Improve Meat Quality Research Articles

Dietary supplementation with vegetable oils with low n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid ratios improves the intramuscular fat and fatty acid composition of growingfinishing pigs

This study investigated the effects of different n-6:n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) ratios in pig diets using vegetable oil supplementation on growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and fatty acid composition in the longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT) of pigs. Fiftyfour cross-bred growing pigs (Large White × Landrace × Duroc; 45.03 ± 1.72 kg) were randomly assigned to one of three isoenergetic diets: the 1) basal diet (control), 2) RAPO diet (diet supplemented with 4.5% rapeseed oil), and 3) MIXO diet (diet supplemented with 2.25% rapeseed oil and 2.25% linseed oil), with n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios of approximately 13:1, 7:1, and 2:1, respectively. The experiment lasted 42 days. The RAPO and MIXO diets did not affect the growth performance and carcass characteristics of pigs, while the content of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), triglycerides (TGs), and glucose (GLU) in the serum decreased substantially. Intramuscular fat (IMF) content increased by 19.25% and 20.11% in the LM of pigs fed the RAPO and MIXO diets, respectively, and lower cooking loss and drip loss of meat were observed only in pigs fed the MIXO diet. The RAPO and MIXO diets decreased the stearic acid and palmitoleic acid levels, increased the total PUFA levels (including those of α-linolenic and linoleic acid), and decreased the n-6:n-3 PUFA ratios in LM and SAT. However, the MIXO diet was more effective in improving the fatty acid composition. A mixed oil diet with an n6:n-3 PUFA ratio of 2:1 is an effective measure for improving meat quality.

Effect of Basil, Thyme and Sage Essential Oils as Phytogenic Feed Additives on Production Performances, Meat Quality and Intestinal Microbiota in Broiler Chickens

As the use of antibiotics has been banned or reduced in certain countries in animal industries, the search for new alternatives to antibiotics has been and will continue to be a research subject in poultry for several years. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of basil, thyme and sage essential oils (EO) in broiler chickens’ diets. A total of 120 Cobb 500 broiler chickens aged 12 days were distributed into four homogeneous groups of thirty chickens with six replicates of five broilers each, raised until 42 days of age. For the diets, corn, soybean meal, corn gluten and wheat were used as the main ingredients for the control diet (CON), and three experimental diets were formulated as follows: a diet containing 0.05% essential oil from basil (EOB), a diet containing 0.05% essential oil from thyme (EOT), and a diet containing 0.05% essential oil from sage (EOS). The results showed that production performances, European Production Efficiency Factor (EPEF), European Broiler Index (EBI) and carcass weight were improved (p < 0.05) in the experimental groups compared with the control; however, no significant effect in anatomical parts development was observed. Lightness (L *) and hue angle (H *) colorimetric meat parameters were (p < 0.05) altered but without an effect on meat texture. The antioxidant capacity and total polyphenols content in the thigh meat and total n-3 and n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acids were higher in the experimental samples compared with the control. The intestinal microbiota was also significantly altered with a lowering of Escherichia coli, Coliforms and staphylococci in the small intestine and caecum and an increased lactobacilli count in the experimental groups compared with the control. Overall, all EO-supplemented diets showed the potential to improve meat quality; however, EOS was more effective in altering the chicken microbiota in the small intestine and caecum.

Dietary bamboo leaf flavonoids improve quality and microstructure of broiler meat by changing untargeted metabolome

BackgroundDietary bamboo leaf flavonoids (BLFs) are rarely used in poultry production, and it is unknown whether they influence meat texture profile, perceived color, or microstructure.ResultsA total of 720 one-day-old Arbor Acres broilers were supplemented with a basal diet with 20 mg bacitracin/kg, 50 mg BLFs/kg, or 250 mg BLFs/kg or without additions. Data showed that the dietary BLFs significantly (P < 0.05) changed growth performance and the texture profile. In particular, BLFs increased birds’ average daily gain and average daily feed intake, decreased the feed:gain ratio and mortality rate, improved elasticity of breast meat, enhanced the gumminess of breast and leg meat, and decreased the hardness of breast meat. Moreover, a significant (P < 0.05) increase in redness (a*) and chroma (c*) of breast meat and c* and water-holding capacity of leg meat was found in BLF-supplemented broilers compared with control broilers. In addition, BLFs supplementation significantly decreased (P < 0.05) the β-sheet ratio and serum malondialdehyde and increased the β-turn ratio of protein secondary structure, superoxide dismutase, and glutathione peroxidase of breast meat and total antioxidant capacity and catalase of serum. Based on the analysis of untargeted metabolome, BLFs treatment considerably altered 14 metabolites of the breast meat, including flavonoids, amino acids, and organic acids, as well as phenolic and aromatic compounds.ConclusionsDietary BLFs supplementation could play a beneficial role in improving meat quality and sensory color in the poultry industry by changing protein secondary structures and modulating metabolites.

