Japanese Shorthorn Research Articles

Estimation of moisture content in dry-cured beef ham by measuring the impedance of the surface.

Dry-cured beef ham quality is determined by moisture content; however, it is hard to do non-destructive monitoring. We investigated whether the internal moisture content of dry-cured beef ham could be determined from the impedance of the surface, which is removed at the time of eating. Supraspinatus muscle samples from Japanese Shorthorn steers were dried for different periods. The samples were then divided into the parts to be removed (surface) and edible parts. Their respective impedance and moisture content were measured, and the correlation between these two parameters was investigated. A negative correlation was observed between the impedance and moisture content of the surface and the shallow and deep sections of the edible part. There was also a negative correlation between the impedance of the surface and the moisture content of the shallow and deep sections of the edible part. Therefore, the results of this study indicate that during drying, the moisture content in the shallow and deep sections of dry-cured hams can be estimated by measuring the impedance of the surface. This non-destructive method of measuring the moisture content of dry-cured hams can help in regulating the moisture content during drying to produce high-quality dry-cured hams.

Region-wise analysis of beef cow movements in Japan.

Animal movement is an important factor in the transmission of animal infectious diseases. A better understanding of movement patterns is therefore necessary for developing effective control measures against disease spread. In Japan, a cattle tracing system was established in 2003, following a bovine spongiform encephalopathy epidemic, and the information on all cattle movements has been stored in a national database maintained by the National Livestock Breeding Center. Using these data, we previously analyzed the movement of dairy cows, concluding that heterogeneities in cattle movement are associated with regional and seasonal factors. In the present study, we aimed to identify specific factors affecting the regional and seasonal movement patterns of beef cows in Japan. From April 2012 to March 2017, 797,553 farm-to-farm movement events were recorded. We analyzed movements by month and by cattle age and looked at the frequency of movement within and between seven regions spanning the national territory. Our results show that calf movement peaked at 9-10 months old; these movements were considered to be via the market and were frequent within and between regions. For inter-regional movements, Kyushu region was the top producer of calves for calf trading markets throughout Japan. With regard to intra-regional movements, round-trip movements for summer grazing were observed in May and October for cattle of various ages in the northern regions, especially Hokkaido and Tohoku. Moreover, the movements of Japanese Shorthorn breeds in Tohoku region exhibited consistent annual peaks in May and October/November, in accordance with their seasonal breeding practice. In the areas with high relative densities of dairy cows, such as Hokkaido, the shipping of newborn beef calves produced via embryo transfer to dairy cows was also observed. Overall, understanding the patterns of beef cow movement will help develop effective disease surveillance measures, such as pre-movement inspections focused on specific regions and types of movement.

Comprehensive assessment of genetic diversity, structure, and relationship in four Japanese cattle breeds by Illumina 50 K SNP array analysis.

There are four unique cattle breeds in Japan: Japanese Black, Japanese Brown, Japanese Polled, and Japanese Shorthorn. The objective of this study was to comprehensively assess the genetic diversity, structure, relationship, and the degree of influence from foreign breeds (Angus, Simmental, Hanwoo, Shorthorn, Ayrshire, Brown Swiss, and Devon) in the Japanese cattle breeds using Illumina 50 K SNP array. In principal component analysis, each Japanese breed was separately clustered except for Japanese Shorthorn and Shorthorn. Japanese cattle breeds also showed different genetic components from each other at K ≥ 5 in population structure analysis. Japanese Shorthorn, on the other hand, had a very similar structure to Shorthorn at K ≤ 9, and Japanese Polled had a partially similar component with Angus at K = 3-7. Such close relationships were also observed in the phylogenetic tree. These findings imply that Japanese cattle breeds share genetic components with European cattle breeds to some extent while they have been almost differentiated. In population structure analysis, Japanese Black cattle shared little genetic component (3.5%) with European breeds. This is the first study to determine the extent to which European breeds impact Japanese breeds.

