Cut Yields Research Articles

Efficiency of using the Caucasian sheep breed in the production of young lamb

The article studied the meat productivity of Caucasian rams born singles and twins, as well as the influence of the introductory crossing of Caucasian breed queens with Dzhalginsky merinos rams of the 2Md-2S line on the meat productivity of the resulting crossbred offspring. The control slaughter at 6 months of age showed that the carcass weight advantage was 20.6% in single rams over twins, crossbreeds Dzhalginsky Merino x Caucasian over purebred peers 8.2%. The advantage of singles and crossbred rams was also observed over twins and purebreds in the yield of cuts of the first grade, meat-and-bone ratio and slaughter yield.

Half-castration is a newly effective method for increasing yield and tenderness of male cattle meat.

ObjectiveFor improving meat quality especially tenderness, male cattle are usually castrated to removes both the testicles. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect castration method (half- and complete-castration) on meat yield and quality characteristics of Hanwoo male cattle.MethodsThirty-two similar age (5.9 months) Hanwoo male calves were divided into: half-castration (HC) and complete-castration (CC) groups (n = 16 per group). At 7 months of age, all the animals were castrated in which the HC calves had only one testicle surgically removed while, the CC calves had both testicles surgically removed. The castrated animals were reared under identical conditions until 25 months of age. After slaughter, the carcasses were evaluated for carcass traits and meat yield of primal cuts. For examination of the castration effect on meat quality, L. lumborum and semimembranosus muscles were used. The meat samples were analyzed for chemical composition, color, pH, shear force and water holding capacity, fatty acids, metabolites and volatile aroma compounds.ResultsThe HC group showed higher meat yields of all primal cuts (p<0.05). As a result, the total meat yield was higher by approximately 44 kg in the HC group (303.32 kg, corresponding to 67.88%) compared to the CC group (259.30 kg, corresponding to 62.11%) (p< 0.05). In terms of meat quality, the HC resulted in two times greater fat content in both muscles examined compared to intact males. More importantly, the shear force values did not differ between HC and CC groups for L. lumborum muscles (p>0.05). The meat from HC animals exhibited higher amount of free amino acids associated with sweetness (p< 0.05). Furthermore, the castration method only exhibited a negligible effect on metabolites and volatile aroma compounds in the cooked meat.ConclusionHalf-castration emerged as an alternative practice to be used for increasing the yield and tenderness of male cattle meat.

Óleos essenciais de Foeniculum vulgare (erva doce) e Cymbopogon winterianus (citronela) em substituição a um promotor de crescimento na dieta de codornas europeias

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to evaluate the replacement of a growth-promoting antibiotic by fennel (Foeniculum vulgare) and citronella (Cymbopogon winterianus) essential oils in the quail diet on performance variables (weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion), as well as the carcass and cut yield. To do so, 240 one-day-old male and female European quails were distributed in a completely randomized design with four treatments, five replications and 12 animals per experimental unit. The treatments consisted of: PC – positive control diet without fennel or citronella essential oils and with the growth promoter (zinc bacitracin); NC – negative control diet without essential oils and without growth promoter; CEO - Diet with +0.078% citronella essential oil without the growth promoter; and FEO - Diet with +0.078% fennel essential oil without the growth promoter. The experiment lasted 42 days, in which the performance variables were analyzed in three periods (1-14 days; 14-21 days; and 22-42 days) and the carcass and cut yield in two periods (at 21 and 42 days). The observed data were submitted to analysis of variance and the comparison of means was performed using the Tukey’s test at 5% significance. The presence of essential oils positively influenced (P&lt;0.05) the performance variables and the carcass and cuts yield in all analyzed periods. The use of fennel and citronella essential oils to replace zinc bacitracin in the diet of European quails improves performance and the carcass and cut yield.

Market weight, slaughter age, and yield grade to determine economic carcass traits and primal cuts yield of Hanwoo beef.

