Correlations between circulating ghrelin concentrations and growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality indices in finishing bulls fed high-concentrate diets

Abstract

Circulating ghrelin concentrations could potentially be used as a predictor of production traits in cattle. This study aimed to clarify the correlations between circulating total ghrelin concentrations and growth performance, carcass traits, meat quality indices in finishing bulls fed high-concentrate diets. Fifty-seven Simmental × Luxi F1 crossbred bulls (approximately 24 month of age, mean body weight ± SD: 514 ± 27 kg) were used for 112-days finishing experiment. Circulating total ghrelin concentrations and relevant indices of growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality were measured during or after finishing trial. The results indicated that the total ghrelin concentrations were positively correlated with dry matter intake (DMI) (r = 0.278, P = 0.046) and were not correlated to other growth indices including initial body weight (BW), final body weight, average daily gain (ADG) and feed efficiency (feed : gain) (P > 0.05). The total ghrelin concentrations were positively correlated with meat-bone ratio (r = 0.269, P = 0.045) and tended to be positively correlated to highrib weight (r = 0.234, P = 0.083). Moreover, total ghrelin concentrations were not correlated to other carcass traits indices such as hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, Longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) area and 12th rib fat thickness (P > 0.05). Total ghrelin concentrations tended to be negatively correlated to the shear force of beef (r = - 0.299, P = 0.064), and were not correlated to other meat quality indices such as moisture, pH, drip loss, cooking loss, meat color conventional chemical composition and fatty acid composition (P > 0.05). In conclusion, circulating total ghrelin concentrations were associated with DMI, meat-bone ratio and beef tenderness in finishing bulls fed high concentrated diet, and it could be used as a potential biomarker for evaluation of animal production traits such as DMI and beef tenderness in finishing bulls fed high concentrate diets.