Dietary supplementation with jasmine flower residue improves meat quality and flavor of goat.

Jasmine flower residue (JFR) is a by-product retained in the production process of jasmine tea and can be used as an unconventional feed due to its rich nutrient value. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the addition of JFR to the diet of goats on their meat quality and flavor. Twenty-four castrated Nubian male goats were randomly divided into two groups and fed a mixed diet containing 10% JFR (JFR, n = 12) or a conventional diet (CON, n = 12) for 45 days. Meat quality and flavor were measured at the end of the treatment. The addition of JFR to the diet could reduce the shear force of the longissimus dorsi muscle, as well as, the cross-sectional area and diameter of muscle fibers, indicating that the addition of JFR improved meat quality. JFR also increased the content of glutamic acid and ω-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (C18:3n3 and C20:5N3) and reduced the content of C24:1 and saturated fatty acid (C20:0 and C22:0). In addition, the use of JFR increased the content of acetaldehyde and hexanal in the meat. Furthermore, JFR introduced new volatile components in the meat. The umami, saltiness, and richness of the meat also improved. In conclusion, the addition of jasmine flower residue to the diet can improve the meat quality and flavor of goat.

Effects of dietary disodium fumarate supplementation on muscle quality, chemical composition, oxidative stress and lipid metabolism of Hu sheep induced by high concentrate diet

Long-term feeding of high-concentrate (HC) diet causes the decrease of rumen pH, and induces subacute rumen acidosis (SARA), which results in metabolic disorders in sheep. This not only reduces animal performance, but also increases the risk of oxidative stress and inflammatory reaction. Disodium fumarate can improve the rumen buffering capacity and increase rumen pH. This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of high concentrate diet on muscle quality, chemical composition, oxidative damage and lipid metabolism of Hu sheep, and the regulating effect of disodium fumarate. The results showed that HC diet induced SARA by reducing rumen pH value, thus causing oxidative stress and lipid metabolism disorder in longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle of Hu sheep, which also reduced meat quality by increasing shear force, drip loss, cooking loss, chewiness and hardness, and reducing the contents of crude fat and crude protein in LL muscle. However, disodium fumarate can improve meat quality of SARA Hu sheep by regulating rumen pH, inhibiting muscle oxidative stress and promoting lipid metabolism.

Effects of dietary adenosine and adenosine 5′-monophosphate supplementation on carcass characteristics, meat quality, and lipid metabolism in adipose tissues of finishing pigs

This study investigated the effects of adenosine (ADO) and adenosine 5′-monophosphate (AMP) supplementation on the growth performance, carcass characteristics, meat quality, and lipid metabolism in adipose tissues of finishing pigs. The pigs were allocated to three treatment groups: the control diet, 0.2%ADO diet, or 0.2%AMP diet. Compared with CON group (CON), both ADO and AMP groups increased in carcass straight length (P < 0.05) and decreased in drip loss (P < 0.05), while AMP group tended to increase in redness value (P = 0.05) and decreased in free amino acid content in longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle (P < 0.05). Additionally, ADO or AMP supplementation increased the ADO or AMP content in serum, adipose tissue, and LT muscle (P < 0.05), as well as the protein level of adenosine 2A receptor (A2a) in adipose tissue (P < 0.05). Moreover, both ADO and AMP groups showed an increase in the expression of lipolysis genes (ATGL and HSL) in adipose tissue (P < 0.05). Overall, AMP supplementation could improve meat quality, and ADO and AMP supplementation regulate the lipid metabolism of finishing pigs.