This study was conducted to evaluate the relationship among market weight, slaughter age, yield grade, and primal cut yield in Hanwoo. A total of 403 Hanwoo (Korean native cattle) was assessed for carcass traits such as carcass cold weight, backfat thickness, ribeye area, dressing percentage, yield index, and marbling score. The production yield of the individual major primal cuts of Hanwoo beef was also measured. Carcass cold weight, ribeye area, and backfat thickness, which affect meat quality increased with increased market weight (p < 0.05). The production yield of the ten major primal cuts also increased with increased market weight (p < 0.05). In terms of slaughter age, carcass cold weight, ribeye area, and backfat thickness all increased from 25 months to 28–29 months, and the production yield of all prime cuts also increased with increasing slaughter age. According to the meat yield grade, carcass cold weight and backfat thickness increased from grade A to grade C, although the ribeye area was not affected. The combined findings of the study suggest that slaughtering Hanwoo at the weight of 651–700 kg and 701–750 and age of 28.23 and 29.83 months could be desirable to achieve the best quality and quantity grade of Hanwoo beef. However, the positive correlation of carcass cold weight and backfat thickness, and the negative correlation of the yield index according to primal cuts yield indicated that it is necessary to couple the slaughtering management of cattle with improved genetic and breeding method of Hanwoo to increase the production yield of the major prime cuts of Hanwoo beef.

Replacement of choline chloride with a plant source of choline in broiler chicken diets

Context Choline is an essential nutrient in broiler diets, and its supplementation is traditionally made using choline chloride, a synthetic ingredient that is difficult to handle and store because of its hygroscopicity. A natural choline alternative may have benefits for feed manufacturing and broiler performance. Aim The objective of the present study was to examine the use of a plant source of choline to replace choline chloride in broiler diets. Methods Male Cobb broilers (n = 1120) were reared from Day 1 to Day 42 in boxes in an industrial shed and fed isonutritive diets based on maize and soybean meal. The experimental design was completely randomised with four treatments, eight replicates and 35 birds per replicate. Treatments were: control, choline source 100% choline chloride; and replacement of 25%, 50% and 100% of choline chloride with herbal choline. Herbal choline was derived from Ocimum sanctum, Andrographis paniculata, Silybum marianum, Glycine max and Azadirachta indica. Production performance, carcass and cut yields (at Day 42), feathering score and serum biochemical parameters were evaluated. Key results There were no differences among the treatments for weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion, viability, or carcass and cut yields. However, lot uniformity improved when 100% herbal choline replaced choline chloride. There was no difference among treatments for feathering score, but feather percentage (at Day 42) was highest in treatments with herbal choline associated with choline chloride (25:75 or 50:50). The 100% herbal choline treatment resulted in lower concentration of serum low-density lipoprotein at Days 21 and 42. Conclusions Herbal choline can fully replace choline chloride in broiler diets. Implications Use of plant choline in broiler diets reduces ingredient losses and improves chicken health by reducing serum low-density lipoprotein.

Qualidade da carne e desempenho de frangos de corte alimentados com dietas contendo selênio levedura e selenito de sódio

Abstract The objective of this work was to evaluate performance parameters, carcass and cut yields, meat quality, plasma glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity, and selenium tissue deposition for broilers fed with Se from organic (Se-yeast) and inorganic (sodium selenite) sources. A total of 1,200 Cobb 500 chicks, males with one day of age, were randomly distributed into four treatments with ten replicates. The treatments consisted of two Se-yeast levels (3,000 and 2,000 ppm), sodium selenite (45.7%), and the combination between sodium selenite and 3,000 ppm Se-yeast. All diets, based on corn and soybean meal, were supplemented with 0.3 ppm Se. Among treatments, there were no differences for performance, carcass and cut yields, and meat quality. Diets containing only Se-yeast provided meat with lower values of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances. A higher GSH-Px activity was observed with 3,000 ppm Se-yeast and a greater deposition of Se in the muscle tissue with Se-yeast. The sources of Se do not affect performance parameters and carcass yield; however, the organic source 3,000 ppm Se-yeast results in a greater deposition of the mineral in the muscle and in a greater oxidative stability in the meat.

Carcass characteristics and meat quality of goats fed increasing levels of crude glycerin.

