Cattle Liver Research Articles

Fasciolosis Prevalence in Sacrificial Cattle of West Sumatra, Indonesia

Fasciola is a species of the trematode genus that can cause devastating parasitic disease, namely fasciolosis. Fasciola spp. infestation can affect ruminants, such as cows, buffaloes, goats, and sheep, resulting in economic losses to livestock owners. Ruminants are the definitive host for the Fasiola species. This cross-sectional research was conducted on Eid al-Adha/Qurban in July 2022 to determine the prevalence of fasciolosis in sacrificial cattle in Fifty Cities District, West Sumatra, Indonesia. A total of 106 samples of sacrificial cattle liver from the abattoir were investigated. Examination of the liver for the presence of Fasciola spp. was carried out by postmortem examination by removing the liver from the abdominal cavity immediately after slaughter. The livers of all sacrificial cattle were examined by systematic inspection, palpation, and incision for Fasciola spp. infestation. Necropsy results of samples indicated the prevalence of Fasciola spp. (36.79%), which was higher in female animals, compared to males. Based on age, the highest prevalence was at the age of > 4 years, (52.95%), followed by 2 years (39.62%) and 3 years (25.00%). Regarding the cattle breed, the highest prevalences were indicated in Pesisir cattle (47.61%), Simmental cattle (44.44%), Bali cattle (37.28%), Ongole cattle (20%), and Limousine cattle (14.28%). This study revealed that fasciolosis in sacrificial animals in Fifty Cities, West Sumatra, was influenced by gender. Therefore, the findings of this study suggest improving treatment protocol for the prevention of fasciolosis in sacrificial animals.

Isotopic internal standard correction for the determination of diludine residue in animal-derived matrix samples using enhanced matrix removal-lipid clean-up combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry

A robust method has been established for the successfully determination of diludine (DHP) levels in animal-derived matrix samples, utilizing enhanced matrix removal-lipid clean-up (EMR-lipid) combined with ultra-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (UPLC–MS/MS). DHP-13C4 was employed as an isotopically labeled internal standard to estimate the recovery, matrix effect, and process efficiency. The water-acetonitrile mixture was utilized to extract the edible tissues (muscle, fat, kidney, and liver) of cattle and chicken, while the salting out method was employed for extracting egg and milk. The extracts were then mixed with water and acetonitrile to a constant volume, and subjected to clean-up via cartridge. Subsequently, the analytes were transferred onto a reversed-phase C18 analytical column and quantified by triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry in multiple-reaction monitoring mode. Quantification was accomplished using a solvent calibration curve in conjunction with an internal standard method. The proposed method showed good linearity in the range of 0.5–50 ng mL−1 (R2 ≥ 0.999), high sensitivity (the limit of detection was 2.5 μg kg−1, and the limit of quantification was 5 μg kg−1), a high spiked recovery rate (between 82.6% and 109.4%), and repeatability (the relative deviation within the batch and the relative deviation between batches were ≤ 7.5%).

Preliminary Estimation of Nutritional Quality of the Meat, Liver, and Fat of the Indigenous Yakutian Cattle Based on Their Fatty Acid Profiles.

The Yakutian cattle is an indigenous Siberian cattle breed living in an extremely cold climate in some parts of Yakutia. There are only a few thousand animals of this breed, and the conservation of the Yakutian cattle is embedded in the international agenda. We studied the fatty acid profiles in the meat, liver, and fat of the Yakutian cattle (five individuals) of different ages and their main food resource-pasture plants. The fatty acid profile of the tissues of the Yakutian cattle differed from that of pasture plants: 16:0, 18:2n-6, and 18:3n-3 dominated in the pasture plants; 16:0, 18:0, 18:1n-9, 18:2n-6, 20:4n-6, 20:5n-3, and 22:5n-3 dominated in the meat and liver; and 16:0, 18:0, and 18:1n-9 dominated in the fat. The fatty acid composition of food products is related to the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD). The meat and liver of the Yakutian cattle are health food products that contribute to decreasing the risk of developing CVD because of their rather high content of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic fatty acids, optimal n-6/n-3 and polyunsaturated fatty acids/saturated fatty acids ratios, low values of indexes of atherogenicity and thrombogenicity, and high values of hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic and health-promoting indexes. The results of the present study support the importance of preserving this valuable cattle breed. Actions should be taken to increase their population while retaining their contemporary housing and feeding conditions.

