Beef Cattle In Japan Research Articles

Image analysis traits of multiple muscles and intermuscular/subcutaneous fat influence Japanese Black beef carcass price and genetic parameters.

The purposes of this study were to investigate the relationship between carcass unit price per 1 kg (UP) and multiple muscles and intermuscular fat (IF)/subcutaneous fat of beef carcasses using image analysis of cross-section images for Wagyu beef cattle in Japan, and to estimate their genetic parameters. The carcasses used in this study were 1,807 Japanese Black (Wagyu) cattle (1,216 steers and 591 heifers). An analysis of variance was conducted with UP as the dependent variable and market date, age in months, sex, and image analysis traits (IAT) as fixed effects, and standard partial regression coefficients were calculated for each IAT on UP. Also, the heritability of each IAT that affected UP and genetic correlation among IAT vs carcass grading traits were estimated. Not only IAT related to carcass grading traits, M. trapezius dorsi, M. latissimus dorsi, and IF traits were significant differences in UP (p<0.05). The heritability of IAT associated with UP was estimated at 0.38 to 0.85. The genetic correlations between the area and thickness of M. trapezius dorsi and M. latissimus dorsi vs rib eye area (REA) were estimated to be moderately positive (0.53 to 0.66), while the genetic correlations between the IF area percentage vs carcass weight, REA, and yield score were estimated to be negative (-0.40, -0.56, and -0.34). UP was influenced by various traits, including M. trapezius dorsi, M. latissimus dorsi, and IF traits, as well as image analysis associated with carcass grading traits. Since these IAT associated with UP had hereditary and desirable genetic correlations with carcass grading traits, these traits were also important for genetic improvement.

U.S. Economic Diplomacy towards Japan in Resolving Beef Tariff Barriers

The United States (US) is one of beef exporting countries in Japan. The high level of demand for beef in Japan was followed by a decrease in the volume of US beef from Japan during 2017-2020 period caused by import barriers in the form of tariffs faced by US beef. These tariff barriers arise because the US does not have a trade agreement with Japan. This study aims to discuss the efforts made by the US through negotiating tariff barriers with Japan regarding beef exports. This study uses the concepts of economic diplomacy and trade theory as the basis for research analysis. The research method used in this research is descriptive qualitative with data collection through documentation study. The results of this study indicate that the US effort in negotiating tariff barriers with Japan is to form a bilateral trade agreement, namely the US-Japan Trade Agreement (USJTA) which uses the stages of decision-making in economic diplomacy in its formation. Through this effort, the US successfully lowered its beef import tariffs in Japan and leveled its beef competitive level with the CPTPP member countries. In the formation of the USJTA, various actors are involved, both state and non-state actors. Efforts to negotiate tariff barriers on beef exports by the US and Japan succeeded in increasing US beef exports after the establishment of the USJTA began to be implemented on January 1, 2020.&#x0D; Keywords: economic diplomacy, export, tariff barriers, United States

Association of Herd Size with Stillbirth and Dystocia Rates in Japanese Black Cattle.

Simple SummaryStillbirth and dystocia have a substantial impact on productivity and animal welfare in the beef industry. We previously elucidated risk factors for stillbirth and dystocia in the Japanese Black, the most common breed of beef cattle in Japan and known as Wagyu. Large variations in calving and calving management among different herd sizes were reported for beef cattle worldwide, but no published literature reported on the association between herd size and the stillbirth and dystocia rates in Japanese Black cattle. Here, we examined the effect of herd size on stillbirth and dystocia rates in Japanese Black cows. We found that the stillbirth rate was not associated with herd size, and the effect of herd size on stillbirth was independent of season, parity, and stage. In contrast, large farms had a lower dystocia rate than small and medium-sized farms, and higher dystocia on small farms compared to medium and large farms was found only in pregnancy of normal duration. This knowledge could contribute to designing and implementing an effective calving management system and finally decrease the burden on labor and clinical veterinarians.The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of herd size on stillbirth and dystocia rates; the relationships between herd size, calving season, parity, and gestation length in Japanese Black cattle were also explored. Data were collected for 41,184 calvings from 15,512 animals on 905 farms between 2006 and 2010. In this study, herds were classified into three groups based on size: small (1–10 cows), medium (11–50 cows), and large (≥51 cows). Herd size had an effect on the dystocia rate (p < 0.05) but not the stillbirth rate. Additionally, interactions between herd size and gestation length were associated with the dystocia rate (p < 0.05), and the dystocia rate was the highest in small herds, followed by medium and large herds for cows with a gestation length of 281–300 days, which is considered a pregnancy of normal duration. In summary, in Japanese Black cattle, there were different effects of herd size on the stillbirth rate and dystocia rates, as herd size was associated with the dystocia rate but not with the stillbirth rate.