Application of sarunashi (Actinidia arguta) juices extracted at different ripening stages for Japanese Shorthorn steer meat tenderization.

We investigated the effects of juices of sarunashi (Actinidia arguta) at varying ripening stages (unripe, force-ripe, ripe, and over-ripe) on textural properties and water holding capacity after application to the supraspinatus muscle meat from Japanese Shorthorn steers (n = 6). Following drip and cooking loss measurements, we analyzed the maximum load, gumminess load, cohesiveness, and adhesiveness of the muscle samples. Drip loss did not differ significantly among the groups; however, cooking loss in the over-ripe group was higher than that in the other groups. The maximum load and gumminess load in the over-ripe group were significantly lower than those in the unripe group, but no significant difference was observed for the others. There were no differences in cohesiveness and adhesiveness among the groups. Over-ripened sarunashi juices were found to be more effective for beef tenderization than unripened fruit juice.

A topic of Japanese Shorthorn as a local breed of Wagyu

A topic of Japanese Shorthorn as a local breed of Wagyu

Genetic relationships of feed efficiency and growth traits with carcass traits in Japanese Shorthorn cattle.

In this study, we examined genetic parameters for feed efficiency, growth, and carcass traits in Japanese Shorthorn cattle, based on 714 performance tests and 15,790 field carcass records. Feed efficiency traits, including residual feed intake (RFI) and residual body weight gain (RG), were calculated. Single-trait and two-trait animal models were used to estimate heritability and genetic correlations. Heritability estimates for feed efficiency traits were found to be low to moderate (ranging from 0.03 to 0.36); notably, heritability was moderate for RG and low for RFI. Estimates for genetic correlations between feed efficiency traits and average daily gain (DG) were favorably moderate to high (absolute values of 0.43-0.85), and those with daily feed intake were low (absolute values of 0.00-0.32). We also estimated a high genetic correlation between RG and DG. The backfat thickness (BF) of bull calves showed favorable or no genetic correlation estimates with feed efficiency and growth traits, whereas RG and BF showed favorable or no genetic correlation estimates with carcass traits. Our findings indicate that genetic improvements in both feed utilization ability and carcass traits could be achieved by utilizing RG and BF in Japanese Shorthorn cattle.

Effect of juice from Sarunashi (<i>Actinidia arguta</i>) varieties on textural properties and water holding capacity of muscle from Japanese Shorthorn steers

Effect of juice from Sarunashi (<i>Actinidia arguta</i>) varieties on textural properties and water holding capacity of muscle from Japanese Shorthorn steers

Evaluation of inbreeding and genetic diversity in Japanese Shorthorn cattle by pedigree analysis.

The Japanese Shorthorn is a Japanese Wagyu breed maintained at a small population size. We assessed the degree of inbreeding and genetic diversity among Japanese Shorthorn cattle using pedigree analysis. We analyzed the pedigree records of registered Japanese Shorthorn born between 1980 and 2018, after evaluating the pedigree completeness. The average of the actual inbreeding coefficients increased at the same rates annually from approximately 1.5% in 1980 to 4.2% in 2018 and was higher than the expected inbreeding coefficients over time. The effective population size based on the individual coancestry rate largely decreased from 127.8 in 1980 to 82.6 in 1999, and then remained almost constant at approximately 90. Three effective numbers of ancestors decreased over time until 1995, then remained almost constant. In particular, the effective number of founder genomes (N ge ) decreased from 43.8 in 1980 to 11.9 in 2018. The index of genetic diversity based on N ge decreased from 0.99 in 1980 to 0.96 in 2018 due to genetic drift in non‐founder generations. Changes in inbreeding and genetic diversity parameters were similar between Japanese Shorthorn and other Japanese Wagyu breeds, but the magnitude of the changes was lower in the Japanese Shorthorn.

