Meat Thickness Research Articles

Polymorphisms of the SCD1 Gene and Its Association Analysis with Carcass, Meat Quality, Adipogenic Traits, Fatty Acid Composition, and Milk Production Traits in Cattle.

Stearoyl-CoA desaturase-1 (SCD1) is a key enzyme in the biosynthesis of monounsaturated fatty acids and is considered a candidate gene for improving milk and meat quality traits. Sanger sequencing was employed to investigate the genetic polymorphism of the fifth exon and intron of bovine SCD1, revealing four SNPs, g.21272246 A>G, g.21272306 T>C, g.21272422 C>T, and g.21272529 A>G. Further variance analysis and multiple comparisons were conducted to examine the relationship between variation sites and economic traits in Chinese Simmental cattle, as well as milk production traits in Holstein cows. The findings revealed these four loci exhibited significant associations with carcass traits (carcass weight, carcass length, backfat thickness, and waist meat thickness), meat quality (pH value, rib eye area, and marbling score), adipogenic traits (fat score and carcass fat coverage rate), and fatty acid composition (linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid). Furthermore, these loci were additionally found to be significantly associated with average milk yield and milk fat content in cows. In addition, a haplotype analysis of combinations of SNPs showed that H2H3 has a significant association with adipogenic traits and H2H2 was associated with higher levels of linoleic acid and α-linolenic acid than the other combinations. These results suggest that the four SNPs are expected to be prospective genetic markers for the above economic traits. In addition, the function of SNPs in exon 5 of SCD1 on gene expression and protein structure needs to be explored in the future.

Effect of Powdery Mildew on the Photosynthetic Parameters and Leaf Microstructure of Melon

Powdery mildew is a fungal disease devastating to crops, causing significant quality and yield loss. As one of the most important fruits in the world, melon also is damaged by powdery mildew. The present study investigated the effect of powdery mildew on the photosynthetic parameters and leaf microstructure of melons, the ultrastructure of the leaf surface, photosynthetic index, chlorophyll content, yield, and quality index of five thick-skinned and differently shaped melon varieties. The net photosynthetic rate, transpiration rate, leaf water use efficiency, and chlorophyll levels were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in Kangbing F3800 plants compared to the other four varieties. In the case of powdery mildew infection, the total number of stomata in the upper and lower epidermis was particularly high in the Zhongtian No. 8 and Zhongtianxueqiong varieties, respectively. The stomatal length and width were highest in the upper epidermis of Zhongtian No. 12 leaves and in the lower epidermis of Zhongtian No. 8 leaves compared to the other varieties. The total yield and meat thickness were significantly (p < 0.05) higher in the Zhongtianxueqiong variety than the others, along with the low edge sugar content. Overall, powdery mildew impacted differently the photosynthetic and leaf surface characteristics of the five melon varieties. Kangbing F3800 emerged as the most resistant variety, making it the preferred choice for introducing and promoting thick-skinned melon varieties in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China.

Investigation of technological parameters of manufacturing meat products from chicken fillet

Compliance with the technological process and production parameters is the key to obtaining a high-quality product. Given the rapid development of the food industry and the needs of consumers for products that have not been subjected to repeated technological processing, where their nutritional value is preserved as much as possible, there is a need to investigate meat products that can meet such requirements. The purpose of the study was to determine and establish the technological parameters of the production of chicken jerky. The study involved experimental research, organoleptic evaluation of finished products, determination of the amount of waste after dressing meat, physicochemical parameters of raw materials, semi-finished products, and finished products: moisture content, pH, fat content by the Soxhlet method and protein content by the Kjeldahl method. Four methods of production of chicken jerky were investigated, namely: marinating with convective drying with a change in temperature conditions during the drying process; marinating with subsequent cooking using sous-vide technology to a temperature in the thickness of meat not less than 72ºC and convective drying until ready; pre-salting of chicken meat with a ratio of raw materials to salt of 1/1, followed by marinating and convective drying with a change in temperature conditions during the drying process. The final moisture content of the finished jerky was determined to be between 20.8% and 37%, depending on the production method. The study calculated capital (2.33% ± 0.5%) and technical (12.53% ± 1.32%) waste from the preparation of raw materials for the production of jerky, and provided a method for calculating the gross weight of chicken fillet from the required net weight of meat raw materials. Waste after drying for each of the studied methods are shown, which ranged from 46.7%, to 65.03%, 68%, and 74.77%. The results of the study can be used by meat producers and restaurant establishments when planning and developing their own products, improving existing production technologies, and understanding trends in the production of meat delicacies on the Ukrainian market