Effect of the combined use of monensin with virginiamycin or bacitracin on beef cattle performance, liver gluconeogenesis, lipid metabolism and intramuscular fat content

The objective was to evaluate the combined use of monensin with virginiamycin or zinc bacitracin on performance, serum D-lactate, feeding behavior, carcass traits, and the expression of gluconeogenic and lipogenic genes over time in feedlot young bulls. Nellore × Angus (F1) young bulls (n = 72; BW 368 ± 16.3 kg) were used in a completely randomized design. Animals were stratified by BW and allotted into 18 pens with 4 animals each. Pens (6 pens per treatment) were randomly assigned to the following treatments: monensin (MON), monensin + zinc bacitracin (MONZB) and monensin + virginiamycin (MONVM). The doses of monensin, zinc bacitracin and virginiamycin were 18.9, 6.62 and 18.9 mg/kg DM of the diet, respectively. The diet consisted of 85% corn-based concentrate and 15% corn silage. The finishing phase was 109 days with the first 27 days for diet adaptation and the remaining 82 days for the finishing diet. Treatment additives did not affect body weight (BW), overall average daily gain (ADG), dry matter intake (DMI) or gain:feed (P ≥ 0.13). Animals fed MONVM had lesser (P = 0.03) intramuscular fat than those fed MON and MONZB. Serum D-lactate concentration was greater (P = 0.05) in MONVM animals than in MON and MONZB animals. In the liver, MONVM animals upregulated (P < 0.03) Pyruvate carboxylase (PC) and Lactate dehydrogenase A (LDHA) expression compared with MON and MONZB. The expression of Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARG) in LT tended to be decreased (P = 0.07) in MONVM animals than in MONZB. Animals fed MONVM downregulated (P = 0.03) Acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha (ACACA) expression compared with those fed MON. In conclusion, these additives affect growth performance in different times during feedlot phase. The combined use of monensin and virginiamycin reduce lipogenesis and increase lipid oxidation, triggering lesser IMF deposition compared to monensin alone or combined with bacitracin.

The Effect of MSTN Mutation on Bile Acid Metabolism and Lipid Metabolism in Cattle.

Myostatin (MSTN) is a negative regulator of skeletal muscle genesis during development. MSTN mutation leads to increased lean meat production and reduced fat deposition in livestock. However, the mechanism by which MSTN promotes myogenesis by regulating metabolism is not clear. In this study, we compared the metabolomics of the livers of wild-type (WT) and MSTN mutation cattle (MT), and found changes in the content and proportion of fatty acids and bile acids in MT cattle. The differential metabolites were enriched in sterol synthesis and primary bile acid synthesis. We further analyzed the expression of genes involved in the regulation of lipid and bile acid metabolism, and found that the loss of MSTN may alter lipid synthesis and bile acid metabolism. This study provides new basic data for MSTN mutations in beef cattle breeding.

A common presentation of uncommon disease - Biliary Fasciola Hepatica.

Hepatobiliary fascioliasis is one of the rare but important parasitic infection in endemic areas such as Pakistan. Clinical manifestations overlap with common clinical conditions such as hepatitis and biliary stones causing common bile duct obstruction. Fascioliasis is a zoonotic infection caused by a leaf-shaped organism known as Fasciola Hepatica. Humans are accidentally infected by consuming contaminated water or food, especially undercooked cattle and sheep liver or raw green vegetables. We report three cases with similar clinical manifestations presenting in two different cities in Pakistan. After detailed clinical evaluation and laboratory investigations, the diagnosis was established by abdominal ultrasound and diagnostic and therapeutic cholangiography. Patients were followed till complete resolution of their symptoms and normalisation of liver function tests.