Cattle mitogenome variation reveals a post-glacial expansion of haplogroup P and an early incorporation into northeast Asian domestic herds

Surveys of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) variation have shown that worldwide domestic cattle are characterized by just a few major haplogroups. Two, T and I, are common and characterize Bos taurus and Bos indicus, respectively, while the other three, P, Q and R, are rare and are found only in taurine breeds. Haplogroup P is typical of extinct European aurochs, while intriguingly modern P mtDNAs have only been found in northeast Asian cattle. These Asian P mtDNAs are extremely rare with the exception of the Japanese Shorthorn breed, where they reach a frequency of 45.9%. To shed light on the origin of this haplogroup in northeast Asian cattle, we completely sequenced 14 Japanese Shorthorn mitogenomes belonging to haplogroup P. Phylogenetic and Bayesian analyses revealed: (1) a post-glacial expansion of aurochs carrying haplogroup P from Europe to Asia; (2) that all Asian P mtDNAs belong to a single sub-haplogroup (P1a), so far never detected in either European or Asian aurochs remains, which was incorporated into domestic cattle of continental northeastern Asia possibly ~ 3700 years ago; and (3) that haplogroup P1a mtDNAs found in the Japanese Shorthorn breed probably reached Japan about 650 years ago from Mongolia/Russia, in agreement with historical evidence.

Effect of application of juice from immature and mature Sarunashi (<i>Actinidia arguta</i>) on textural properties and water holding capacity of muscle from Japanese Shorthorn steers

Effect of application of juice from immature and mature Sarunashi (<i>Actinidia arguta</i>) on textural properties and water holding capacity of muscle from Japanese Shorthorn steers

Comparison of physical, chemical, and textural properties of two cured muscles from Japanese Shorthorn steers and delivered cows

Comparison of physical, chemical, and textural properties of two cured muscles from Japanese Shorthorn steers and delivered cows

Comparison on the Growth Characteristics between Calves of Two Different Japanese Beef Breeds Suckled by Japanese Shorthorn Dams

Comparison on the Growth Characteristics between Calves of Two Different Japanese Beef Breeds Suckled by Japanese Shorthorn Dams

Coordinated alteration of mRNA-microRNA transcriptomes associated with exosomes and fatty acid metabolism in adipose tissue and skeletal muscle in grazing cattle.

ObjectiveOn the hypothesis that grazing of cattle prompts organs to secrete or internalize circulating microRNAs (c-miRNAs) in parallel with changes in energy metabolism, we aimed to clarify biological events in adipose, skeletal muscle, and liver tissues in grazing Japanese Shorthorn (JSH) steers by a transcriptomic approach.MethodsThe subcutaneous fat (SCF), biceps femoris muscle (BFM), and liver in JSH steers after three months of grazing or housing were analyzed using microarray and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR), followed by gene ontology (GO) and functional annotation analyses.ResultsThe results of transcriptomics indicated that SCF was highly responsive to grazing compared to BFM and liver tissues. The ‘Exosome’, ‘Carbohydrate metabolism’ and ‘Lipid metabolism’ were extracted as the relevant GO terms in SCF and BFM, and/or liver from the >1.5-fold-altered mRNAs in grazing steers. The qPCR analyses showed a trend of upregulated gene expression related to exosome secretion and internalization (charged multivesicular body protein 4A, vacuolar protein sorting-associated protein 4B, vesicle associated membrane protein 7, caveolin 1) in the BFM and SCF, as well as upregulation of lipolysis-associated mRNAs (carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1A, hormone-sensitive lipase, perilipin 1, adipose triglyceride lipase, fatty acid binding protein 4) and most of the microRNAs (miRNAs) in SCF. Moreover, gene expression related to fatty acid uptake and inter-organ signaling (solute carrier family 27 member 4 and angiopoietin-like 4) was upregulated in BFM, suggesting activation of SCF-BFM organ crosstalk for energy metabolism. Meanwhile, expression of plasma exosomal miR-16a, miR-19b, miR-21-5p, and miR-142-5p was reduced. According to bioinformatic analyses, the c-miRNA target genes are associated with the terms ‘Endosome’, ‘Caveola’, ‘Endocytosis’, ‘Carbohydrate metabolism’, and with pathways related to environmental information processing and the endocrine system.ConclusionExosome and fatty acid metabolism-related gene expression was altered in SCF of grazing cattle, which could be regulated by miRNA such as miR-142-5p. These changes occurred coordinately in both the SCF and BFM, suggesting involvement of exosome in the SCF-BFM organ crosstalk to modulate energy metabolism.