Human–Robot Skill Transferring and Inverse Velocity Admittance Control for Soft Tissue Cutting Tasks

Robotic meat cutting is increasingly in demand in meat industries due to safety issues, labor shortages, and inefficiencies. This paper proposes a multi-demonstration human–robot skill transfer framework to address the flexible and generalized cutting of sheep hindquarters with complex 3D anatomy structures by imitating humans. To improve the generalization with meat sizes and demonstrations and extract target cutting behaviors, multi-demonstrations of cutting are encoded into low-dimension latent space through principal components analysis (PCA), Gaussian mixture model (GMM), and Gaussian mixture regression (GMR). To improve the robotic cutting flexibility and the cutting behavior reproducing accuracy, this study combines a modified dynamic movement primitive (DMP) high-level behavior generator with the low-level joints admittance control (AC) through real-time inverse velocity (IV) kinematics solving and constructs the IVAC-DMP control module. The experimental results show that the maximum residual meat thickness in the sheep hindquarter cutting of sample 1 is 3.1 mm, and sample 2 is 3.8 mm. The residual rates of samples 1 and 2 are 5.6% and 4.8%. Both meet the requirements for sheep hindquarter separation. The proposed framework is advantageous for harvesting high-value meat products and providing a reference technique for robot skill learning in interaction tasks.

Performance, carcass yield, and meat quality of buffalo (Bubalus bubalis) fed on diets with different levels of concentrate

The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of diets with increasing concentrate levels on performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of Murrah buffaloes in feedlot. Twenty-four animals, with an initial body weight of 240 ± 50.5 kg and mean age of 9 months, were distributed to four treatments: 20%, 40%, 60% and 80% concentrate. After 114 days, the animals were weighed, slaughtered, and meat quality and performance data were submitted to analysis of variance and regression. The dry matter intake and average daily gain increased linearly. The final body, hot carcass, and cold carcass weights responded linearly to increases in concentrate level. The subcutaneous fat thickness, protein, and ether extract of meat increased linearly with an increase in concentrate level. The colour parameters, cooking losses, and shear force of the meat were not affected by increasing the concentrate. The inclusion of concentrate in feedlot diets increases performance, characteristics of carcass, and meat quality of Murrah buffalo in a feedlot.

Simultaneous determination of heterocyclic aromatic amines and N-nitrosamines in fried bacon cubes and slices using LC-(ESI/APCI)-MS/MS

Bacon manufacturing involves several processing steps including nitrite curing, followed by cooking processes, typically frying. During these processes, harmful processing contaminants such as N-nitrosamines (NAs) and heterocyclic aromatic amines (HAAs) can be formed. Consequently, we developed and validated a multi-class method for quantification of the most frequently reported HAAs and NAs in fried bacon. Satisfactory repeatability and reproducibility with limits of quantification between 0.1 and 0.5 ng g−1 for most of the compounds were achieved. Quantification in pan-fried bacon cubes and slices revealed generally low levels of individual HAAs (≤1.5 ng g−1), except in ready-to-eat bacon (0.9–2.9 ng g−1). Differences in amounts of individual HAAs were observed in cubes and slices, most likely due to meat thickness. Among volatile NAs (VNAs), only N-nitrosopiperidine (NPIP), N-nitrosopyrolidine (NPYR), and N-nitrosodibutylamine (NDBA) were found at generally low concentrations (≤5 ng g−1). In contrast, non-volatile NAs (NVNAs) were present in all tested samples at considerably higher amounts, for example, N-nitroso-thiazolidine-4-carboxylic acid (NTCA) at 12–77 ng g−1. N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA), N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA), N-nitrosodipropylamine (NDPA) were not detected in any samples. Statistical evaluation and principal component analysis revealed some differences among tested samples. Dietary exposure estimation of the Danish population to HAAs and NAs showed the highest exposure in the teenage group (10–17 years).