Prevalence and Characterization of Gentamicin Resistance Genes in Escherichia coli Isolates from Beef Cattle Feces in Japan.

Gentamicin is an important antibiotic for the treatment of opportunistic infections in the clinical field. Gentamicin-resistant bacteria have been detected in livestock animals and can be transmitted to humans through the food supply or direct contact. We have previously revealed that gentamicin-resistant Escherichia coli are distributed at a comparatively high rate from beef cattle in Japan, but few studies have focused on the molecular epidemiology of gentamicin-resistant bacteria. To understand these bacteria, this study examined the prevalence of various gentamicin resistance genes in gentamicin-resistant E. coli isolates from beef cattle feces. Of the 239 gentamicin-resistant E. coli isolates, the presence of the aacC2, aadB, or aac(3)-VIa genes was confirmed in 147, 84, and 8 isolates, respectively. All aac(3)-VIa-harboring isolates had an MIC value of 64μg/mL for gentamicin and exhibited resistance to 11 antibiotic agents. An analysis of the representative aac(3)-VIa-harboring E. coli strain GC1-3-GR-4 revealed that the aac(3)-VIa gene was present on the IncA/C plasmid together with the aadA and blaCMY genes. Furthermore, the upstream region of the aac(3)-VIa gene contained the aadA gene and the class 1 integron-integrase gene (intI1). The aac(3)-VIa gene was detected for the first time in Japan and is expected to be able to transfer between bacteria via the IncA/C plasmid and integron. These results reveal the expansion of the distribution or diversity of gentamicin resistance genes in Japan.

Deriving Economic Values for Female Reproductive Traits in Lifetime Carcass Production of Japanese Black Cows Using Deterministic Profit Function

Improving reproductive efficiency is required to strengthen the production base of high-quality Wagyu beef in Japan. We developed a deterministic profit function (P) for lifetime carcass production of Japanese Black cows to calculate economic values (EVs) for representative female reproductive and carcass traits. The total calving number per cow was expressed using the age at first calving (AFC) and calving interval (CI). Revenues and costs were calculated from calf market price (CaP) and carcass unit price (CUP). A cubic regression equation was developed with CaP as the response variable and calf market weight as the explanatory variable. A multiple linear regression equation was developed with CUP as the response variable and five carcass traits as explanatory variables. EVs were calculated using the first-order partial derivatives of P. The first-order partial derivative of CI was a function of CI with the quadratic term of CI in the denominator. Values of EVs for AFC and CI were negative, suggesting that earlier AFC and shorter CI increase the lifetime profit of Japanese Black cows through producing higher numbers of feeder cattle per cow. However, this might bring benefit to only calf-producing farmers. The results would contribute to achieving sustainable high-quality Wagyu beef production.

A novel accelerometry approach combining information on classified behaviors and quantified physical activity for assessing health status of cattle: a preliminary study

