Abstract
The objective of this research was to investigate the influence of maternal prepartum dietary carbohydrate source on growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of offspring. Angus-based cows were assigned to either a concentrate-based diet or forage-based diet during mid- and late-gestation. A subset of calves was selected for evaluation of progeny performance. Dry matter intake (DMI), body weight (BW), average daily gain (ADG), gain to feed (G:F), and ultrasound measurements (muscle depth, back fat thickness, and intramuscular fat) were assessed during the feeding period. Carcass measurements were recorded, and striploins were collected for Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), trained sensory panel, crude fat determination and fatty acid profile. Maternal dietary treatment did not influence (p > 0.05) offspring BW, DMI, ultrasound measurements, percent moisture, crude fat, WBSF, or consumer sensory responses. The forage treatment tended to have decreased (p = 0.06) 12th rib backfat compared to the concentrate treatment and tended to have lower (p = 0.08) yield grades. The concentrate treatment had increased (p < 0.05) a* and b* values compared to the forage treatment. These data suggest variation in maternal diets applied in this study during mid- and late-gestation has limited influence on progeny performance.
Highlights
Recent advances in fetal programming research indicate that altering maternal nutrition during the fetal stage can result in altered offspring productivity measures, including growth, feed intake, feed efficiency, muscle development, and meat quality [1]
Since the number of mesenchymal stem cells decrease as cattle mature, strategies to increase marbling during early life could be advantageous to improving meat quality
Different regulatory processes control fatty acid synthesis in intramuscular and subcutaneous adipose tissue, indicating that it may be possible to increase marbling without proportional increases in backfat that could negatively impact yield grades [4]
Summary
Recent advances in fetal programming research indicate that altering maternal nutrition during the fetal stage can result in altered offspring productivity measures, including growth, feed intake, feed efficiency, muscle development, and meat quality [1]. Within the first two months of conception in the ruminant, development of adipocytes (fat tissue) and fibroblasts (connective tissue) occur along with development of skeletal muscle cells, all of which are primarily derived from mesenchymal stem cells [2]. Adipogenesis is initiated around the fourth month of gestation, partially overlapping with the second wave of myogenesis [2]. This stage of development represents an opportunity for maternal nutrition to positively or negatively affect stem cell differentiation [2]. The fetal stage may be of key importance to programming carcass quality
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