Crude glycerin is a byproduct of the biodiesel industry and has been widely used in ruminant diets as a source of energy, usually in place of corn, primarily during periods of drought in tropical regions. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of including levels of the crude glycerin of low purity (0, 6, 12 and 18%) replacing corn in the diets of goats on the carcass characteristics, tissue composition, meat cuts yield and physicochemical parameters of meat. Forty males castrated without defined racial pattern goats an initial average weight of 19.70 ± 2.30 kg were slaughtered after 86 days. Diets content 0 and 6% crude glycerin promoted similar responses to the analyzed variables, except for pH and breast weight. No differences were observed to total digestible nutrients, slaughter body weight, commercial cut yield leg tissue composition and physicochemical parameters of meat. Crude glycerin can be included up to 12% without losses on carcass weight and meat cuts, leg composition, and meat quality. The inclusion of crude glycerin containing 63.06% glycerol and 45.57% lipids could be effective in partial replacement of corn in diets for confined goats in tropical areas.

Seasonal influence on centesimal composition and yield of Amazonian fish

The objective of this study was to evaluate meat yield and centesimal composition of the Amazonian fish species, A. ocellatus, P. castelnaeana, and L. friderici, in the dry and flood seasonal cycles of rivers. In each seasonal cycle (flood and dry), a total of 60 fish were collected, comprising 20 specimens of each of the following species: A. ocellatus, P. castelnaeana, and L. friderici. Were evaluated the meat yield, cuts yield and centesimal composition of the fish samples. Meat yield in the clean body cuts and skinless filet varied between species and hydrological period. The results showed that seasonal variation influenced the centesimal composition and yield of the species studied, with significant differences between the cuts produced during processing. These findings highlight the need to apply a variety of technological processes to ensure efficient use of these species throughout the year. The total waste represented more than 50% of the whole fish, and the head size was directly proportional to the amount of waste generated. These results underscore the importance of waste utilization for animal and/or human nutrition.

Morphometric Evaluations and Yields from Commercial Cuts of Black Pacu Colossoma macropomum (Cuvier, 1818) in Different Body Weights

For the Amazon, it is important to encourage the production of native fish, since there are several species of zootechnical interest. For this, it is necessary to know the species since its acquisition, production, processing, and marketing. Therefore, the aim of this study was to analyze the yield, correlations, and profitability of different cuts of black pacu (Colossoma macropomum) in five weight categories. Data from 220 black pacus were obtained, with a weight range of 2725 ± 1975 g. Yields of commercial cuts and morphometric measurements were evaluated in five weight classes. Kruskal–Wallis test (α = 0.05) was used to compare the average income. And, to verify the correlation between the morphometric measures and the yields, Spearman's correlation was performed (α = 0.05). To obtain the profit of the weight classes due to the cut produced, an economic analysis was carried out considering the cost of buying the fish. Yields of fillet, ribs, and steak were higher in classes 3 and 4, while in the same classes, the yield of residues was the lowest. Despite classes 1, 2, and 5 showing lower yields, the economic analysis presented that the production of fillet and ribs was profitable. The measures of total length and standard length have a high positive correlation with the yield of meat in all classes, as well as the average circumference and caudal circumference in classes 1, 2, and 4, which can be used to determine the yields of this commercial cut.

Growth and productivity of poplar nursery plantations under different heights of cutting shoots