Evaluation of animal behavior provides information on health and well-being in animals. In this preliminary study, we investigated the effectiveness of an accelerometry approach to evaluate changes in health status of cattle by combining physical activity quantified by dynamic body acceleration (DBA) and qualitative behavioral classification data. Although feeding low vitamin A (VA) diets to fattening cattle is a popular technique to enhance marbling of beef in Japan, the effects of VA restriction on behavior of fattening cattle have been unclear. Therefore, the effect of VA restriction on behavioral change in feedlot steers was assessed by the approach as an example of evaluation of the change in health status. Ten Japanese Black fattening steers were divided into VA restricted (RES) and supplemented (SUP) groups (five in each group). The RES steers were fed lower VA diets than SUP from 11 to 20 months of age. The measurements of blood VA concentrations, accelerations and classified behaviors of the steers were conducted at 18 and 24 months of age. An accelerometer was fitted dorsally to each steer and three axial accelerations were measured at 10 Hz. The raw acceleration data was processed to calculate vectorial DBA (VeDBA) per second. Behavior of the steers was recorded for 8.5 h on one day and visually classified per second as lying, standing, walking or feeding. As the results, the blood VA concentration at 18 months of age was lower in RES than SUP (P < 0.05) (53.2 and 95.6 IU/dL, respectively) but the concentration was similar between the groups at 24 months of age. All VA concentrations were over the recommended minimum value and none of the steers showed clinical manifestations of VA deficiency, indicating that VA restriction was controlled as expected. The durations of classified behaviors and the overall mean VeDBA were similar between the groups. However, the VeDBA for walking was higher in RES than SUP at both ages (P < 0.05). The results suggested that animals under VA restriction might slightly alter their gait as a stress response at 18 months of age and a residual of this might be detected even after the increase of blood VA concentration at 24 months of age; small changes in behavior that could not be detectable by visual classification were quantified via accelerometry. In the future, a combination of automatic behavioral classification and quantified physical activity such as DBA will be useful for feedback on animal health and well-being.

Demand for animal‐derived food in selected Asian countries: A system‐wide analysis

AbstractFood consumption patterns in Asia show a trend away from staples toward high protein food derived from animal and dairy products, fruit and vegetables, fats and oils. Such changes in food consumption patterns are due to rising incomes, urbanization, globalization, and modernization of marketing infrastructure. In this article, we analyze the demand for the animal‐derived food group comprising meat (chicken, beef, pork, and mutton), eggs and fish, and derive income and price elasticities in seven Asian countries using the system‐wide approach. Demand homogeneity and Slutsky symmetry properties were tested and found to be compatible with the data. Our findings reveal that animal‐derived food as a group is a necessity (except in Taiwan) and its demand is price inelastic (except in Taiwan and Sri Lanka). The implied unconditional demand elasticities reveal that, in all countries (except beef in Japan and Taiwan), chicken, beef, pork, mutton, eggs and fish (except in Taiwan) are all necessities and the demand for all types of animal‐derived food in all seven countries are mostly price inelastic. The cross‐price elasticity estimates are mostly found to be positive, meaning that there is a higher degree of substitutability between chicken, beef, pork, mutton, eggs, and fish.

Development of a Maillard Reaction–Based Time-Temperature Integrator/indicator (TTI) for Visual Monitoring of Chilled Beef During Long-term Storage and Distribution

Time-temperature integrator/indicator (TTI) is a temperature monitoring tool that visually presents the temperature history of foods to easily and cost-effectively manage the temperature of food products in cold chain system. However, few TTIs exhibit suitable performance under chilled conditions over a long period, such as beyond 100 days, as in the storage and distribution of chilled beef across the world. This study aimed to visualize the temperature history of chilled vacuum-packed beef, during international distribution, using Maillard reaction–based TTIs to record the accumulated temperature under chilled conditions, for more than 100 days. The developed Maillard reaction–based TTI comprised of double-sealed large and small plastic pouches. While the small pouch contained 500 μL D-xylose solution, the large pouch contained 1000 μL glycine solution with disodium hydrogen phosphate solution. Both the solutions were mixed by breaking the small pouch into the large pouch, following which the Maillard reaction started, depending on the ambient temperature. We examined two different combinations of the solution concentrations of TTI that turned brown and yellow at − 0.5 °C after approximately 77 days and 100 days, respectively. The developed TTIs, along with Tasmanian chilled beef, were transported from Australia to Japan through commercial supply chains and stored at a constant temperature of − 0.5 °C. One of the TTIs (TTI-brown) turned pale brown after 77 days which is the current shelf life of Australian chilled beef in Japan. The color of TTI-yellow changed to clear yellow after 150 days, when the chilled beef developed an off-odor, as judged by sensory evaluation. The TTI-brown was functional until day 77 which is the current shelf life of Australian beef in Japan, while the TTI-yellow was functional until day 150 to indicate remaining shelf life of beef. The results collectively indicated the Maillard reaction–based TTIs to realize visualization of temperature history during long-term storage and distribution of chilled beef.

