which were established with ranged in size from 2,183 bp to 983,333 bp and 10,004 bp to 381,836 bp, respectively. Upon analyzing the restriction of minor alleles frequency > 0.05 for meat traits association, 6 CNVRs in the carcass weight, 2 CNVRs in the marbling score, 3 CNVRs in the backfat thickness, and 2 CNVRs in the longissimus muscle area were related to the meat traits. In addition, we identified an overlap of 347 CNVRs. Moreover, 3 CNVRs were determined to have a gene that affects meat quality. Conclusions: Our results confirmed the relationship between Hanwoo CNVR and meat traits, and the possibility of overlapping candidate genes, annotations, and quantitative trait loci that results depended on to contribute to the greater understanding of CNVs in Hanwoo and its role in genetic variation among cattle livestock.

Background: Metabolic changes in donkey meat during the early postmortem period have not been previously reported. Methods: The LC–MS-based metabolomics technique was conducted to understand the metabolic profiles and identify the key metabolites of donkey meat in the first 48 h postmortem. Results: The pH values showed a decreasing trend followed by an increasing trend. Shear force was the lowest at 4 h and the highest at 24 h (p < 0.05). For the metabolome, some candidate biomarker metabolites were identified, such as adenine, inosine, n-acetylhistidine, citric acid, isocitrate, and malic acid. Predominant metabolic pathways, such as citrate cycle (TCA cycle), alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, and purine metabolism, were affected by aging time. Overabundant n-acetylhistidine was identified in LT, declined at 12 h postmortem aging, and then increased. This may explain the significantly lower pH at 12 h postmortem. Adenine was higher at 4 h postmortem, then declined. Decreased ADP may indicate a fast consumption of ATP and subsequent purine metabolism in donkey meat. Conclusions: The results of this study provided new insights into early postmortem aging of donkey meat quality.

Simple Summary: To screen and identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with geese meat quality traits, we performed genome-wide association study (GWAS) in a population of male Sichuan white geese (a Chinese local breed) at 70 days old to screen the SNPs in the goose genome. Additionally, genotypes of the selected SNPs associated with goose meat were detected using the matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOP MS) method. The results revealed 43 SNPs that showed potentially significant associations with these traits. Additionally, we detected 28 annotated genes as potential candidate genes for the five meat quality traits. The enrichment analysis of genes within a 1Mb vicinity of SNPs showed potentially significant enrichment in the protein digestion and absorption pathway, as well as the Glycolipid metabolism pathway. The findings of this study offer novel genetic markers and candidate genes that can be used for marker-assisted selection of geese, laying the groundwork for understanding the genetic basis of goose meat quality traits and establishing a foundation for comprehending their genetic basis. (1) Background: Goose meat is highly valued for its economic significance and vast market potential due to its desirable qualities, including a rich nutritional profile, tender texture, relatively low-fat content, and high levels of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids. However, there is an urgent need to improve goose breeding by identifying molecular markers associated with meat quality. (2) Methods: We evaluated meat quality traits, such as meat color, shear force (SF), cooking loss rate (CLR), and crude fat content (CFC), in a population of 215 male Sichuan white geese at 70 days of age. A GWAS was performed to identify potential molecular markers associated with goose meat quality. Furthermore, the selected SNPs linked to meat quality traits were genotyped using the MALDI-TOP MS method. (3) Results: A dataset of 2601.19 Gb of WGS data was obtained from 215 individuals, with an average sequencing depth of 10.89×. The GWAS revealed the identification of 43 potentially significant SNP markers associated with meat quality traits in the Sichuan white goose population. Additionally, 28 genes were identified as important candidate genes for meat quality. The gene enrichment analysis indicated a substantial enrichment of genes within a 1Mb vicinity of SNPs in both the protein digestion and absorption pathway and the Glycerolipid metabolism pathway. (4) Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying goose meat quality traits, offering crucial references for molecular breeding in this field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trivalent chromium (Cr) is an essential trace element for humans and animals. This study was conducted to investigate the effects of chromium(III) yeast (CrYst) on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat traits, antioxidant status, immune traits, and serum biochemical parameters of grow-finish pigs. A total of 72 commercial hybrid barrows (Duroc × Landrace × Large White) of approximately 50 kg body weight were allocated into two dietary treatments randomly, which received a corn-soybean meal basal diet or a basal diet supplemented with 100 mg CrYst/kg. The trial duration was 11 weeks divided into three periods from body weights of 50–75 kg, 75–100 kg, and 100–110 kg, respectively. The results revealed that supplemental CrYst did not affect growth performance. Organic CrYst supplementation significantly decreased the backfat depth and increased the meat tenderness score and juiciness score values in pigs (P < 0.05), while other carcass traits and meat traits indexes were unaffected. CrYst addition significantly decreased serum malondialdehyde (MDA) content of pigs in the whole growth phase; significantly increased the serum levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and reduced glutathione (GSH) in growing pigs; and also increased the serum IgG, IgM, and GSH concentrations in pigs during the finishing phase (P < 0.05). Additionally, diets supplemented with CrYst significantly decreased the serum high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) content in growing pigs and significantly increased the serum LDL-C level at the fattening period (P < 0.05), whereas no significant differences were observed for the other serum biochemical indexes compared to the control pigs. In conclusion, CrYst supplementation could reduce lipid peroxidation and backfat thickness and improve the meat tenderness and juiciness, immune traits, and antioxidant status of pigs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to test the hypothesis that a new rye hybrid produced in Romania (Suceveana variety) could not impair the performance and meat quality of broiler chickens. A total of 360-day-old male Ross 308 broiler chicks (40.1±2.3 g) were randomly assigned to 3 dietary treatments replicated 6 times having 20 birds per replicate. Experimental diets were formulated to replace 25 and 50% of corn with rye (RYE 25 and RYE 50, respectively) as energy-yielding sources, whereas the control diet (CON) was 100% corn-based. All diets were formulated to be isocaloric and isonitrogenous, with similar total lysine and total sulfur