Purpose. To develop major agrotechnical measures for growing the maximum number of one-year lignified poplar cuttings for the establishment of energy plantations in the conditions of the Right Bank Forest Steppe of Ukraine. Methods. Field, laboratory, statistical. Results. Nursery plantings of three poplar varieties were studied: one-year plantation of variety 'Dorskamp' and three-year plantations of varieties 'Robusta' and 'I-45/51'. At this age in the spring of 2019, the plants were cut at a height of 0.00, 0.25, 0.50 and 1.00 m from the ground surface. Plants of 'Dorskamp' variety that were cut at 0.00 m grew to a height of 2.27±0.124 m for 1 year, at 0.25 m to 2.85±0.135 m and at 0.50 m to 2.81±0.143 m. In the subsequent years, after cutting, the height of plants of 'Dorskamp' variety increased as follows: in 2020 to 3.01±0.231 m, 3.22±0.170 m and 3.30±0.170 m; in 2021, to 3.53±0.230 m, 4.11±0.129 m and 3.85±0.188 m, respectively. 'Robusta' variety in the first year after cutting had the highest average height indicators that decreased with each subsequent year (except for the height of 100 cm). One-year shoots of 'I-45/51' variety were the highest in 2020. In 2021, they had the maximum height indicators of the three varieties, 4.50±0.165 m. The yield of cuttings from 1 ha of the nursery plantation of 'Dorskamp' variety in 2019 varied from 166.6 thousand shoots/ha for cutting at a height of 0.25 m to 184.9 thousand shoots/ha at a height of 0.00 m. In the following 2 years, the yield of cuttings increased both with the increase in the age of the plantation and the cutting height. In the third year (2021), 'Dorskamp' had the maximum indicators, 397.2 thousand shoots/ha at a cutting height of 0.25 m. In 'Robusta' variety, already in the next year after the first cutting, the yield of cuttings ranged from 942.5 to 2621.3 thousand shoots/ha. At the same time, the yield increased significantly with an increase in cutting height and in most cases decreased in subsequent years. In 'I-45/51' variety, the yield of standard shoots in the first year after cutting increased with an increase in cutting height from 105.8−101.3 thousand shoots/ha to 200.6 thousand shoots/ha (at a height of 1.0 m). In 2020, it was from 128.2 thousand shoots/ha to 226.0 thousand shoots/ha, respectively, for cutting at 0.00 m and 1.00 m. In 2021, the yield of shoots in the variants 0.00 m and 0.50 m slightly decreased, and for cutting at heights of 0.25 and 1.00 m increased to 134.3 and 265.5 thousand shoots/ha, respectively. Conclusions. The productivity of poplar nursery plantations in the conditions of the research region is largely affected by the varietal characteristics, the age of the plants, and the weather conditions of a certain year. Among the varieties used in the study, the maximum yield of standard planting material (shoots) is noted in nursery plantations of 'Robusta', amounting to 2.6 million shoots/ha. 'I-45/51' variety had much lower productivity, up to 0.26 million shoots/ha. The plantation of 'Dorskamp' variety, 2 years younger than 'Robusta' and 'I‑45/51', had a yield of shoots per hectare up to 0.40 million. The highest yield of planting material in most cases was ensured by the cutting at 0.50–1.00 m.

Effects of Sex Class, a Combined Androgen and Estrogen Implant, and Pasture Supplementation on Growth and Carcass Performance and Meat Quality of Zebu-Type Grass-Fed Cattle.

Simple SummaryInadequate feeding and management practices of cattle breeders in the Apure’s savanna (Venezuela) impede the adoption of cow–calf-to-finish systems on their own ranches. This study evaluated the feasibility of finishing Zebu-type young cattle on savanna cultivated pastures with better growth and carcass traits and meat quality. Castration can be performed without detrimental consequences for cattle growth, eliciting a desirable response in live weight gain to the implant, while improving carcass finish, the yield of valuable cuts, and meat tenderness. The implant enhanced the rate of gain of steers only, with no beneficial effects on cut-out yields or adverse impacts on meat quality. The supplementation improved key performance traits, allowing cattle to be harvested at a younger age, which is clearly advantageous for rotating more animals per production cycle. Moreover, carcass quality was marginally improved, but tenderness was negatively affected. The data presented herein may be used as a benchmark for producers of similar cattle in tropical ecosystems throughout the world.Forty-seven Zebu calves were used to determine the effects of class (bull or steer), supplementation (SUPPL, a poultry litter-based supplement or mineral supplementation), and implant (20 mg estradiol combined with 120 mg of trenbolone acetate or no implant) on growth and carcass performance and beef eating quality. The average daily gain (ADG) of implanted cattle significantly increased for steers, but not for bulls. The SUPPL treatment increased ADG by 8.63% from day 0 to end, and shortened in 73.3 d the time to reach 480 kg BW (p < 0.01). Compared to bulls, the steer carcasses exhibited more desirable maturity and finish scores, thicker back fat (p < 0.05), and yielded greater (p < 0.01) percentages of high-value boneless subprimals (HVBLS) (+1.64%) and total cuts (1.35%). The SUPPL bulls dressed 2.63 and 1.63% greater than non-supplemented bulls and SUPPL steers, respectively (p < 0.05). Meat sensory quality was subtly affected (p < 0.05) by sex class or supplementation. The implant did not affect (p > 0.05) shear force or sensory ratings. The supplementation improved key growth performance traits while it adversely affected tenderness-related sensory traits. The implant enhanced the rate of gain of steers only, without improving cut-out yields or inducing adverse effects on palatability traits in both steers and bulls.