Effects of Process Parameters on the Quality of Suantang Beef.

Suantang beef is a traditional delicious Chinese food cooked in Suantang (ST, a sour soup fermented by microorganisms). However, the impact of ST on beef quality is unclear, and the process of ST beef lacks unified technical standards. In the presented study, we found that the additional amount of salt, cooking time, meat thickness, and beef-ST ratio significantly affect the quality of ST beef. After optimization, it was found that when salt addition was 1%, cooking time was 3 min, meat thickness was 2 cm, and beef-ST ratio was 40%, the color determined by colorimeter, texture determined by texture analyzer, and sensory scores of beef cooked by ST were improved compared with boiled beef. ST decreased the pH value and cathepsin L activity of beef, increased the content of organic acid, and changed the protein composition of beef. ST made the beef have higher hardness, and have better chewiness and cohesion. At the same time, ST reduced the disagreeable odors of beef and improved beef flavor. In addition, 88 volatile compounds were detected in ST beef by HS-SPME/GC-MS. According to odor, threshold, and odor activity value (OAV), 24 critical aroma-active compounds were confirmed in ST beef. This study provides a basis for the potential industrialized production of ST beef.

Effect of Immersion Duration and Meat Thickness of Soaked Meat in Liquid Smoke on Physical and the Sensory Quality of Beef

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of immersion duration and meat thickness of soaked meat in liquid smoke on the physical and sensory quality of beef. This experiment used Longisimus dorsi of Simmental bull beef that slaughtered at two years old. The observed variables were pH value, cooking loss and beef sensory properties (beef appearance, aroma, tenderness and flavour). The pH value and cooking loss data were analyzed of variance (Anova) at 5% significance level. The Duncan Multiple Range Test was applied when there was significant effect of treatment on pH and coking loss. Beef sensory properties data were Anova at 5% significance level and followed by Mann Whitney Test when there was significant effect of treatment on the observed variables. The result showed that there was no interaction (P>0.05) between immersion duration and meat thickness on all observed variables. The immersion duration gave a significant effect (P<0.05) on the pH value, beef appearance, aroma, and flavour while meat thickness gave a significant effect (P<0.05) on meat tenderness. There was no significant effect (P>0.05) of immersion duration and meat thickness on cooking loss. In conclusion, panelists prefer meat that soaked in liquid smoke for five minutes.

Interaction of CP levels in maternal and nursery diets, and its effect on performance, protein digestibility, and serum urea levels in piglets

Reduced protein levels in nursery diets have been associated with a lower risk of postweaning diarrhea, but the interaction with CP levels in maternal diet on the performance of the offspring remains unclear. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of protein content in sow gestation and piglet nursery diets on the performance of the piglets until slaughter. This was studied in a 2 × 2 factorial trial (35 sows, 209 piglets), with higher or lower (H or L) dietary CP in sow diets (168 vs 122 g CP/kg) during late gestation. A standard lactation feed was provided for all sows (160 g CP/kg). For both sow treatments, half of the litters received a higher or lower CP in the piglet nursery diet (210 vs 166 g CP/kg). This resulted in four possible treatment combinations: HH, HL, LH and LL, with sow treatment as first and piglet treatment as second letter. For each phase, all diets were iso-energetic and had a similar level of essential amino acids. Ps*p is the p-value for the interaction effect between sow and piglet treatment. In the nursery phase (3.5–9 weeks of age), a tendency toward interaction between piglet and sow treatments with feed efficiency (Ps*p = 0.08) was observed with HH having the highest gain:feed ratio (G:F) (0.74 ± 0.01), LH the lowest (0.70 ± 0.01) and the other two groups intermediate. In the growing-finishing phase, an interaction was observed between the piglet and sow diets with decreased G:F for LH (Ps*p = 0.04) and a tendency toward interaction with increased daily feed intake for LH (Ps*p = 0.07). The sow diet showed a tendency toward a long-lasting effect on the dressing percentage and meat thickness of the offspring, which was higher for the progeny of H sows (Ps < 0.01 and Ps = 0.02, respectively). At 23 weeks, serum urea concentrations tended to be lower for the HH and LL groups (Ps*p = 0.07). Fecal consistency scores were higher at day 10–day 14 after weaning for piglets from L sows (Ps = 0.03 and Ps < 0.01, respectively). At day 7 after weaning, fecal consistency score was higher for piglets fed the higher protein diet (Pp < 0.01). At 8 weeks of age, the apparent total tract digestibility of CP (ATTDCP) interacted between piglet and sow diet (Ps*p = 0.02), with HH showing the highest digestibility values. In conclusion, the protein levels in sow late-gestation and piglet nursery diets interacted with feed efficiency, ATTDCP and serum urea concentrations in the nursery phase.