Effects of different levels of four minerals used for curing on water holding capacity and textural properties of Japanese Shorthorn beef

Effects of different levels of four minerals used for curing on water holding capacity and textural properties of Japanese Shorthorn beef

Effect of use of KCl for curing on physical, chemical, and textural properties of Japanese Shorthorn beef

Effect of use of KCl for curing on physical, chemical, and textural properties of Japanese Shorthorn beef

Comparisons of physical, chemical, and textural properties of six cured muscles from Japanese Shorthorn steers

Comparisons of physical, chemical, and textural properties of six cured muscles from Japanese Shorthorn steers

Effects of Grazing or Exercise in the Middle of the Fattening Period on the Growth and Carcass Traits of Japanese Shorthorn Steers

Effects of Grazing or Exercise in the Middle of the Fattening Period on the Growth and Carcass Traits of Japanese Shorthorn Steers

The mtDNA haplogroup P of modern Asian cattle: A genetic legacy of Asian aurochs?

BackgroundAurochs (Bos primigenius) were distributed throughout large parts of Eurasia and Northern Africa during the late Pleistocene and the early Holocene, and all modern cattle are derived from the aurochs. Although the mtDNA haplogroups of most modern cattle belong to haplogroups T and I, several additional haplogroups (P, Q, R, C and E) have been identified in modern cattle and aurochs. Haplogroup P was the most common haplogroup in European aurochs, but so far, it has been identified in only three of >3,000 submitted haplotypes of modern Asian cattle.MethodologyWe sequenced the complete mtDNA D-loop region of 181 Japanese Shorthorn cattle and analyzed these together with representative bovine mtDNA sequences. The haplotype P of Japanese Shorthorn cattle was analyzed along with that of 36 previously published European aurochs and three modern Asian cattle sequences using the hypervariable 410 bp of the D-loop region.ConclusionsWe detected the mtDNA haplogroup P in Japanese Shorthorn cattle with an extremely high frequency (83/181). Phylogenetic networks revealed two main clusters, designated as Pa for haplogroup P in European aurochs and Pc in modern Asian cattle. We also report the genetic diversity of haplogroup P compared with the sequences of extinct aurochs. No shared haplotypes are observed between the European aurochs and the modern Asian cattle. This finding suggests the possibility of local and secondary introgression events of haplogroup P in northeast Asian cattle, and will contribute to a better understanding of its origin and genetic diversity.

塩漬におけるNaClの量が日本短角種牛肉の理化学特性に及ぼす影響

異なるNaClの量で塩漬を行った日本短角種去勢牛（n＝8）の牛肉（大腿二頭筋）の品質について比較を行った．筋肉サンプル（100g）は2g（2g区），4g（4g区），および6g（6g区）のNaClで3日間の塩漬を行った．筋肉サンプルのテクスチャーは表面および内部（表面から10mm）で測定を行った．メトミオグロビン割合およびa*値は表面，表面から5mm （浅部），および表面から10mm（深部）で測定を行った．凝集性，付着性，およびガム性荷重はすべての測定部位で2g区が6g区に比較して，それぞれ有意に低かった．メトミオグロビン割合は浅部および深部で2g区が6g区に比較して，それぞれ有意に低かった．a*値はすべての測定部位で2g区が6g区に比較して有意に高かった．ドリップロスは2g区が最も低く，また6g区が最も高かった．

P1008 Genetic diversity and origin of mtDNA haplogroup P observed in Japanese Shorthorn

P1008 Genetic diversity and origin of mtDNA haplogroup P observed in Japanese Shorthorn