Integration of Selection Signatures and Protein Interactions Reveals NR6A1, PAPPA2, and PIK3C2B as the Promising Candidate Genes Underlying the Characteristics of Licha Black Pig.

Licha black (LI) pig has the specific characteristics of larger body length and appropriate fat deposition among Chinese indigenous pigs. Body length is one of the external traits that affect production performance, and fat deposition influences meat quality. However, the genetic characteristics of LI pigs have not yet been systematically uncovered. Here, the genomic information from 891 individuals of LI pigs, commercial pigs, and other Chinese indigenous pigs was used to analyze the breed characteristics of the LI pig with runs of homozygosity, haplotype, and FST selection signatures. The results showed the growth traits-related genes (i.e., NR6A1 and PAPPA2) and the fatness traits-related gene (i.e., PIK3C2B) were the promising candidate genes that closely related to the characteristics of LI pigs. In addition, the protein-protein interaction network revealed the potential interactions between the promising candidate genes and the FASN gene. The RNA expression data from FarmGTEx indicated that the RNA expression levels of NR6A1, PAPPA2, PIK3C2B, and FASN were highly correlated in the ileum. This study provides valuable molecular insights into the mechanisms that affect pig body length and fat deposition, which can be used in the further breeding process to improve meat quality and commercial profitability.

Free-Choice Feeding of Whole Grains Improves Meat Quality and Intestinal Development of Pigeon Squabs Compared with Complete Pelleted Feed.

Effects of different feeding strategies on meat quality and intestinal development in pigeon squabs were investigated. 120 pairs of pigeons with two squabs each were assigned to five groups (four free-choice feeding systems and one complete feeding system): T1 (corn, pea, wheat, and pelleted feed), T2 (corn, wheat, and pelleted feed), T3 (corn, pea, and pelleted feed), T4 (corn and pelleted feed), and T5 (complete pelleted feed). Compared with T5, the diet in T4 made the breast meat redder and more yellow (p < 0.05). T2 and T4 resulted in an enhanced total superoxide dismutase activity of meat. Breast muscle in T1 and T2 was determined to have higher contents of nonessential amino acids, glycine, alanine, and glutamic acid (p < 0.05). The contents of the essential amino acids, lysine, threonine, valine, histidine, and arginine were also higher in T1 (p < 0.05). Villus height, surface area, and alkaline phosphatase activity of the duodenum and jejunum in T2 were the highest among the treatments (p < 0.05). In conclusion, free-choice feeding system can improve the meat quality and intestinal development of pigeon squabs, but which combination method of whole grains to use in the production depends on the feeding purpose.

Dietary grape pomace extract supplementation improved meat quality, antioxidant capacity, and immune performance in finishing pigs.

In pig production, reducing production costs and improving immunity are important. Grape pomace, a good agricultural by-product, has been thrown away as food waste for a long time. Recently, we found that it could be used as a new source of pig feed. We investigated the effect of grape pomace on inflammation, gut barrier function, meat quality, and growth performance in finishing pigs. Our results indicated that treatment samples showed a significant decrease in water loss, IL-1β, DAO, ROS, and MDA content (p < 0.05). IgA, IgG, IgM, CAT, T-AOC, SOD, and IFN-γ significantly increased compared with those in control samples (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the relative mRNA expression of the tight junction protein occludin showed a significant difference (p < 0.05). Analysis of metagenomic sequencing indicated that grape pomace significantly decreased the relative abundance of Treponema and Streptococcus (p < 0.05). In summary, our results demonstrated that grape pomace could improve meat quality, alleviate inflammation, and decrease oxidative stress.

The Important Role of m6A-Modified circRNAs in the Differentiation of Intramuscular Adipocytes in Goats Based on MeRIP Sequencing Analysis.