Characterization of lactones in Wagyu (Japanese beef) and imported beef by combining solvent extraction and gas chromatography–mass spectrometry

The lactone content of Wagyu beef and imported beef in Japan was estimated using a combination of solvent extraction and gas chromatography–tandem quadrupole mass spectrometry. This method revealed that the total lactone content was higher in Wagyu than in the imported beef. The most abundant lactone in the Wagyu and imported beef was δ-hexadecalactone, followed by δ-tetradecalactone, δ-dodecalactone, and δ-decalactone. The total lactone content in the Wagyu and imported beef increased approximately twofold or threefold when the extracted fats from the beef were heated. In addition, the raw beef was heated under actual cooking conditions, such as boiling at 80 °C for 2 min and roasting at 180 °C for 30 s, and found with the increased amounts of lactones. The results showed that the cooking processes increased the lactone content in the Wagyu and imported beef, and the change in the lactone content was greater in the roasted beef than in the boiled beef. These results suggest that considerable amounts of lactone precursors remain in the raw beef.

Plasmid Sequences of Four Large Plasmids Carrying Antimicrobial Resistance Genes in Escherichia coli Strains Isolated from Beef Cattle in Japan.

Escherichia coli is a common reservoir for antimicrobial resistance genes that can be easily transformed to possess multidrug resistance through plasmid transfer. To understand multidrug resistance plasmids, we report the plasmid sequences of four large plasmids carrying a number of genes related to antimicrobial resistance that were found in E. coli strains isolated from beef cattle.

Phylogenetic analysis of Ukrainian Bacillus anthracis strains from various sources

Phylogenetic analysis of Ukrainian Bacillus anthracis strains from various sources

Slaughterhouse survey for detection of bovine viral diarrhea infection among beef cattle in Kyushu, Japan.

Bovine viral diarrhea virus (BVDV) footprint has spread across the globe and is responsible for one of the most economically important diseases in cattle. In Japan, some regional surveillance and preventive measures to control bovine viral diarrhea (BVD) have been implemented. However, BVDV infection is poorly understood in cattle industries, and there is no systematic BVD surveillance system and control program. Kyushu is the center for raising beef cattle in Japan. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the BVDV infection using a slaughterhouse survey among beef cattle in Kyushu, Japan. A total of 1,075 blood samples were collected at two regional slaughterhouses in Miyazaki prefecture from December 2015 to June 2016. Antigen ELISA was used for detection of BVDV antigen in blood samples. Two samples showed positive results (2/1,075; 0.18%). BVDV RNA was extracted from positive blood samples; the sequence was determined and analyzed by the neighbor-joining method for construction of the phylogenetic tree. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 5’-UTR revealed that the two positive samples were grouped into the same subtype BVDV-1b in the BVDV-1 genotype, but the infected cattle belonged to two different farms. In conclusion, this is the first study to identify the presence of BVDV in a slaughterhouse survey in Kyushu. These findings suggest that a slaughterhouse survey is a useful tool for developing a surveillance system for monitoring infectious diseases in cattle.

The Actual Situation and Profitability of Cow-calf Operation for Beef in Japan and the Economical Effect of Year-round Grazing for Calves with Dams

The Actual Situation and Profitability of Cow-calf Operation for Beef in Japan and the Economical Effect of Year-round Grazing for Calves with Dams

Effects of Tariff Concessions on Japanese Beef Imports by Product and Source

Withdrawal from the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) could be costly for U.S. beef exports to Japan given existing trade agreements such as the Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement (JAEPA). We estimate the demand for imported beef in Japan by source and product and assess the impact of tariff reductions on exporting countries. Our results suggest JAEPA will result in considerable increases in Australian beef exports to Japan, largely at the expense of the U.S. beef. However, similar tariff reductions for U.S. beef could eliminate these negative effects and even result in a net increase in beef imports from both countries.