amino acids. The results indicated similar outcomes of the local rye hybrid to commonly used corn-containing diets in terms of performance and carcasses. There were no differences in fundamental physicochemical (i.e., pH, protein, fat, moisture) or textural attributes of breast muscles due to dietary treatment, as well. However, the substitution of corn with rye reduced (P = 0.008) abdominal fat associated with an increase in CIE color (P< 0.001). Thus, the Suceveana rye hybrid can be included in broiler diets, from hatching to day 42, without any adverse effects on the bird's performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide were developed animal selection programs assisted by molecular markers at many local breeds, targeting biodiversity and intrinsic value preservation. Until now, were considered molecular markers associated with milk (beta-lactoglobulin, caseins) and meat production (calpastatin, miostatin etc.). Another important marker for milk production is prolactin. Previous studies prove that prolactin depletion is associated with milk secretion decrease, making codifying gene for prolactin a candidate gene for milk production variation. Correlation of this marker effect with meat quality parameters was not studied yet. Objective of this study is estimation of prolactin gene polymorphism effect over two traits types (for milk and meat quality) with a view to simultaneous use of both types in selection programs. Using genomic DNA isolated from blood, we evaluate prolactin genetic polymorphism of 50 Transylvanian Merino sheep through PCR-RFLP method. The effect of prl polymorphism over production traits was estimated using animal model. The research results reveal an important effect of prl gene over productive quality traits. The alleles effect is similar between those types; this fact sustain common selection program development in the same population. In conclusion, our study proved that prl gene can be an important marker for selection programs in local sheep breeds.

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(1) Background: Goose meat is highly valued for its economic significance and vast market potential due to its desirable qualities, including a rich nutritional profile, tender texture, relatively low-fat content, and high levels of beneficial unsaturated fatty acids. However, there is an urgent need to improve goose breeding by identifying molecular markers associated with meat quality. (2) Methods: We evaluated meat quality traits, such as meat color, shear force (SF), cooking loss rate (CLR), and crude fat content (CFC), in a population of 215 male Sichuan white geese at 70 days of age. A GWAS was performed to identify potential molecular markers associated with goose meat quality. Furthermore, the selected SNPs linked to meat quality traits were genotyped using the MALDI-TOP MS method. (3) Results: A dataset of 2601.19 Gb of WGS data was obtained from 215 individuals, with an average sequencing depth of 10.89×. The GWAS revealed the identification of 43 potentially significant SNP markers associated with meat quality traits in the Sichuan white goose population. Additionally, 28 genes were identified as important candidate genes for meat quality. The gene enrichment analysis indicated a substantial enrichment of genes within a 1Mb vicinity of SNPs in both the protein digestion and absorption pathway and the Glycerolipid metabolism pathway. (4) Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the genetic and molecular mechanisms underlying goose meat quality traits, offering crucial references for molecular breeding in this field.

The study aim was to identify the effects of the rearing management applied throughout the heifers' life on the carcass (e.g., conformation, marbling, fat) and meat (color, texture, and sensory profiles) properties. From the individual data of 171 heifers from 25 commercial farms, a typology of four rearing managements was established from 50 rearing factors. The managements had an effect on the conformation, the color (fat and muscle), and the rhomboideus grain meat, for the carcass, and the lightness, the atypical flavor, and the overall acceptability for the longissimus (LM) meat. The carcass traits compared to the meat were more sensitive to a change of rearing management. Our results confirmed that it was possible to target the same carcass or meat quality from different managements. Moreover, according to the aims of the targeted carcass and LM meat quality, management 3 could be an interesting trade-off to jointly manage the quality of both products. For example, the carcasses that were produced had a high conformation, smooth meat grain and the LM meat was more liked. This management was intermediate compared to the other rearing managements and had a long fattening period with a diet mainly based on conserved grass and a high concentrate quantity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protein sources in feed have a huge impact on good-quality and -quantity meat traits. Yellow lupin (YL) seeds have a similar level of protein as soybean meal (SBM). The most popular is SBM that is genetically modified (GMO). During this age, the consumer market requires non-GMO products. Yellow lupin used as a high-protein substitute for SBM in feed has an effect on the quality of meat from broiler ducks. The aim of the study was to analyse and compare meat quality traits in breast and leg muscles as well as fatty acid (FA) composition in breast muscles from ducks fed mixtures containing YL as an alternative to SBM. Two hundred 1-day-old Cherry Valley ducks were kept in pens on litter in two equal dietary groups, four replications with 25 birds per group. The control group (1) received balanced feed containing SBM. The treatment group (2) received balanced feed containing YL. The feed provided to both groups contained 55% of concentrate and 45% of wheat. Birds received feed and water ad libitum and were reared for 8 weeks. After that, 16 ducks (eight from each group) of BW close to the mean for the whole group were slaughtered. Plucked and gutted carcasses were analysed in a laboratory for quality parameters. Meat was analysed for pH, colour, water-holding capacity and drip loss. Samples of breast muscles were analysed for the content of cholesterol, collagen, intramuscular fat and FA composition. The proposed feed mixture containing YL had no impact on meat traits, content of muscles or fat in duck carcasses (P > 0.05). The values of lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) and collagen content in breast muscles were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in group 2 (YL). A lower ability to retain water, that is, higher water-holding capacity (percentage of water lost from meat) (P < 0.05), was found for leg muscles from group 2 (YL). The content of C16:0, C18:0, C20:4 n-6, C22:4 n-6, C22:5 n-3, total content of saturated fatty acids (SFA), values of atherogenic index and thrombogenic index were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in group 2 (YL) than in group 1 (SBM). The content of C18:2 n-6 and the polyunsaturated fatty acids-to-SFA ratio (P/S) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in ducks fed the diet with the inclusion of YL. Diets with YL could be proposed as a partial substitute for SBM in duck-rearing.