Intramuscular fat contributes to the improvement of goat meat quality. N6-Methyladenosine (m6A)-modified circular RNAs play important roles in adipocyte differentiation and metabolism. However, the mechanisms by which m6A modifies circRNA before and after differentiation of goat intramuscular adipocytes remain poorly understood. Here, we performed methylated RNA immunoprecipitation sequencing (MeRIP-seq) and circRNA sequencing (circRNA-seq) to determine the distinctions in m6A-methylated circRNAs during goat adipocyte differentiation. The profile of m6A-circRNA showed a total of 427 m6A peaks within 403 circRNAs in the intramuscular preadipocytes group, and 428 peaks within 401 circRNAs in the mature adipocytes group. Compared with the intramuscular preadipocytes group, 75 peaks within 75 circRNAs were significantly different in the mature adipocytes group. Furthermore, the Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analyses of intramuscular preadipocytes and mature adipocytes showed that the differentially m6A-modified circRNAs were enriched in the PKG signaling pathway, endocrine and other factor-regulated calcium reabsorption, lysine degradation, etc. m6A-circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interaction networks predicted the potential m6A-circRNA regulation mechanism in different goat adipocytes. Our results indicate that there is a complicated regulatory relationship between the 12 upregulated and 7 downregulated m6A-circRNAs through 14 and 11 miRNA mediated pathways, respectively. In addition, co-analysis revealed a positive association between m6A abundance and levels of circRNA expression, such as expression levels of circRNA_0873 and circRNA_1161, which showed that m6A may play a vital role in modulating circRNA expression during goat adipocyte differentiation. These results would provide novel information for elucidating the biological functions and regulatory characteristics of m6A-circRNAs in intramuscular adipocyte differentiation and could be helpful for further molecular breeding to improve meat quality in goats.

Circular RNA- and microRNA-Mediated Post-Transcriptional Regulation of Preadipocyte Differentiation in Adipogenesis: From Expression Profiling to Signaling Pathway.

Adipogenesis is an indispensable cellular process that involves preadipocyte differentiation into mature adipocyte. Dysregulated adipogenesis contributes to obesity, diabetes, vascular conditions and cancer-associated cachexia. This review aims to elucidate the mechanistic details on how circular RNA (circRNA) and microRNA (miRNA) modulate post-transcriptional expression of targeted mRNA and the impacted downstream signaling and biochemical pathways in adipogenesis. Twelve adipocyte circRNA profiling and comparative datasets from seven species are analyzed using bioinformatics tools and interrogations of public circRNA databases. Twenty-three circRNAs are identified in the literature that are common to two or more of the adipose tissue datasets in different species; these are novel circRNAs that have not been reported in the literature in relation to adipogenesis. Four complete circRNA-miRNA-mediated modulatory pathways are constructed via integration of experimentally validated circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interactions and the downstream signaling and biochemical pathways involved in preadipocyte differentiation via the PPARγ/C/EBPα gateway. Despite the diverse mode of modulation, bioinformatics analysis shows that the circRNA-miRNA-mRNA interacting seed sequences are conserved across species, supporting mandatory regulatory functions in adipogenesis. Understanding the diverse modes of post-transcriptional regulation of adipogenesis may contribute to the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for adipogenesis-associated diseases and in improving meat quality in the livestock industries.

EFFECT OF INDOOR AND FREE-RANGE RAISING SYSTEMS ON GROWTH PERFORMANCE OF MALE RHODE ISLAND RED CHICKENS

&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background.&lt;/strong&gt; Rustic birds such as Rhode Island Red are adapted to the tropical environmental conditions. Raising them using free range in the tropics improve meat quality. However, the production cost is high when males are used for meat production, due to their low feed efficiency. &lt;strong&gt;Objective.&lt;/strong&gt; To assess growth performance of Rhode Island Red male chickens as affected by indoor vs. outdoor housing systems between 7 to 14 weeks of age. &lt;strong&gt;Methodology. &lt;/strong&gt;One hundred and twenty male chickens were allotted in two different housing systems: indoors vs. outdoor with acces to a free-range pasture of native plants. The experimental diet in growing stage (7-14 weeks of age) included processed &lt;em&gt;Mucuna pruriens&lt;/em&gt; (soaked and cooked) in 15 % of the diet. For data analysis, a generilized linear model was used with repeated measures at different ages, considering effects of treatment, week and the interaction between both. The study of the whole experimental period considered the fixed effect of trial and liveweight at the start of the test as covariable. &lt;strong&gt;Results.&lt;/strong&gt; Week was the most consistent effect, and treatment only affected feed intake, with values of 91.99 vs. 87.54 g/bird/day in indoor vs outdoor, respectively. There was only interaction between treatment and week in weight gain. For the whole period, there were no differences due to the housing systems for the variables under study. Nevertheless, initial live weight affected weight gain and conversion. &lt;strong&gt;Implication. &lt;/strong&gt;Alternative raising systems&lt;strong&gt; &lt;/strong&gt;for rustic birds in the tropics can be an option for small and middle producers, where animal welfare and feed costs improve. &lt;strong&gt;Conclusion&lt;/strong&gt;. The productive behavior in Rhode Island Red male chickens is not modified by the raising system. &lt;/p&gt;

Effects of adding nano-emulsified plant oil and probiotics to drinking water during different periods besides sex on processing characteristics, physicochemical properties, and meat quality traits of broiler chickens.