Genome-wide Association Study for Carcass Primal Cut Yields Using Single-step Bayesian Approach in Hanwoo Cattle

The importance of meat and carcass quality is growing in beef cattle production to meet both producer and consumer demands. Primal cut yields, which reflect the body compositions of carcass, could determine the carcass grade and, consequently, command premium prices. Despite its importance, there have been few genome-wide association studies on these traits. This study aimed to identify genomic regions and putative candidate genes related to 10 primal cut traits, including tenderloin, sirloin, striploin, chuck, brisket, top round, bottom round, shank, flank, and rib in Hanwoo cattle using a single-step Bayesian regression (ssBR) approach. After genomic data quality control, 43,987 SNPs from 3,745 genotyped animals were available, of which 3,467 had phenotypic records for the analyzed traits. A total of 16 significant genomic regions (1-Mb window) were identified, of which five large-effect quantitative trait loci (QTLs) located on chromosomes 6 at 38–39 Mb, 11 at 21–22 Mb, 14 at 6–7 Mb and 26–27 Mb, and 19 at 26–27 Mb were associated with more than one trait, while the remaining 11 QTLs were trait-specific. These significant regions were harbored by 154 genes, among which TOX, FAM184B, SPP1, IBSP, PKD2, SDCBP, PIGY, LCORL, NCAPG, and ABCG2 were noteworthy. Enrichment analysis revealed biological processes and functional terms involved in growth and lipid metabolism, such as growth (GO:0040007), muscle structure development (GO:0061061), skeletal system development (GO:0001501), animal organ development (GO:0048513), lipid metabolic process (GO:0006629), response to lipid (GO:0033993), metabolic pathways (bta01100), focal adhesion (bta04510), ECM–receptor interaction (bta04512), fat digestion and absorption (bta04975), and Rap1 signaling pathway (bta04015) being the most significant for the carcass primal cut traits. Thus, identification of quantitative trait loci regions and plausible candidate genes will aid in a better understanding of the genetic and biological mechanisms regulating carcass primal cut yields.

Evaluation of Genome-Enabled Prediction for Carcass Primal Cut Yields Using Single-Step Genomic Best Linear Unbiased Prediction in Hanwoo Cattle.

There is a growing interest worldwide in genetically selecting high-value cut carcass weights, which allows for increased profitability in the beef cattle industry. Primal cut yields have been proposed as a potential indicator of cutability and overall carcass merit, and it is worthwhile to assess the prediction accuracies of genomic selection for these traits. This study was performed to compare the prediction accuracy obtained from a conventional pedigree-based BLUP (PBLUP) and a single-step genomic BLUP (ssGBLUP) method for 10 primal cut traits—bottom round, brisket, chuck, flank, rib, shank, sirloin, striploin, tenderloin, and top round—in Hanwoo cattle with the estimators of the linear regression method. The dataset comprised 3467 phenotypic observations for the studied traits and 3745 genotyped individuals with 43,987 single-nucleotide polymorphisms. In the partial dataset, the accuracies ranged from 0.22 to 0.30 and from 0.37 to 0.54 as evaluated using the PBLUP and ssGBLUP models, respectively. The accuracies of PBLUP and ssGBLUP with the whole dataset varied from 0.45 to 0.75 (average 0.62) and from 0.52 to 0.83 (average 0.71), respectively. The results demonstrate that ssGBLUP performed better than PBLUP averaged over the 10 traits, in terms of prediction accuracy, regardless of considering a partial or whole dataset. Moreover, ssGBLUP generally showed less biased prediction and a value of dispersion closer to 1 than PBLUP across the studied traits. Thus, the ssGBLUP seems to be more suitable for improving the accuracy of predictions for primal cut yields, which can be considered a starting point in future genomic evaluation for these traits in Hanwoo breeding practice.