Background: Qaidam cattle are local breeds that habitats in northwest China. It has many excellent characteristics, such as high cold and roughage tolerance, low oxygen adaptability, and tender meat quality. Copy number variation (CNV) can induce phenotypic changes in animals by a variety of effects, and thus affects the biological functions of the animals. To explore the molecular mechanism of its adaptation to extreme cold weather and muscle fat development, the CNV variations in the genome of three Qaidam cattle were detected by whole-genome sequencing, in this study. Results: A total of 16,743 CNVs and 9498 copy number variable regions (CNVRs) were obtained after the screening, which accounts for 2.18% of the bovine genome. The CNVR length detected ranged from 0.3 KB to 10.77 KB, with a total length of 58.17 MB and an average length of 6.12 KB/CNVR. Through functional enrichment of CNVR related genes, LDHB, and ME1 genes were screened as the key genes for Qaidam cattle to adapt to the cold and low oxygen environments, whereas KIT and FGF18 genes might be related to the coat color and growth. In the CNVR overlapped with QTLs, variation in CAPN1 and CAST genes might be closely related to the tender meat quality of Qaidam cattle. Conclusions: Therefore, this study provides new genetic insights on the environmental adaptability and important economic traits of Qaidam cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To preserve the Europe consumers' health, the use of glucocorticoids as growth promoters is prohibited in cattle fattening. In 2008, the Italian Ministry of Health associated to the official control a national monitoring plan based on the histological thymus analysis to identify animals illegally treated with corticosteroids. However, since corticosteroids are authorized and widely used for therapeutic purposes, it is necessary to verify whether the thymus histological test and some physicochemical traits in meat are able to discriminate doped calves from dexamethasone therapeutic treated ones. The aims of this study were (i) to establish whether the therapeutic and illicit corticosteroid treatments of calves could be differentiated through histological evaluation of thymus and by physicochemical meat traits; (ii) to identify a restricted number of physicochemical traits that could differentiate dexamethasone treated from untreated calves. Three groups of 15 calves each were included in this study: group dexamethasone therapeutic treatment treated with dexamethasone 21-phosphate disodium salt at a therapeutic dose (2 mg/kg of live weight for three consecutive days); group dexamethasone anabolic treatment orally treated with dexamethasone 21-phosphate disodium salt according to a presumed anabolic protocol (0.4 mg/day per animal for 20 days); group placebo control treated with a placebo served as control. Results demonstrated that groups could be easily discriminated by thymus microscopy as well as by two meat markers, namely, cooking loss and shear firmness or Warner-Bratzler shear force. The combination of thymus microscopic features and meat physicochemical traits could be used as a practical, economic and accurate screening strategy to discriminate between meat from illegally and therapeutically treated calves. This new reliable and simple tool could contribute to identify animals treated with dexamethasone in those countries where glucocorticoids are illegally used as growth promoters. More in general, this system could be included in the framework of official controls, and applied to verify suppliers' reliability by the meat industry.

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with Lactuca serriola leaves on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and its antioxidant stability of Japanese quails. A total of eighty growing quails (1-week old) were distributed into 2 equal groups consisting of 40 birds (5 replicates of 8 birds each). The first group was fed a basal diet without Lactuca serriola leaves (0 g.kg-1 diet) and the second group received diets containing 20 g.kg-1 Lactuca serriola leaves. At age of 6 weeks, quails were slaughtered for meat and carcass examinations. The growth performance for the quails fed with Lactuca serriola leaves diet was similar to that of a control group. Carcass measurements, physical properties, and chemical composition of quail breast meat did not differ between the control and experimental group. However, the inclusion of Lactuca serriola leaves significantly increased the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content and improved breast meat lipid stability during postmortem refrigerated storage compared to the control diet. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of Lactuca serriola leaves can improve the performance of Japanese quail enrich its meat with an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, and reduce lipid oxidation during storage.