Not all dung beetles feed on dung: Scarabaeinae (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae) attracted to different carrion types in contrasting habitats at Brazilian Amazon

AbstractBy understanding how assemblages segregate according to food types, it is possible to depict and understand species distribution and exploitation of similar food resources. Although it is well known that dung beetles may feed on carrion, but the attractiveness of different carrion types for these beetles is still poorly understood. In this study, we compared the dung beetle (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae: Scarabaeinae) diversity attracted to two carrion types in different habitats in an Amazonian landscape. Dung beetles were captured by using pitfall traps baited with decaying cattle beef and cattle liver in native forest, peach palm plantation, teak plantation and exotic pasture. Overall, we captured 582 dung beetles of 43 species, where Canthidium aff. lentum was classified as a specialist of cattle beef, Deltochilum sp. One was considered specialist of liver carrion, 11 were considered generalists and for the 30 remaining species, it was not possible to determine their carrion preference due to the low number. Abundance, but not species richness, was affected by carrion type, and a higher number of beetles was recorded in beef‐baited traps compared to liver‐baited traps. According to functional groups, endocoprid beetles were more abundant in traps baited with decaying beef, while paracoprid and telecoprid beetles did not show preference for any carrion type. This study suggests a novel scenario of intra‐resource segregation, where species vary their preferences depending to the part of the dead corpse being exploited. The amount of food resource, the maintenance of stable populations and trophic preference mediated by chemical cues are some mechanisms that may explain the segregation of dung beetles among carrion types.

Development and application of a new liver pathology recording system for use in cattle abattoirs

Liver disease in beef cattle has a significant global economic impact on feedlot and abattoir industries due to reduced animal performance, carcase yield, and carcase quality. This study aimed to create a post-mortem data collection tool which could be deployed at chain speed on an abattoir floor, as well as to evaluate pathological findings in both normal and condemned livers from an Australian beef cattle population. The first 1006 livers were used to formulate a user-friendly, high-throughput liver grading tool for use in an abattoir setting and to evaluate the histological features of common liver abnormalities. Subsequently, over 11,000 livers from a Southeast Queensland abattoir were analyzed. The most observed defects in condemned livers were liver abscessation, fibrosis, adhesions, and liver fluke, with histological features similar to previous reports. Bacterial culture was performed in 29 cases of liver abscessation, revealing a different balance of flora to that reported internationally. This study has developed an easy to use, efficient data collection tool that enables rapid, highly detailed assessment of large numbers of beef cattle livers at slaughter. This tool will allow thorough investigation into the effect of liver disease on beef production, in both industry and research contexts.

Prevalence of Some Infections in Liver and Lung of Slaughtered Ruminants in Koya Abattoir, Erbil, Iraq

This study was conducted at the slaughterhouses of Koya / Erbil governorate from (January to December 2013) on 15919 slaughtered ruminants to investigate hydatid cysts, necrosis, fascioliasis, pneumonia, and its frequency. The results showed height significant differences (P&lt;0.01) between different months and between different infections in both sheep and cattle liver, while the differences were insignificant in goats, whereas the differences were significant regarding lung infections in sheep, goats and cattle. The highest percentage of liver hydatid cyst was recorded in sheep especially in February (6.54%) followed by cattle in March (2.17%) and goat in September (0.22%). The highest percentage of liver necrosis was recorded in sheep especially in October (3.43%) followed by cattle in June (1.46%) and goat in July (0.26%). The highest percentage of liver fascioliasis was record in cattle especially in June (2.30%) followed by sheep in March (0.98%) but the goat had no infection throughout the year. The highest percentage of lung hydatid cyst was record in sheep followed by cattle especially in November (17.54 and 10.17%) respectively, followed by goat in September (0.22%). These records was continue for pneumonia, as highest percentage was recorded in sheep then cattle in October (19.71 and 10.22%) followed by goat in February (2.38%).

Transcriptome Profiling of the Liver in Nellore Cattle Phenotypically Divergent for RFI in Two Genetic Groups.