Estimation of Genetic Correlations of Primal Cut Yields with Carcass Traits in Hanwoo Beef Cattle.

Simple SummaryRecently, there is a growing interest in the genetic improvement of carcass merit in the Korean beef industry. Primal cut yields have been proposed to characterize the meat quality and quantity in beef cattle and are known to be genetically correlated with the carcass merit and premium prices. Hence, knowledge of genetic parameters is required to select the weight of primal cuts that may be used as the selection criteria for designing future breeding programs. This study aimed to estimate the heritability and genetic and phenotypic correlations of primal cut yields and carcass traits in Hanwoo cattle. All traits presented a medium to high heritability, which indicates a probable increase in their response to selection. In addition, moderate to highly favorable genetic correlations were found between the primal cut yields and carcass traits, such as the carcass weight and eye muscle area. Therefore, results suggested inclusion of primal cut traits as a selection objective in Hanwoo breeding programs to meet the growing demand for high quality products.This study was carried out to estimate the variance components, heritability, and genetic correlations between the carcass traits and primal cut yields in Hanwoo cattle. Carcass traits comprising 5622 records included back fat thickness (BFT), carcass weight (CW), eye muscle area (EMA), and marbling score (MS). The 10 primal cut yields from 3467 Hanwoo steers included the tenderloin (TLN), sirloin (SLN), striploin (STLN), chuck (CHK), brisket (BSK), top round (TRD), bottom round (BRD), rib (RB), shank (SK), and flank (FK). In addition, three composite traits were formed by combining primal cut yields as novel traits according to consumer preferences and market price: high-value cuts (HVC), medium-value cuts (MVC), and low-value cuts (LVC). Heritability estimates for the interest of traits were moderate to high, ranging from 0.21 ± 0.04 for CHK to 0.59 ± 0.05 for MS. Except genetic correlations between RB and other primal cut traits, favorable and moderate to high correlations were observed among the yields of primal cut that ranged from 0.38 ± 0.14 (CHK and FK) to 0.93 ± 0.01 (TRD and BRD). Moreover, the estimated genetic correlations of CW and EMA with primal cut yields and three composite traits were positive and moderate to strong, except for BFT, which was negative. These results indicate that genetic progress can be achieved for all traits, and selection to increase the yields of primal cuts can lead to considerable profitability in the Hanwoo beef industry.

Extruded Linseed and Oregano Dietary Supplementation: Effects on Growth Performance, Carcass Composition, and Meat Quality of Jonica Kids

To evaluate the influence of linseed and oregano dietary supplementation in Jonica kids, we carried out a trial that involved 30 male Jonica kids 20 days old, divided into three groups of ten animals. Each group was ascribed to one of the following dietary treatments: (C) group control fed without any supplement; (L) group fed control feed containing 3% extruded linseed (Linum usitatissimum); and (L + O) group fed control diet with 0.6% dried oregano (Origanum vulgare) and 3% extruded linseed. The kids were slaughtered at 60 days of age; carcass and cut yields were performed. The Longissimus lumborum muscle was separated to determinate physical, chemical, and fatty acid composition. Supplementation of kids’ diet with oregano did not show effects on performances in vivo and post mortem. Extruded linseed and oregano feed made commercial cuts of kids carcasses less fat (6.75% vs. 10.92% for leg; 4.82% vs. 7.73% for loin), whereas only the extruded linseed diet made the meat fatter (20.11% vs. 19.75%) and more proteic than the commercial pellet (20.11% vs. 19.75%). The use of oregano reduces the meat oxidation compared with the only use of linseed in kids’ diet (0.298 vs. 0.645). The healthy and beneficial effect of linseed in the diet is observed in meat with the lower value of n-6/n-3 ratio (4.57 vs. 8.60) and atherogenic (0.60 vs. 0.77) and thrombogenic (1.36 vs. 1.61) indices. Linseed diet enrich kids meat with healthy fatty acids that are easier to oxidize; instead, the addition of oregano, thanks to its antioxidant properties, allows a longer conservation and a more profitable marketing.