High-quality meat is one of the consumer demands. Therefore, several studies have concluded that supplementing broilers with natural additives can improve meat quality. This study was carried out to evaluate the effects of nano-emulsified plant oil (Magic oil®) and probiotic (Albovit®) as water additives (at the rate of 1 ml/L and 0.1 g/L, respectively) during different growing periods on processing characteristics, physicochemical properties, and meat quality traits of broilers chickens. A total number of 432-day-old Ross broiler chicks were randomly assigned to one of six treatment groups according to the growing periods in which magic oil and probiotics were added to drinking water, each with nine replicates and eight birds per replicate (4♂ and 4♀). On day 35, birds' processing characteristics, physicochemical properties, and meat quality traits were examined. The results showed that treatments had a significant (P < 0.001) impact on cooking loss, cohesiveness, and chewiness. The male broiler chickens had higher (P ≤ 0.05) initial lightness, initial whiteness index, water holding capacity, shear force, live weight, hot and chilled carcass weights, as well as lower gizzard and neck percentages than females. The interactions between treatments and sex showed a significant (P < 0.001) impact on cooking loss, shear force, hardness, springiness, and chewiness. In conclusion, supplementing male broiler chickens with Magic oil and probiotic, particularly from 0-30 days of age had favorable meat chewiness as a result of lower cohesiveness and hardness higher springiness, and the most convenient cooking loss value. Magic oil and probiotic, especially in males, is advisable to be supplemented in water of growing broilers chicken programs from 0 to 30 days of age. Moreover, further studies under commercial conditions are recommended to locate the most favorable combination of Magic oil/probiotic supplements for the best processing characteristics and meat quality attributes outcomes.

Comparison of meat quality and glycolysis potential of two hybrid pigs in three-way hybrid model.

With the improvement of consumers' requirements for pork quality, the method of crossbreeding with excellent local pig breeds to improve meat quality is popular. Saba pig has high reproduction rate, good meat quality and high utilization rate of roughage, but its excellent characteristics have not been fully developed and utilized. To promote the development and utilization of Saba pigs and production of high-quality pork, the meat quality traits and glycolysis potential of Duroc × (Landrace × Yorkshire) (DLY), Berkshire × (Duroc × Saba) (BDS), and Duroc × (Berkshire × Saba) (DBS) three-way crossbred pigs were compared. The results showed that DLY had the highest live weight, carcass weight, lean meat percentage, drip loss, glycolysis potential, muscle diameter, and relative mRNA expression levels of type IIb muscle fibers as well as the lowest ultimate pH (p < 0.05). The lightness value of DBS was the highest (p < 0.05). Among the three crossbred pigs, myristic, arachidic, palmitoleic, and eicosenoic acids were the highest in BDS. These results indicated that the carcass traits of local crossbred pigs were worse than those of DLY pigs, but meat quality was markedly higher, with BDS showing the best meat quality.

Hepatic Transcriptome Analysis Reveals Genes, Polymorphisms, and Molecules Related to Lamb Tenderness.