Reproductive performance of Japanese Black cattle: Association with herd size, season, and parity in commercial cow-calf operations

The Japanese Black is the most common breed of beef cattle in Japan. However, only limited data are available on the associations of season, parity, and herd size with reproductive performance in Japanese Black cattle. Therefore, the objective of the present study was to determine the associations of these factors with reproductive performance parameters, such as the calving to first service interval (CFSI) and first service conception rate in Japanese Black cattle. Data were collected from 34,763 calvings in 13,186 animals from 826 commercial cow-calf operations in the Miyazaki prefecture, which is located on the south eastern coast of Kyushu, Japan. This region has a temperate climate with warm humid summers and cold winters. All cattle were reared intensively, and the animals were housed in free stalls throughout their lives. The mean number of cows per farm was 18 (range, 1–454). All animals were bred by artificial insemination. Herds were classified into three groups based on size: small (≤10 cows), intermediate (11–50 cows), and large (≥51 cows). The mean (±SD) parity, CFSI, and the first service conception rate were 4.9 ± 2.9, 80.0 ± 46.2 days, and 53.5 ± 49.9%, respectively. Cows that calved in the spring (March to May) and winter (December to February) had the longest CFSI (P < 0.05). The CFSI in first-parity cows was shorter than in cows at parity 7 or higher (P < 0.05). Cows in large herds had an approximately 10 days shorter mean CFSI than those in small herds (P < 0.05). Cows inseminated in the winter or spring had an approximately 5% points lesser first-service conception rate (FSCR) than those inseminated during the summer (June to August) or autumn (September to November; P < 0.05). As parity increased from 1 to 9, FSCR decreased from 60.0% to 43.1% (P < 0.05). Cows in small herds had a lesser FSCR than those in intermediate and large herds (P < 0.05). In summary, decreased reproductive performance in intensively reared Japanese Black cattle was associated with calving and artificial insemination during the winter and spring, greater parity, and small herd size.

Allele Frequency Distribution in &amp;lt;i&amp;gt;PNLIP&amp;lt;/i&amp;gt; Promoter SNP Is Different between High-Marbled and Low-Marbled Japanese Black Beef Cattle

Marbling defined by the amount and distribution of intramuscular fat is regarded as an economically important trait of beef cattle in Japan. The pancreatic lipase gene (PNLIP) is located within the genomic region of a bovine marbling quantitative trait locus. The rat homologue of PNLIP has been previously shown to be regarded as a possible candidate for the gene responsible for intramuscular fat content. These findings suggested that PNLIP was a positional and functional candidate for the marbling gene. In this study, we detected a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP), g.37288470A > G, at 1917 bp upstream of the PNLIP transcription initiation site between Holstein steers and somatic nuclear-derived cloned steers from a Japanese Black sire with a very high estimated breeding value for marbling by sequencing analysis. Further, we found statistically significant difference in the allelic distribution of the SNP between 17 Japanese Black unrelated sires with extremely high predicted breeding values for marbling and 17 sires with extremely low ones (P = 0.0332). Our findings suggest that g.37288470A > G SNP in the promoter region of PNLIP might be associated with marbling by altering its gene expression, and be useful for effective marker-assisted selection to increase the levels of marbling in Japanese Black beef cattle.

Association of the Expression Level of the MYBPC1 Gene in Skeletal Muscle With Marbling Trait in Japanese Black Beef Cattle

Abstract Marbling characterized by the amount and distribution of intramuscular fat (IMF) in longissimus muscle (LM) and measured as beef marbling score (BMS), is an economically important trait of beef cattle in Japan. The myosin binding protein C, slow type (MYBPC1) gene, involved in efficient energy metabolism and homeostasis during muscle contraction in slow skeletal muscle, has been previously shown to be expressed at different levels in the LM between high-marbled and lowmarbled steer groups using differential-display PCR (ddPCR). In this study, we found that IMF area (%) in the sacrococcygeus muscle (SM) was positively correlated with BMS in the LM in Japanese Black steers (n=22, r=0.941, P&lt;0.0001). This suggested that the IMF area (%) in the SM tends to equate marbling level in the LM. Furthermore, we showed that the MYBPC1 expression level in SM was significantly higher in the Japanese Black steers (n=5) with high BMS than in the Japanese Black steers (n=5) with low BMS (P&lt;0.001). Moreover, correlation analyses showed that the expression level of the MYBPC1 gene was positively correlated with IMF area (%) (n=22, r=0.858, P&lt;0.0001) and BMS (n=22, r=0.769, P&lt;0.0001), indicating the association of MYBPC1 expression level with marbling trait. These results, together with the previous ddPCR result, suggested that high level of MYBPC1 expression may be associated with the development of marbling in Japanese Black beef cattle.