The identification and selection of genetically superior animals for residual feed intake (RFI) could enhance productivity and minimize environmental impacts. The aim of this study was to use RNA-seq data to identify the differentially expressed genes (DEGs), known non-coding RNAs (ncRNAs), specific biomarkers and enriched biological processes associated with RFI of the liver in Nellore cattle in two genetic groups. In genetic group 1 (G1), 24 extreme RFI animals (12 low RFI (LRFI) versus 12 high RFI (HRFI)) were selected from a population of 60 Nellore bulls. The RNA-seq of the samples from their liver tissues was performed using an Illumina HiSeq 2000. In genetic group 2 (G2), 20 samples of liver tissue of Nellore bulls divergent for RFI (LRFI, n = 10 versus HRFI, n = 10) were selected from 83 animals. The raw data of the G2 were chosen from the ENA repository. A total of 1811 DEGs were found for the G1 and 2054 for the G2 (p-value ≤ 0.05). We detected 88 common genes in both genetic groups, of which 33 were involved in the immune response and in blocking oxidative stress. In addition, seven (B2M, ADSS, SNX2, TUBA4A, ARHGAP18, MECR, and ABCF3) possible gene biomarkers were identified through a receiver operating characteristic analysis (ROC) considering an AUC > 0.70. The B2M gene was overexpressed in the LRFI group. This gene regulates the lipid metabolism protein turnover and inhibits cell death. We also found non-coding RNAs in both groups. MIR25 was up-regulated and SNORD16 was down-regulated in the LRFI for G1. For G2, up-regulated RNase_MRP and SCARNA10 were found. We highlight MIR25 as being able to act by blocking cytotoxicity and oxidative stress and RMRP as a blocker of mitochondrial damage. The biological pathways associated with RFI of the liver in Nellore cattle in the two genetic groups were for energy metabolism, protein turnover, redox homeostasis and the immune response. The common transcripts, biomarkers and metabolic pathways found in the two genetic groups make this unprecedented work even more relevant, since the results are valid for different herds raised in different ways. The results reinforce the biological importance of these known processes but also reveal new insights into the complexity of the liver tissue transcriptome of Nellore cattle.

New approaches to laboratory diagnosis of liver condition in cattle

Relevance . Today the scientific community all around the world is showing significant interest to the study of endogenous intoxication syndrome in the body. The article presents the results of assessing the level of endogenous intoxication in diseases of the liver of cattle by the concentration of molecules of medium mass in the blood serum. Methods . Two groups of cows were formed, 50 animals each: 1 — healthy livestock; 2 — with liver pathology. The state of the liver in cows was assessed by the clinical status, the boundaries of the liver and its sensitivity, biochemical blood tests and ultrasound diagnostics of the hepatobiliary system. The level of endogenous intoxication in cows was studied using two MMM fractions at wavelengths = 254 nm (MMM 254) and = 280 nm (MMM 280). Results . The highest values of markers of endotoxicosis in the blood were observed in cows with hepatitis. Thus, a significant difference in MMM 254 (toxic fraction) with healthy animals in this subgroup was 1.8 times, changes in the MMM 280 fraction (fraction containing aromatic amino acids) were less pronounced — there wasan increase of 25.4%. The level of MMM 280 in the blood of cows with hepatosis did not significantly change in relation to the data of healthy livestock, at the trend level, an increase of 10.1% was observed. The level of MMM 254 at the same time significantly increased by 1.5 times. The calculation of IR 280/254 in cows with hepatopathology revealed a decrease in the index with maximum changes in animals with hepatitis; relative to healthy livestock, there was a difference of 30.4% (hepatitis) and 25.3% (hepatosis).

The Comparison of Essential Metals (Fe, Mg, Ca, Zn, Cu, and Mn) in Bali Cattle and Goat Liver

The Comparison of Essential Metals (Fe, Mg, Ca, Zn, Cu, and Mn) in Bali Cattle and Goat Liver

Investigating the Diagnostic Utility of Cola acuminata Extract as an Alternative Histological Cytoplasmic Stain