Tenderness is a key meat quality trait that determines the public acceptance of lamb consumption, so genetic improvement toward lamb with higher tenderness is pivotal for a sustainable sheep industry. However, unravelling the genomics controlling the tenderness is the first step. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the transcriptome signatures and polymorphisms related to divergent lamb tenderness using RNA deep sequencing. Since the molecules and enzymes that control muscle growth and tenderness are metabolized and synthesized in the liver, hepatic tissues of ten sheep with divergent phenotypes: five high- and five low-lamb tenderness samples were applied for deep sequencing. Sequence analysis identified the number of reads ranged from 21.37 to 25.37 million bases with a mean value of 22.90 million bases. In total, 328 genes are detected as differentially expressed (DEGs) including 110 and 218 genes that were up- and down-regulated, respectively. Pathway analysis showed steroid hormone biosynthesis as the dominant pathway behind the lamb tenderness. Gene expression analysis identified the top high (such as TP53INP1, CYP2E1, HSD17B13, ADH1C, and LPIN1) and low (such as ANGPTL2, IGFBP7, FABP5, OLFML3, and THOC5) expressed candidate genes. Polymorphism and association analysis revealed that mutation in OLFML3, ANGPTL2, and THOC5 genes could be potential candidate markers for tenderness in sheep. The genes and pathways identified in this study cause variation in tenderness, thus could be potential genetic markers to improve meat quality in sheep. However, further validation is needed to confirm the effect of these markers in different sheep populations so that these could be used in a selection program for lamb with high tenderness.

RNA-seq analysis reveals the critical role of the novel lncRNA BIANCR in intramuscular adipogenesis through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway

BackgroundLong non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) regulate numerous biological processes, including adipogenesis. Research on adipogenesis will assist in the treatment of human metabolic diseases and improve meat quality in livestock, such as the content of intramuscular fat (IMF). However, the significance of lncRNAs in intramuscular adipogenesis remains unclear. This research aimed to reveal the lncRNAs transcriptomic profiles in the process of bovine intramuscular adipogenesis and to identify the lncRNAs involved in the adipogenesis of bovine intramuscular adipocytes.ResultsIn this research, a landscape of lncRNAs was identified with RNA-seq in bovine intramuscular adipocytes at four adipogenesis stages (0 d, 3 d, 6 d, and 9 d after differentiation). A total of 7035 lncRNAs were detected, including 3396 novel lncRNAs. Based on the results of differential analysis, co-expression analysis, and functional prediction, we focused on the bovine intramuscular adipogenesis-associated long non-coding RNA (BIANCR), a novel lncRNA that may have an important regulatory function. The knockdown of BIANCR inhibited proliferation and promoted apoptosis of intramuscular preadipocytes. Moreover, BIANCR knockdown inhibited intramuscular adipogenesis by regulating the ERK1/2 signaling pathway.ConclusionThis study obtained the landscape of lncRNAs during adipogenesis in bovine intramuscular adipocytes. BIANCR plays a crucial role in adipogenesis through the ERK1/2 signaling pathway. The results are noteworthy for improving beef meat quality, molecular breeding, and metabolic disease research.Graphical

Effects of Dietary Supplementation of Chinese Yam Polysaccharide on Carcass Composition, Meat Quality, and Antioxidant Capacity in Broilers.

The study aimed to evaluate the influences of the dietary supplementation of Chinese yam polysaccharide (CYP) on the carcass performance, antioxidant capacity, and meat quality of broilers. Three hundred and sixty healthy 1-day-old broilers with similar body weight (39 ± 1 g, gender balanced) were randomly divided into four groups (control, CYP1, CYP2, and CYP3 groups). In the control group, broilers were fed a basal diet with CYP, and the CYP1, CYP2, and CYP3 groups were fed diets supplemented with 250, 500, and 1000 mg/kg CYP, respectively. There were three replicates in each group, 30 birds in each replicate, and the feeding trial lasted for 48 days. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0 (SPSS Inc., Chicago, IL, USA) by one-way analysis of variance. The results showed that compared with the control group, dietary supplementation with 500 mg/kg CYP can improve live weight, half-eviscerated carcass percentage, eviscerated carcass percentage, and thigh muscle percentage. Moreover, dietary supplementation with 500 mg/kg CYP can improve the contents of total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), and glutathione s-transferase (GST) in serum (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the mRNA expression levels of nuclear factor-erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2), heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), quinone oxidoreductase (NQO1), superoxide dismutase 1 (SOD1), glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1), and catalase (CAT) in the liver; the mRNA expression levels of HO-1, NQO1, GPX1, and CAT in the breast muscle; and the mRNA expression levels of NQO1, SOD1, and CAT in the thigh muscle of broilers in the CYP2 group were significantly increased (p < 0.05). In addition, the yellowness and shear force of the thigh and breast muscles and the content of malondialdehyde (MDA) in the serum of broilers in the control group were higher than that in the CYP2 groups (p < 0.05). The results demonstrated that the CYP2 group had the best effect on improving meat quality. In conclusion, dietary supplementation with 500 mg/kg CYP can improve the meat quality of broilers by improving carcass quality, meat color, shear force, and antioxidant capacity.