PSXIV-16 Performance, carcass, wholesale, and retail cuts yield of lambs reared under thermal stress in grazing conditions and slaughtered at two body weights

Abstract Lamb production in tropical areas is conducted under heat stress in extensive grazing conditions of naturalized pastures (NP). The average daily gain (ADG) and yields of hot (HCY) and cold (CCY) carcass, wholesale cuts (WSC); neck (N), shoulder (SL), ribs 5–12 (RIB), loin (LN) and leg (LG), and detail cuts (DTC); shoulder chops (SCH), french chops (FCH), ribs (RS), back leg (BL) and shanks (SH) of 12 lambs (X = 19.4 kg) rotationally grazed (3 d occupation and 24 d resting period) for 154 or 238 d were determined. The Lambs grazed &amp;gt;8 h NP, grass hay and water were offered ad libitum, 150 g/d of a supplement (12% CP), and mineral blocks. Weekly weights were used to determine ADG. Lambs were slaughtered at 22 (SW1) or 35 kg (SM2) to determine HCY and CCY, and WSC and DTC yield as % of cold carcass weight. Performance data was analyzed as a randomized experimental (CRD) design over time. Carcass and cut yields data were analyzed as a CRD with 6 replicates per treatment. Lambs fed during 238-d had similar ADG than those fed 154-d (68.14 vs.47.74 g/d). SW1 and SW2 had similar percentages of HCY (35.21 vs. 38.14) and CCY (34.48 vs. 37.40). The WSC as % of cold carcass weight, N (6.43 vs. 7.06), SL (29.95 vs. 30.20), RIB (16.10 vs. 16.95), LN (10.84 vs. 11.33) and LG (36.51 vs. 34.44) were similar for SW1 and SW2. Yield of SCH and SH was lower (P &amp;lt; 0.05) for SW1 (15.80 and 8.11) than SW2 (23.00 and 9.11), but FCH (8.49 vs. 8.57), RS (6.89 vs. 7.00) and BL (36.52 vs 34.45) were similar. In summary, lambs slaughtered at 35 kg improved the retail cut yield, but did not influence ADG, HCY, CCY, and WCY compared to lighter lambs.

Effects of replacing Tifton-85 hay by cactus pear (Opuntia stricta Haw) on the carcass traits and meat quality of crossbred Santa Inês lambs

The objective of this study was to evaluate the carcass traits of crossbred Santa Inês lambs fed with increasing levels (0, 300, 600, and 900 g kg-1 on a dry matter basis) of cactus pear cv Mexican elephant ear (Opuntia stricta Haw) as a replacement for Tifton-85 hay. Forty-eight male lambs (noncastrated), averaging 21.0 ± 2.93 kg body weight (BW) at the beginning of the study, were used in this trial. Replacement levels of Tifton hay by cactus pear affected the hot carcass and cold carcass weights and the carcass compactness index linearly (P &lt; 0.05), but did not influence the yield of hot carcass and cold carcass, the loin eye area, conformation, finishing, and subcutaneous fat thickness, the yield of commercial cuts and tissue composition of the leg (P &gt; 0.05). The averages of tissue components yields were: muscle 64.94%, bone 16.92%, fat 14.92%, and other tissues 2.71%. There was also no effect (P&gt;0.05) of treatments on other measurements in Longissimus dorsi. However, there was an increasing linear effect on ether extract content (P&lt;0.05). It can be concluded that the Mexican Elephant Ear cactus pear can be used to feed finishing lambs, replacing up to 900 g kg-1 of the dry matter of the roughage, with a consequent increase in carcass weight, loin, shoulder, and leg, as well as, in the percentage of ether extract of the meat. However, it does not alter the other carcass traits and physical-chemical characteristics of the meat.