Background: Stains are essential artefacts which aid visualisation and evaluation of histological specimens. However, the use of synthetic dyes for diagnostic purpose has become a major concern a threat to sustainable development owing to the associated toxicity, environmental pollution and potential risk to human health. Several studies have investigated the application of naturally occurring pigments in plants use of natural dyes for clinical and diagnostics purposed. The study investigated the application of naturally occurring pigments of Cola acuminata extract for clinical and diagnostics purpose; specifically, as a histological cytoplasmic stain. Methods: Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue sections from cattle heart, liver and spleen were stained by varying concentrations of Cola acuminata nuts extracts, with different extractants including absolute methanol, ethanol and distilled water at different times. Tissue sections stained with dye extracts produced a spectrum of greyish to golden brown cytoplasmic colouration. Results: Cola acuminata dye extracts produced relatively varying staining intensities of golden-brownish cytoplasmic colouration applied on liver, spleen and heart tissue sections cattle tissue with different extractants, at different concentrations and staining times, comparable to eosin, and with blue purple heamatoxylin nuclear stain. Methanolic dye extract (60% w/v) of Cola acuminata at an acidic pH, applied for 15min at room temperature, yielded the best staining result. Conclusion: Cola acuminata nut dye extract is a potential substitute for cytoplasmic synthetic dye utility in histological staining techniques. Further research needed to reinforce and validate its applicability in a wide range of pathological specimens.

Gross and histopathological changes in liver and lung of cattle and sheep infected with hydatid cyst

The present study was conducted in the Al-Najaf slaughterhouse, during the period from November 2020 to March 2021, were collected 200 specimens of infected liver and lungs of sheep and cattle. The objective of the study is to investigate the number of hydatid cyst infections in cattle and sheep to investigate the macroscopic and microscopic characteristics, number and size of cysts in each lung and liver, comparison between the thickness of cysts wall in the liver of sheep and cattle infested with echinococcosis. The results of the macroscopic study showed the total number of cysts found in the liver of slaughtered sheep was 673 in different size groups while in the lung of slaughtered sheep, the total number of cysts was 216 cysts in different size groups. The examination of the lung of infected cattle during the period of our study revered no cystic lesions in the study while the total number of cysts found in the liver of slaughtered cattle was 158 in different group sizes, almost 50 % of the size of the hydatid cyst in the sheep liver is between 1-3 cm, while in cattle is between 3-5 cm. The microscopic investigation of the liver and lung specimens stained with hematoxylin and eosin stain and another stain was used in this study to evaluate the fibrous tissue proliferation via Masson's trichrome stain. showed there were features of chronic inflammation in hepatic tissue of infested sheep and cattle by cystic echinococcosis represented by marginal fibrous tissue layer surrounding the hydatid cyst, infiltration of mononuclear cells, eosinophils, neutrophils, macrophages, and fibrocytes. The main conclusions of the study revealed that there were significant differences between the thickness of germinativum, laminated and adventitial layers of hydatid cysts in different size groups, and no hydatid cysts were recognized in the lung of slaughtered cattle during the study period.

Fasciola Hepatıca İle Doğal Enfekte Sığırlarda Koagulasyon Profilleri

Özet: Dünya gelinde yaygın olarak görülen Fasciola hepatica, koyun ve sığır başta olmak üzere bir çok hayvaın karaciğerini etkileyen ve zoonotik trematodtur. Bu çalışmada Fasciola hepatica tespit edilen sığırlarda koagülasyon profilinde meydana gelebilecek değişimlerin belirlenmesi amaçlanmıştır. Araştırmanın materyalini çiftliklerdeki 282 adet sığır oluşturdu. çalışma kapsamında , bu sığırların klinik ve labratuvar sonuçlarına göre; 20 tanesi hastalıklı gruba, 20 sığır ise sağlıklı gruba dahil edildi. Araştırma yapılacak hayvanların genel klinik muayenesi yapıldıktan sonra dışkı ve kan örnekleri alındı. Bu hayvanlardan alınan gaita numuneleri Fasciola spp. yumurtalarının belirlenmesine yönelik olarak, sedimentasyon-çinko sülfat flotasyon metodu kullanıldı. Ayrıca ELISA yöntemi ile serum örneklerinden Fasciola hepatica antikorları ile araştırıldı. Na-sitrat’lı tüplere alınan kan örneklerinden koagulasyon profilleri incelendi. Yapılan koagülasyon analizi sonucunda pozitif örneklerin parsiyel tromboplastin zamanı (aPTT), protrombin zamanı (PT) ve International Normalized Ratio (INR) 'de uzama meydana getirdiği tespit edildi. Sonuç olarak, kronik fasiolozisin sığırlarda hematolojik ve hemostatik parametrelerde önemli değişikliklere neden olabileceği kanısına varılmıştır.