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of different levels of Hermetia illucens (HI) and Protaetia brevitarsis seulensis (PBS) powder on breast meat of broilers during storage. A total of 400 1‐d‐old Arbor Acres broilers were randomly divided into four treatments; each treatment group included four replicate pens with 25 birds per pen. Broilers were fed basal diets supplemented with 0.5%, and 1% HI powder or 1.5% PBS powder or only basal diets without HI or PBS. Traits such as meat quality, color, and antioxidant effects were evaluated. The different levels of HI and PBS powder did not enhance meat quality and color during storage. On day 0, thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) values were not significantly affected by different levels of HI and PBS (p > 0.05). However, a significant decrease in TBARS values on day 7 was observed with 0.5% HI and 1.5% PBS treatment compared to values obtained with other treatments (p < 0.05). The reduction in TBARS values with 0.5%, and 1% HI or 1.5% PBS treatments on day 7 was 75.4%, 63.1% and 76.9%, respectively. Between the different levels of HI and PBS treatment, no significant differences in 1,1‐diphenyl‐2‐picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging were observed after 7 days of storage. However, addition of HI and PBS powder to broiler diets had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on DPPH radical scavenging in broiler breast meat on day 0. These results indicate that addition of 0.5% HI and 1.5% PBS to broiler diets improves the antioxidant activity of broiler breast meat during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alternative splicing is a ubiquitous regulatory mechanism in gene expression that allows a single gene generating multiple messenger RNAs (mRNAs). Significant differences in fat deposition ability and meat quality traits have been reported between Japanese black cattle (Wagyu) and Chinese Red Steppes, which presented a unique model for analyzing the effects of transcriptional level on marbling fat in livestock. In previous studies, the differentially expressed genes (DGEs) in longissimus dorsi muscle (LDM) samples between Wagyu and other breeds of beef cattle have been reported. In this study, we further investigated the differences in alternative splicing in LDM between Wagyu and Chinese Red Steppes cattle. We identified several alternative splicing types including cassette exon, mutually exclusive exons, alternative 5′ splice site, alternative 3′ splice site, alternative start exon, and intron retention. In total, 115 differentially expressed alternatively spliced genes were obtained, of which 17 genes were enriched in the metabolic pathway. Among the 17 genes, 5 genes, including MCAT, CPT1B, HADHB, SIRT2, and DGAT1, appeared to be the novel spliced candidates that affect the lipid metabolism in cattle. Additionally, another 17 genes were enriched in the Gene Ontology (GO) terms related to muscle development, such as NR4A1, UQCC2, YBX3/CSDA, ITGA7, etc. Overall, altered splicing and expression levels of these novel candidates between Japanese black cattle and Chinese Red Steppes revealed by RNA-seq suggest their potential involvement in the muscle development and fat deposition of beef cattle.

The study aim was to identify the effects of the rearing management applied throughout the heifers’ life on the carcass (e.g., conformation, marbling, fat) and meat (color, texture, and sensory profiles) properties. From the individual data of 171 heifers from 25 commercial farms, a typology of four rearing managements was established from 50 rearing factors. The managements had an effect on the conformation, the color (fat and muscle), and the rhomboideus grain meat, for the carcass, and the lightness, the atypical flavor, and the overall acceptability for the longissimus (LM) meat. The carcass traits compared to the meat were more sensitive to a change of rearing management. Our results confirmed that it was possible to target the same carcass or meat quality from different managements. Moreover, according to the aims of the targeted carcass and LM meat quality, management 3 could be an interesting trade-off to jointly manage the quality of both products. For example, the carcasses that were produced had a high conformation, smooth meat grain and the LM meat was more liked. This management was intermediate compared to the other rearing managements and had a long fattening period with a diet mainly based on conserved grass and a high concentrate quantity.

The present study was aimed to evaluate the effect of dietary supplementation with Lactuca serriola leaves on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and its antioxidant stability of Japanese quails. A total of eighty growing quails (1-week old) were distributed into 2 equal groups consisting of 40 birds (5 replicates of 8 birds each). The first group was fed a basal diet without Lactuca serriola leaves (0 g.kg-1 diet) and the second group received diets containing 20 g.kg-1 Lactuca serriola leaves. At age of 6 weeks, quails were slaughtered for meat and carcass examinations. The growth performance for the quails fed with Lactuca serriola leaves diet was similar to that of a control group. Carcass measurements, physical properties, and chemical composition of quail breast meat did not differ between the control and experimental group. However, the inclusion of Lactuca serriola leaves significantly increased the omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid content and improved breast meat lipid stability during postmortem refrigerated storage compared to the control diet. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of Lactuca serriola leaves can improve the performance of Japanese quail enrich its meat with an omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid, and reduce lipid oxidation during storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the dietary using of cumin as feed supplement on meat quality traits of the broiler chicken. Eight-day old broiler divided into 4 groups, 3 replicates (8 chicks/replicate) each for 45 days. Treatments included; (T1), basal diet without cumin or control, (T2), basal diet with 3 g. cumin. kg-1 of diet, (T3), basal diet with 6 g. cumin. kg-1 of diet, (T4), basal diet with 9 g. cumin. kg-1 of diet. At the end of this experiment after slaughtering all the chicks, samples were taken from breast and thigh meat. Results revealed that cumin supplementation did not significantly (p

This study set out to examine associations among echotextural, physicochemical and sensory attributes of the pectoralis major muscles in 17-week-old organic turkeys (B.U.T. Big-6) varying in the amount of wheat and oat grain in daily feed rations (Group C: complete feed only; Group Exp1: 5–30% of wheat and 0–20% of oat; and Group Exp2: 5–50% of wheat and 0–50% of oat; n = 15 turkeys/group). Digital ultrasonograms of the left pectoral muscle in four different planes (longitudinal-L, transverse-T, and two oblique planes-O1 and O2) were obtained with a 5.0-MHz linear-array transducer just before slaughter. Mean numerical pixel intensity (MPI) and pixel heterogeneity (MPH) of the muscle parenchyma were computed using the ImageProPlus® analytical software. Ten significant correlations between echotextural attributes and various meat characteristics were recorded in Group C, one in Group Exp1, and eight in Group Exp2. When data were pooled for all birds studied, there were twelve significant correlations (p < 0.05); all but one correlation (between MPH and moisture) were for physical and sensory characteristics of meat samples. Computer-assisted analysis is a potential method to determine moisture as well as physical (e.g., coloration) and sensory (e.g., aroma) characteristics of pectoralis major muscles in organic turkeys.