Identification of O Serotypes, Genotypes, and Virulotypes of Shiga Toxin-Producing Escherichia coli Isolates, Including Non-O157 from Beef Cattle in Japan

Bovines are recognized as an important reservoir of Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC). Although STEC strains are significant foodborne pathogens, not all of the STEC held by cattle are pathogenic, and which type of STEC that will become epidemic in humans is unpredictable. Information about the prevalence of serotype and virulence gene distribution in beef cattle is insufficient to develop monitoring and controlling activities for a food safety and security program. Thus, this study investigated the prevalence of O157 and non-O157 STEC in Japanese beef cattle and characterized the isolates by the type of O antigen and several virulence markers to help predict the pathogenicity. In this study, 64.2% (176 of 274) of enrichment cultures of fecal samples collected from an abattoir and farms were stx1 and/or stx2 positive by PCR. STEC strains were isolated from 22.1% (39 of 176) of the positive fecal samples, and these isolates represented 17 types of O antigen (O1, O2 or O50, O5, O8, O55, O84, O91, O109, O113, O136, O150, O156, O157, O163, O168, O174, and O177). Two selective media targeting major STEC groups, cefixime-tellurite sorbitol MacConkey agar and CHROMagar O26/O157, allowed isolation of a variety of STEC strains. The most frequently isolated STEC was O113 (8 of 39), which has previously been reported as a cause of foodborne infections. Although most of the O113 STEC isolated from infected patients possessed the enterohemolysin (hlyA) gene, none of the O113 STEC cattle isolates possessed the hlyA gene. The second most common isolate was O157 (6 of 39), and all these isolates contained common virulence factors, including eae, tir, lpf1, lpf2, and hlyA. This study shows the prevalence of O157 and non-O157 STEC in Japanese beef cattle and the relationship of O antigen and virulotypes of the isolates. This information may improve identification of the source of infection, developing surveillance programs or the current understanding of virulence factors of STEC infections.

Seroprevalence of Toxoplasma gondii infection in cattle, horses, pigs and chickens in Japan

The presence of antibodies to Toxoplasma gondii in livestock and poultry was investigated by latex agglutination tests; samples that agglutinated at dilutions of 1:64 or higher were regarded as positive. Sera were collected from fattening beef cattle (102 Japanese black, 105 crossbreeds and 114 castrated Holstein), culled dairy cattle (101 Holstein), 100 horses, 115 fattening pigs and 235 chickens (163 free-range and 72 broilers) at abattoirs in Gifu Prefecture, Japan, from August 2012 to August 2013. Antibodies to T. gondii were found in 7.3% (31/422) in cattle, 5.2% (8/155) in pigs, but not in horses or chickens. These results suggest that toxoplasmosis may be transmitted to humans via consumption of T. gondii-infected raw beef in Japan.

Characterization of multi-antibiotic-resistant Escherichia coli Isolated from beef cattle in Japan.

The emergence of multiple-antibiotic-resistance bacteria is increasing, which is a particular concern on livestock farms. We previously isolated 1,347 antimicrobial-resistant (AMR) Escherichia coli strains from the feces of beef cattle on 14 Japanese farms. In the present study, the genetic backgrounds and phylogenetic relationships of 45 AMR isolates were characterized by the chromosome phylotype, AMR phenotype, AMR genotype, and plasmid type. These isolates were classified into five chromosome phylotypes, which were closely linked to the farms from which they were isolated, suggesting that each farm had its own E. coli phylotype. AMR phenotype and plasmid type analyses yielded 8 and 14 types, all of which were associated with the chromosomal phylotype and, thus, to the original farms. AMR genotype analysis revealed more variety, with 16 types, indicating both inter- and intra-farm diversity. Different phylotype isolates from the same farm shared highly similar plasmid types, which indicated that plasmids with AMR genes could be transferred between phylotypes, thereby generating multi-antibiotic-resistant microorganisms. This ecological study demonstrated that the chromosome phylotype was strongly correlated with the farm from which they were isolated, while the AMR phenotype, genotype, and plasmid type were generally correlated with the chromosome phylotype and farm source.