The Prevalence and Economic Importance of Hydatidosis in Slaughtered Cattle in the Afyonkarahisar Province of Türkiye

This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hydatid cysts, an infection caused by Echinococcus granulosus, in cattle and estimate the economic losses caused by this infection. The material of the study (weight values of 2,813 cattle livers) was obtained from a private slaughterhouse in Afyonkarahisar between January and June 2018. Cattle livers were first weighed as a whole. As a result of the macroscopic examination, the liver parts with infection were cut, and their weight (kg) was determined. Hydatid cysts were found in a total of 614 (21.83%) cattle livers. The total weight of cattle liver that was examined in the study was 20,357.8 kg, and the total weight of infected cattle liver was 2,064.8 kg (10.14%). The economic loss due to infected livers was calculated as 79,556.74 TRY ($13,981.85). Considering the 2019 cattle slaughter data in Türkiye, the total amount of economic loss due to infected livers was estimated as 102,742,642.10 TRY ($18,056,703.36).

Determination of Chlorothalonil Metabolite I in Livestock Products by LC-MS/MS

An analytical method based on LC-MS/MS was developed for the determination of chlorothalonil metabolite I in livestock products. Chlorothalonil metabolite I in livestock products was extracted with acetone. The crude extracts were defatted by acetonitrile and n-hexane partitioning. Cleanup was carried out using a combination of ethylene diamine-N-propyl silylation silica gel (PSA) and silica gel (SI) mini columns with acidic condition. The sample solution was subjected to LC-MS/MS using an external solvent calibration curve. The average recovery (n=5) of chlorothalonil metabolite I from five types of livestock products (cattle muscle, cattle fat, cattle liver, milk and egg) spike at the maximum residue limits (MRLs) or at a uniform limit of 0.01 mg/kg was 97.1-102.9%, with a relative standard deviation of 1.4-6.8%. The limit of quantitation of the developed method was calculated to be 0.01 mg/kg.

Comparative epigenomics reveals the impact of ruminant-specific regulatory elements on complex traits.

Insights into the genetic basis of complex traits and disease in both human and livestock species have been achieved over the past decade through detection of genetic variants in genome-wide association studies(GWAS). A majority of such variants were found located in noncoding genomic regions, and though the involvement of numerous regulatory elements (REs) has been predicted across multiple tissues in domesticated animals, their evolutionary conservation and effects on complex traits have not been fully elucidated, particularly in ruminants. Here, we systematically analyzed 137 epigenomic and transcriptomic datasets of six mammals, including cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, mice, and humans, and then integrated them with large-scale GWAS of complex traits. Using 40 ChIP-seq datasets of H3K4me3 and H3K27ac, we detected 68,479, 58,562, 63,273, 97,244, 111,881, and 87,049 REs in the liver of cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, humans and mice, respectively. We then systematically characterized the dynamic functional landscapes of these REs by integrating multi-omics datasets, including gene expression, chromatin accessibility, and DNA methylation. We identified a core set (n = 6359) of ruminant-specific REs that are involved in liver development, metabolism, and immune processes. Genes with more complex cis-REs exhibited higher gene expression levels and stronger conservation across species. Furthermore, we integrated expression quantitative trait loci (eQTLs) and GWAS from 44 and 52 complex traits/diseases in cattle and humans, respectively. These results demonstrated that REs with different degrees of evolutionary conservation across species exhibited distinct enrichments for GWAS signals of complex traits. We systematically annotated genome-wide functional REs in liver across six mammals and demonstrated the evolution of REs and their associations with transcriptional output and conservation. Detecting lineage-specific REs allows us to decipher the evolutionary and genetic basis of complex phenotypes in livestock and humans, which may benefit the discovery of potential biomedical models for functional variants and genes of specific human diseases.