The aim of the present study was to analyse the polymorphism in the JAK2 gene in three beef cattle breeds (Angus, Hereford, and Limousin) in relation to performance traits. A total of 465 individuals were genotyped. The PCR-RFLP method was used to identify a silent mutation in exon 20 (dbSNP ID: rs110298451). Three genotypes (AA, AG, GG) were identified in all the tested breeds, with the A allele being the most frequent. In the Limousin breed, the most favourable traits were recorded for individuals with the AA genotype, i.e. higher birth weight (+ 2.1 kg), average daily gains (+68g) and weight at 210 days (+12.3 kg) compared to individuals with the GG genotype. Different results were obtained for the Hereford breed, where the GG genotype determined the highest birth weight (+1.3 kg), daily gains (+50 g) and body weight at weaning (+ 10.6 kg) in comparison with individuals of the AA genotype. In Angus cows, heterozygotes were characterized by the highest beefing abilities. There was no significant association between the JAK2/e20/RsaI polymorphism and age at first calving. The results obtained in the present study did not indicate whether the analysed JAK2/e20/ RsaI polymorphism could be used in cattle selection. Therefore, it would be reasonable to perform additional association studies on larger numbers of recorded and genotyped animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protein sources in feed have a huge impact on good-quality and -quantity meat traits. Yellow lupin (YL) seeds have a similar level of protein as soybean meal (SBM). The most popular is SBM that is genetically modified (GMO). During this age, the consumer market requires non-GMO products. Yellow lupin used as a high-protein substitute for SBM in feed has an effect on the quality of meat from broiler ducks. The aim of the study was to analyse and compare meat quality traits in breast and leg muscles as well as fatty acid (FA) composition in breast muscles from ducks fed mixtures containing YL as an alternative to SBM. Two hundred 1-day-old Cherry Valley ducks were kept in pens on litter in two equal dietary groups, four replications with 25 birds per group. The control group (1) received balanced feed containing SBM. The treatment group (2) received balanced feed containing YL. The feed provided to both groups contained 55% of concentrate and 45% of wheat. Birds received feed and water ad libitum and were reared for 8 weeks. After that, 16 ducks (eight from each group) of BW close to the mean for the whole group were slaughtered. Plucked and gutted carcasses were analysed in a laboratory for quality parameters. Meat was analysed for pH, colour, water-holding capacity and drip loss. Samples of breast muscles were analysed for the content of cholesterol, collagen, intramuscular fat and FA composition. The proposed feed mixture containing YL had no impact on meat traits, content of muscles or fat in duck carcasses (P > 0.05). The values of lightness (L*) and yellowness (b*) and collagen content in breast muscles were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in group 2 (YL). A lower ability to retain water, that is, higher water-holding capacity (percentage of water lost from meat) (P < 0.05), was found for leg muscles from group 2 (YL). The content of C16:0, C18:0, C20:4 n-6, C22:4 n-6, C22:5 n-3, total content of saturated fatty acids (SFA), values of atherogenic index and thrombogenic index were significantly lower (P < 0.05) in group 2 (YL) than in group 1 (SBM). The content of C18:2 n-6 and the polyunsaturated fatty acids-to-SFA ratio (P/S) were significantly higher (P < 0.05) in ducks fed the diet with the inclusion of YL. Diets with YL could be proposed as a partial substitute for SBM in duck-rearing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study was conducted to evaluate the dietary using of cumin as feed supplement on meat quality traits of the broiler chicken. Eight-day old broiler divided into 4 groups, 3 replicates (8 chicks/replicate) each for 45 days. Treatments included; (T1), basal diet without cumin or control, (T2), basal diet with 3 g. cumin. kg-1 of diet, (T3), basal diet with 6 g. cumin. kg-1 of diet, (T4), basal diet with 9 g. cumin. kg-1 of diet. At the end of this experiment after slaughtering all the chicks, samples were taken from breast and thigh meat. Results revealed that cumin supplementation did not significantly (p<0.01) affect moisture percentages of breast meat and protein percentages of thigh meat. Results also showed that use basal diet with 3 and 6 g.cumin. kg-1 of diet significantly (p<0.01) impact on meat water holding capacity and cooking loss percentages, while different cumin level impact on fat, ash percentages, pH value, TBA, TVB.N values, metmyoglobin, myoglobin value, copper, nickel, zinc, iron, magnesium, phosphorus and calcium concentrations of thigh meat, as well as iron, magnesium, phosphorus, sodium and calcium concentrations of breast meat. Results conclude that using cumin as feed supplement in 3, 6 and 9 g.kg-1 level, improve most chemical and physical traits of meat. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the current study was to assess the carcass traits and meat quality in three different Japanese quail strains. A total of 90 1-day-old Japanese quail chicks of three different strains; 30 of each of white, black, and brown were used. Quails were slaughtered at 10 weeks of age. Carcass traits such as carcass weight and carcass yield were recorded. At 24 h postmortem, breast and leg meat samples were detached, vacuum packaged and stored at − 20 °C until meat quality, nutritional composition, fatty acid and amino acid profile analyses. The results indicate no differences (p > 0.05) in the physicochemical properties of meat among different quail strains. Hot and cold carcass weights were higher (p < 0.05) in brown and black quails. However, brown quails possessed the highest (p < 0.05) slaughter weight and carcass yields than others. Meat physicochemical properties, fatty acids, and mineral content did not differ (p > 0.05) between quail strains. Nonetheless, meat quality differ (p < 0.05) between muscles in quails. Due to high carcass yields, brown quail strain may be preferred for meat production purposes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The main objective of this study was to determine the effects of rapeseed meal (RSM) substitution to soybean meal (SBM) in concentrate at different rates on growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of fat-tailed Barbarine lambs. This experiment focused on 21 male lambs (10 months old) averaging a body weight (BW) of 24.8 + 2.4 kg, assigned to 3 homogeneous groups of 7 lambs each. All lambs received 600 g of oat hay as roughage and 3 types of concentrate: a control concentrate (C) and two experimental concentrates containing RSM that substituted SBM at rates of 50 (RS50) and 75% (RS75). The trial lasted 77 days after which all the lambs were slaughtered at an average body weight of 31.5 kg. Then, samples of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) were collected and conserved for further meat analyses. Results showed that total dry matter and crude protein intakes were similar for all lambs. Lambs reached similar final BW; however, average daily gains (ADG) were affected by the diet being higher for C and RS50 groups than RS75 (P < 0.05). The hot and cold carcass weights and the dressing percentages (real and commercial) were similar for all groups (P > 0.05). The non-carcass components were similar for all groups (P > 0.05). In terms of proportions in the carcass, no difference was recorded for all joints weights except for the tail which was heavier in C and RS50 groups. Diets had no effect on tissue composition, subcutaneous and intermuscular fat. The RS75 lambs had higher pelvic fat compared to other lambs. The incorporation of RSM did not alter meat physico-chemical attributes, color and lipid oxidation. In conclusion, the substitution of SBM by RSM in the concentrate especially at a rate of 50℅ did not alter growth performance and meat quality in Barbarine lambs. • Growth and meat quality of lambs in response to dietary rapeseed meal were studied • The inclusion of rapeseed meal especially 50% did not affect lamb's growth • Meat quality was not affected by dietary rapeseed meal [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The safety of production and the high quality of meat are important aspects of rearing poultry, especially when natural solutions are used. Because of the increasing popularity of duck meat, the aim of the present study was to assess the effect of a diet with an inclusion of zeolite on the growth performance, meat quality, and strength of the bones and jejunum in ducks of different origin, sex, and age at slaughter. The study was conducted on 320 Orvia and Cherry Valley ducks. Birds were allocated to eight groups, according to their sex and origin. Half of the birds received feed with a 4% inclusion of zeolite. Body weight gain, feed intake, and feed conversion ratio per kilogram of gain were calculated. After six or seven weeks, five birds from each group were selected and slaughtered. After dissection, meat quality (pH, water-holding capacity, colour) and the strength of the bones and gut were analysed. The analysis revealed that zeolite was associated with reduced body weight gains and increased feed conversion ratio, but with a higher water-holding capacity of breast muscles in seven-week-old ducks, and with a higher yellowness and water-holding capacity of leg muscles in six-week-old ducks. A positive effect of long-term factors (age, sex, origin) and the interaction with zeolite was found for most of the analysed traits. Findings on the effect of 4% inclusion of zeolite in duck diet were inconclusive. The study implies the need for further research, since zeolite has potential as a natural sanitizing agent and can improve the quality of produced duck meat.