168 Use of Genomic Tools to Improve Production Efficiency, Health Resilience and Carbon Footprint of Beef Production

Abstract The aim is to present validation studies that demonstrate the benefits of genomic retained heterozygosity, genomic enhanced expected progeny differences (gEPDs) for feed efficiency and carcass traits, as well as DNA pooling technologies, to the beef industry. Team members of Livestock Gentec are global leaders in beef genomics research as evidenced by their leadership roles on the Canadian Cattle Genome Project, 1,000 Bull Genomes Project, gEPDs for Commercial Cattle Project and the Functional Annotation of ANimal Genomes initiative. These large-scale projects have created databases of 380 whole bovine sequence genomes, &amp;gt;24,000 cattle genotypes imputed to sequence variants using Run 6 genotypes from 1000 Bull Genomes project, and &amp;gt;20,000 cattle with associated phenotypes for feed efficiency, carcass quality, cow fertility and methane emissions. The use of admixture analysis, genome wide association studies, and genomic prediction have resulted in new genomic tools that aid in mate selection, improve herd heterosis, female fertility, lifetime productivity and health resilience, and improve accuracy (acc. &amp;gt;0.36) of gEPDs for 18 traits in crossbred cattle. Genomic retained heterozygosity has a benefit of $161/female over five parities while decreasing morbidity of calves and improving the carbon intensity of beef production. Multi-trait selection studies using gEPDs for residual feed intake (acc. &amp;gt; 0.35) have demonstrated annual rates of genetic progress of 0.7%. Validation studies have reported that sires with superior gEPDs for increased marbling, decreased grade fat, increased ribeye and increased carcass weight (acc. &amp;gt; 0.45) produced progeny with improved AAA retail cut yield (59.9 vs 56.7%). DNA pooling shows potential for cheaper genotyping while providing information on pooled records related to sire contribution, heterosis and performance as influenced by genetics. The application of these genomic tools has potential to improve calf crop percentage, health resilience, and retail cut yield while decreasing the carbon footprint of beef production.

Karakteristik Pertumbuhan Melada dan Lada Sambung

Wild pepper of Piper colubrinum Link is used as rootstocks for grafted black pepper (Piper nigrum/Piper colubrinum) because its resistance to fungi that cause root rot disease. Grafted black pepper nurseries and plantations began to be developed by farmers in Lampung. This research aims to study the growth characteristics of wild pepper and grafted black pepper plants. The research was conducted in the field of wild pepper and grafted black pepper owned by farmers in Air Kubang Village, Air Naningan District, Tanggamus, Lampung, using survey method. Plant samples were determined randomly in the fields. The results showed that: (1) Wild pepper plants starts at the age of 1 year form plagiotropic branches with small diameters every 1-2 orthotropic branches, but slowly form orthotropic branches; (2) After the second pruning (of harvesting cuttings) 22% of the plants form orthotropic branches. The yield of pepper cuttings from the first to third harvests increased by 21-25% compared to the previous yield. In the third harvest, the production of cuttings reached 5066 cuttings (2 nodes) per 400 m2 land area or equivalent to 126,650 cuttings per ha of land harvested every 2 months; (3) At the age of 18 months, compared to non-grafted, grafted black pepper showed a greater greeness leaf index, larger stem diameter, larger plagiotropic branch diameter, higher number of orthotropic and plagiotropic branches, and 15.6% of grafted black pepper plants were flowering. Key words : Black pepper, cutting, flowering, growth, grafting, Piper colubrinum

Promising introduced Black Cottonwood species for bioenergy and forage production

The winter-hardy introduced North American Populus trichocarpa Torr. & Gray is of particular interest. The results of the study of some clones of poplar on the experimental sites of the Voronezh region are presented. It was found that the rootability of standard stem cuttings of poplar was 98-100%. The survival of plants during the first 3-5 years varied from 75 to 100%. The growing season in different years was 135-146 days. The yield of standard cuttings on root-cutting plantations under favorable conditions and optimal age varied in different clones from 592 000 to 1 380 000 pieces per ha. The wood stock at the age of economical exploitability (~25 years) reached 400 m3/ha, while the stock of local balsam poplar at the same age reached 220 m3/ha. The green mass of leaves contained 0.22-0.28 feed units/kg. In addition, the content of digestible protein, calcium, phosphorus, carotene, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, nitrogen-free extractives and ash was determined. In general, studied clones of P. trichocarpa can be used in short rotation coppices for bioenergy and feed production, as well as in reclamation plantings. Clones of the poplar can be used in hybridization with black poplars to increase their winter hardiness.