Enzyme Feed Additive with Arazyme Improve Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Gut Microbiome of Pigs.

The supplementation of pig diets with exogenous enzymes is widely used with the expectation that it will improve the efficiency of nutrient utilization, thereby, improving growth performance. This study aims to evaluate the effects of a 0.1% (v/v) multi-enzyme (a mixture of arazyme (2,500,000 Unit/kg), xylanase (200,000 Unit/kg) and mannanase (200,000 Unit/kg)) supplementation derived from invertebrate symbiotic bacteria on pig performance. Here, 256 growing pigs were assigned to control and treatment groups, respectively. The treatment group exhibited a significantly reduced average slaughter age; the final body weight and average daily gain increased compared with that of the control group. In the treatment group, the longissimus muscle showed a remarkable decrease in cooking loss, shear force, and color values with increased essential and non-essential amino acid concentrations. Furthermore, the concentrations of mono- and polyunsaturated fatty acids in the treatment group increased. Feed additive supplementation increased the family of Ruminococcaceae and genera Lactobacillus, Limosilactobacillus, Turicibacter, and Oscillibacter, which play a positive role in the host physiology and health. Predicted metabolic pathway analysis confirmed that operational taxonomic units and predicted amino acid biosynthesis pathways were strongly associated. The results suggest that applying exogenous enzymes derived from invertebrate symbiotic bacteria enhances animal performance.

Genome-wide association studies demonstrate the genes associated with perimysial thickness in ducks.

The thickness of the perimysium has an essential effect on the tenderness of the meat. However, the genetic basis underlying perimysial thickness has not been determined. The objective of this study was to explore the quantitative trait loci (QTL) that influence perimysial thickness in an F2 segregating population generated by Mallard × Pekin duck using the genome-wide association study (GWAS) method. Two QTL identified in chromosomes 27 and 13 displayed significant associations with perimysial thickness traits at the genome-wide level. The strongest association was the QTL located in chromosome 27, and this region had an effect on perimysial thickness and contained a promising candidate gene MAGI3 (Membrane-associated guanylate kinase, WW and PDZ domain containing 3). Meanwhile, association analysis showed that the top SNP within the MAGI3 gene was also associated with intramuscular fat content traits, which showed that perimysial thickness was positively correlated with intramuscular fat content. The second strongest association was the QTL region of chromosome 13. SUCLG2 (Succinate-CoA ligase GDP-forming subunit beta) is proximal to the top SNP and stood out as another candidate gene. Furthermore, the Transposase-Accessible Chromatin using Sequencing result showed that some key transcription factors (MYF5, MYOD1, KLF11) related to muscle development or energy metabolism might bind to the open regions of MAGI3 and SUCLG2. By analyzing the expression of different genotypes of the candidate gene, we speculate that different genotypes of MAGI3 may have an effect on breast muscle development, and then affect the thickness of the perimysium. This study maps two major genes of the duck breast muscle perimysial thickness trait, which helps to characterize muscle development and contributes to the genetic improvement of meat yield and quality in livestock.

Using phenotypic and genotypic big data to investigate the effect of muscle fiber characteristics on meat quality and eating quality traits in pigs

Determining genetic correlations (GCs) between phenotypes that can be replicated across breeds or generations is important for animal breeding. A comprehensive and objective evaluation of this is dependent on enough variations in the studied phenotypes. To this end, we constructed a worldwide distributed eight-breeds crossbreed mosaic pig population and estimated the genetic and phenotypic correlations of muscle fiber characteristics (MFCs) with meat quality and eating quality traits using F6 and F7 generations (∼590 samples/generation) of this population. The GCs of the density of type IIA fibers and type IIB fibers with the loin-eye area, a*, color score, firmness score, and those of the proportions of the two fiber types with pH24h and b* were moderate to high (|rg| ≥ 0.3) in both populations. We also obtained moderate to high GCs of mean fiber density with five sensory quality traits. Our results provide an important reference for improving meat quality through the genetic regulation of MFCs.