Besides milk yield and fitness, meat performance is important for life efficiency in German Fleckvieh (FL) and German Brown Swiss (BV). So far, data from young bulls are mainly considered for breeding value estimation. The aim of the present study is to investigate to what extent the breeding value estimation can be improved by adding slaughterhouse data of female animals as well as calf marketing data. In addition to the traits net daily gain and the trading class considered in the routine breeding value estimation, genetic parameters for the traits of daily gain (calf) and marketing price (calf price/kg) were estimated for FL and BV. A breeding value estimation with different density of performance information was performed. The trait daily gain (calf) has a medium (FL) or high (BV) heritability and is suitable as an auxiliary trait, due to a medium genetic correlation with the net daily gain. The heritabilities of the marketing price (calf price/kg) are low and the trait is influenced by many factors not previously recorded. Therefore this trait does not meet the requirements for auxiliary traits. In breeding value estimation, the ranking of the animals has hardly changed due to the inclusion of female slaughter data and/or calf marketing data. With addition of new information sources and traits, the reliability of the breeding value estimation only increases by 1.0%. When simulating optimal data, reliability increases by 9.1%. This shows, how important the performance test is in different traits for the meat complex. Further work is required in regard of the completeness of the performance data, eventually financial support for the trait recording is necessary. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Effects of dietary supplementation of verbascoside and lycopene, alone and in combination, on some blood parameters, plasma oxidative status and meat quality traits in intensively reared rabbits were investigated. The test lasted 60 days and was conducted on 200 weaned‐rabbits, divided into four groups of 50 animals each (5 animals each cage × 10 repetitions). The control group (CON) received a fattening feed without any feed supplements, whereas the experimental groups received the following: the first, an integration in 22 g of PLX®23 (Lippia citriodora extract; VB group) per ton of feed; the second, an integration in 100 g of LycoBeads® (Solanum lycopersicum extract; LIC group) per ton of feed; and the third, an integration of both feed supplements in combination at the same doses (LIC+VB group). The dietary supplementation with Lippia citriodora and Solanum lycopersicum resulted in an improvement of the blood lipid profile, oxidative plasma markers, and hepatic and renal activity of treated growing rabbits. Feed additives also produced meat with a lower content in SFA and an increased PUFA content, and inhibited the lipid oxidation improving the oxidative stability of rabbit meat. The dietary supplementation, even reporting no effects on productive parameters and carcass yield, showed an improvement on several blood parameters, as indicator of animal welfare, and on quality and healthy meat markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Quality of pork is important in food industry and in health of the population due to protein and fat structure, which is correlated with genotype and food intake. The aim of this study was to establish the difference between meat quality of Mangalitsa pure breed and Mangalitsa x Duroc hybrids, based on the carcass traits and chemical composition. The main parameters were dry matter, intramuscular fat, crude protein and fatty acids level in muscle tissues (Longissimus dorsis and Psoas major). Our results indicated that Mangalitsa x Duroc hybrids provide better parameters of carcass traits in comparison with Mangalitsa pure breed. Concerning the chemical composition, better values of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), PUFA/SFA ratio (P/S) and n-6/n-3 PUFA were observed in the case of Mangalitsa meat. We also calculated health related lipid indices including hypocholesterolemic/Hypercholesterolemic ratio (h/H), atherogenic index (AI) and thrombogenic index (TI) in order to establish the differences between Mangalitsa and Mangalitsa x Duroc hybrids meat quality. In conclusion, Mangalitsa provide better meat quality, but Mangalitsa x Duroc hybrids could be an alternative way to produce good quality of pork. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of the study was to characterize nucleotide sequence polymorphisms in the bovine PTPRQ gene, to search for their possible effect on the expression of myogenic factor 6 (MYF6; MRF4) and myogenic factor 5 (MYF5) genes in skeletal muscle and on meat production traits. Three novel SNPs were found in intron 35 of the bovine PTPRQ gene: g.200,451A>G, g.200,467T>C, g.200,480C>T (GenBank Acc. No. NW_001494990.2; counted from translation initiation site). These SNPs are placed very closely to each other (within 29 base pairs). The results showed that genotype influenced the expression of MYF6 and MYF5 genes in longissimus dorsi muscle of Limousine bulls both at the transcript and protein levels. Moreover, an association was found between the PTPRQ genotype and carcass traits in Limousine bulls. These findings suggest that bovine PTPRQ gene may contain regulatory sequences for MRF genes located 24 kb downstream. The results also showed that nucleotide sequence polymorphisms in the PTPRQ gene may influence meat production traits in beef cattle, possibly through the regulation of the MRF genes expression.