Multi-Omics Analysis of Transcriptomic and Metabolomics Profiles Reveal the Molecular Regulatory Network of Marbling in Early Castrated Holstein Steers.

The intramuscular fat (IMF), or so-called marbling, is known as potential determinant of the high quality beef in China, Korea, and Japan. Of the methods that affect IMF content in cattle, castration is markedly regarded as an effective and economical way to improve the deposition of IMF but with little attention to its multi-omics in early-castrated cattle. The aim of this study was to investigate the liver transcriptome and metabolome of early-castrated Holstein cattle and conduct a comprehensive analysis of two omics associated with the IMF deposition using transcriptomics and untargeted metabolomics under different treatments: non−castrated and slaughtered at 16 months of age (GL16), castrated at birth and slaughtered at 16 months of age (YL16), and castrated at birth and slaughtered at 26 months of age (YL26). The untargeted metabolome was analyzed using ultrahigh-performance liquid chromatography coupled with quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The transcriptome of the hepatic genes was analyzed to identify marbling-related genes. Using untargeted metabolomics, the main altered metabolic pathways in the liver of cattle, including those for lipid and amino acid metabolism, were detected in the YL16 group relative to the GL16 and YL26 groups. Significant increases in the presence of betaine, alanine, and glycerol 3-phosphate were observed in the YL16 group (p < 0.05), which might have contributed to the improved beef-marbling production. Compared to the GL16 and YL26 groups, significant increases in the presence of glutathione, acetylcarnitine, and riboflavin but decreases in diethanolamine and 2-hydroxyglutarate were identified in YL16 group (p < 0.05), which might have been beneficial to the beef’s enhanced functional quality. The gene expressions of GLI1 and NUF2 were downregulated and that of CYP3A4 was upregulated in the YL16 group; these results were strongly correlated with the alanine, betaine, and leucine, respectively, in the liver of the cattle. In conclusion, implementation of early castration modified the hepatic metabolites and the related biological pathways by regulating the relevant gene expressions, which could represent a better rearing method for production of high marbled and healthier beef products.

Bacteriological study of the liver of cattle for dicroceliosis

The article presents the results of organoleptic and microbiological studies of the chilled liver of cattle affected by the helminth Dicrocoelium lanceatum. The main goal was to determine how temperature regimes affect the quality and safety of the liver of cattle affected by dicrocelia and its contamination with microflora. An organoleptic examination of all animal slaughter products was carried out. According to organoleptic indicators, meat products did not differ from healthy ones, and only liver damage was noted. The liver is filled with blood, and the edges are dulled, the gallbladder is enlarged and filled with dark green bile, mucus and helminths. It was established that the liver is contaminated with microorganisms of the Enterobacteriaceae family, which were found on the 8th day of storage. Storage of the liver at a temperature of 0 °C for a day in samples No. 1, 4, 5 revealed bacteria of the Escherichia coli group, which increased by 27.7 % in the first sample; in the fourth for 10 days – by 16.1 %; 15 days in the 5th sample – by 10.8 % compared to the control, and also in the fifth sample Proteus vulgaris was isolated, which was 17.4 % and Staphylococcus aureus – 13.5 %. In the third tested sample, on the 8th day, bacteria of the Staphylococcus aureus species were found, which was 41.6 %. With a weak intensity of liver damage and contamination with the microflora of 31 CFU/cm3, slaughter products, namely the affected parts of the liver, are sent for disposal, and the non-affected parts of the liver and carcass are subjected to heat treatment and released for sale without restrictions. Following the current normative documents DSTU 4831:2006, DSTU 7444:2013, and DSTU ISO 6888-1:2003, with a high intensity of infestation, as well as in slaughter products, including liver, for the detection of more than 30 CFU/cm3, such a slaughter product is considered not fresh and subject to disposal. During the storage of beef liver for 15 days at a temperature of 0 °C, certain changes were detected, namely: the parenchyma of the organ is gray, has an unpleasant smell, the surface is covered with mucus, the consistency is flabby, the pit does not align when pressed with a finger.