This study aimed to compare carcass and wholesale beef cut yields of Holstein and Brown Swiss male cattle. The data from Holstein (17) and Brown Swiss (17) cold carcasses were obtained from 34 animals in total slaughtered in a commercial slaughterhouse in Isparta province located in the west Mediterranean region of Turkey. For this purpose, carcasses were fabricated into four primal wholesale carcass bone-in cuts as combined with sub-primal retail cuts. Therefore, cold carcass weights (CCW), killing-out percentages (KO%), forequarter, hindquarter, chuck (combined with brisket), rib (combined with plate), loin (combined with sirloin and flank) and round were recorded in kilograms and as percentages of carcass weight (CW%). There were no significant differences (P>0.05) in CCWs and KO% between breeds. Average CCWs and KO% of each breed were 242.1 and 250 kg and 51.02% and 50.4% for Brown Swiss and Holstein, respectively. There were also no significant differences (P>0.05) in forequarter and hindquarter of breeds. Average weights and CW% of forequarters were 128.4 and 131.9 kg and (53.1% and 52.8%) for Brown Swiss and Holstein, respectively. Similarly hindquarters were 113.7 and 118.1 kg and (46.9% and 47.2%) for Brown Swiss and Holstein, respectively. While there were no significant differences (P>0.05) in other cuts only rib values obtained for Holstein cattle were significantly greater (P<0.05) than those of Brown Swiss cattle. It was observed that there was a tendency for all carcass characteristics of Holstein cattle to be higher than Brown Swiss cattle. However, both cattle could be recommended for beef producers in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Leptin is a hormone synthesized and secreted primarily in adipose cells that help to regulate energy balance. This study examined the associations of single nucleotide polymorphisms in the rabbit leptin gene with growth traits, slaughter traits and physicochemical parameters of New Zealand White (NZW) and Belgian Giant Grey (BGG) crossbreed rabbits. In total, 320 crossbreed animals were genotyped for polymorphisms within exon 2—g.16081633T>C,intron 1_2—g.16081420C>T,and within UTR—g.16079636C>Gfor association analysis. Identified polymorphisms within rabbits leptin gene showed significant differences for dissectible fat percentage in carcass and dissectible fat weight in intermediate part (g.16081633T>C). Moreover, meat traits like protein content (g.16081633T>C; g.16079636C>G), intramuscular fat content (g.16081633T>C; g.16079636C>G, g.16081420C>T), dry matter (g.16081420C>T),ash (g.16081420C>T),water (g.16081420C>T),and cohesiveness (g.16081420C>T, g.16079636C>G) were affected by polymorphisms in leptin gene. We conclude that polymorphism in the rabbit leptin gene influences important carcass and meat traits of NZW × BGG crossbreeds. Therefore, polymorphisms identified in this study may be used in selection as a meat trait markers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Worldwide were developed animal selection programs assisted by molecular markers at many local breeds, targeting biodiversity and intrinsic value preservation. Until now, were considered molecular markers associated with milk (beta-lactoglobulin, caseins) and meat production (calpastatin, miostatin etc.). Another important marker for milk production is prolactin. Previous studies prove that prolactin depletion is associated with milk secretion decrease, making codifying gene for prolactin a candidate gene for milk production variation. Correlation of this marker effect with meat quality parameters was not studied yet. Objective of this study is estimation of prolactin gene polymorphism effect over two traits types (for milk and meat quality) with a view to simultaneous use of both types in selection programs. Using genomic DNA isolated from blood, we evaluate prolactin genetic polymorphism of 50 Transylvanian Merino sheep through PCR-RFLP method. The effect of prl polymorphism over production traits was estimated using animal model. The research results reveal an important effect of prl gene over productive quality traits. The alleles effect is similar between those types; this fact sustain common selection program development in the same population. In conclusion, our study proved that prl gene can be an important marker for selection programs in local sheep breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of the insulin-like growth factor 2 (IGF2) gene polymorphism - a g.292C>T transition in exon 2 on feed uptake and conversion, growth rates, and meat production traits in Polish Holstein-Friesian cattle was investigated. A total of 291 young bulls were genotyped using restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP-BsrI). Animals were slaughtered at the age of 11 or 15 months and carcass traits were examined. At the age of 11 months the association was shown of the CC genotype with higher cold carcass weight, daily gain and meat content (%) in valuable cuts. At 15 months of age the CC genotype bulls showed higher live body weight, whereas those with the CT genotype had more fat in valuable cuts. The TT genotype bulls appeared to consume more feed (dry matter and protein) and used more feed for maintenance and meat production as compared to the CC genotype. The imprinting status of the IGF2 gene was analysed using cDNA sequencing and RFLP-BsrI. In 15-months-old animals and in foetuses older than two months both IGF2 alleles, maternal and paternal, were equally expressed in liver. In a 2-months-old male foetus the IGF2 mRNA was primarily expressed from the paternal allele.

Donkey meat has been recognized as a nutritive food for human consumption in China because of its protein, vitamins, and mineral contents. However, the genetic mechanisms governing muscle growth and meat quality in donkeys are poorly understood, particularly in terms of proteomics. Our study was the first to use data-independent acquisition (DIA)-based quantitative proteomics to investigate differentially abundant proteins (DAPs) in donkey muscles. A total of 111 and 127 proteins in the semitendinosus (ST)/longissimus thoracis (LT) and gluteus maximus (GM)/LT muscles were differentially expressed. The most significant potential pathways in meat quality were the GnRH and MAPK pathways between ST and LT and the fat digestion and absorption and regulation of actin cytoskeleton pathways between GM and LT. Several DAPs were closely related to muscle growth and meat quality. These findings could contribute to an improved understanding of the key proteins and processes involved in muscle growth and meat quality in donkey. • Data-independent acquisition (DIA) method was used to detected DAPs in donkey meat. • Identified the specific proteins involved in donkey muscle growth and meat quality. • Donkey meat quality might involve in fat digestion and absorption and regulation of actin cytoskeleton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the study that determined the impact of level of dietary maize distillers dried grains with solubles (DDGS) inclusion and sex of bird on chicken broiler slaughter yield, carcass tissue composition and breast meat quality, including physical traits and chemical composition. Findings discussed include decrease in live body weight and eviscerated carcass weight, and lowest feed consumption (FC) in 42 day-old chicken broilers with 10 and 15 percent DDGS inclusion.