As-Built Simulation of the High Flux Isotope Reactor

The Oak Ridge National Laboratory High Flux Isotope Reactor (HFIR) is an 85 MWt flux trap-type research reactor that supports key research missions, including isotope production, materials irradiation, and neutron scattering. The core consists of an inner and an outer fuel element containing 171 and 369 involute-shaped plates, respectively. The thin fuel plates consist of a U3O8-Al dispersion fuel (highly enriched), an aluminum-based filler, and aluminum cladding. The fuel meat thickness is varied across the width of the involute plate to reduce thermal flux peaks at the radial edges of the fuel elements. Some deviation from the designed fuel meat shaping is allowed during manufacturing. A homogeneity scan of each fuel plate checks for potential anomalies in the fuel distribution by scanning the surface of the plate and comparing the attenuation of the beam to calibration standards. While typical HFIR simulations use homogenized fuel regions, explicit models of the plates were developed under the Low-Enriched Uranium Conversion Program. These explicit models typically include one inner and one outer fuel plate with nominal fuel distributions, and then the plates are duplicated to fill the space of the corresponding fuel element. Therefore, data extracted from these simulations are limited to azimuthally averaged quantities. To determine the reactivity and physics impacts of an as-built outer fuel element and generate azimuthally dependent data in the element, 369 unique fuel plate models were generated and positioned. This model generates the three-dimensional (i.e., radial–axial–azimuthal) plate power profile, where the azimuthal profile is impacted by features within the adjacent control element region and beryllium reflector. For an as-built model of the outer fuel element, plate-specific homogeneity data, 235U loading, enrichment, and channel thickness measurements were translated into the model, yielding a much more varied azimuthal power profile encompassed by uncertainty factors in analyses. These models were run with the ORNL-TN and Shift Monte Carlo tools, and they contained upwards of 500,000 cells and 100,000 unique tallies.

Bypass fat enhances liveweight gain and meat quality but not profitability of smallholder cattle fattening systems based on oil palm frond

Context Oil palm frond (OPF) is abundantly available throughout Southeast Asia and is a good source of forage for feedlot cattle, particularly during the dry and monsoon seasons when other forage options are limited. However, the use of OPF in ruminants feed is constrained by its complex fibrous structure and low digestibility. Aims The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of supplementation with bypass fat on growth, meat quality and economic returns in smallholder feedlot systems where Napier grass is replaced with OPF. Methods Sixteen Brahman × Charolais crossbred steers, 23 ± 2.0 months old and with initial bodyweight of 425 ± 59.9 kg (mean ± s.e.), were randomly allocated in a 2 × 2 factorial randomised complete-block design experiment with the following dietary treatments: (i) fresh chopped Napier grass-based total mixed ration (TMR; Napier grass–fat), (ii) Napier grass-based TMR + 5% bypass fat (Napier grass+fat), (iii) OPF-based TMR (OPF–fat) and (iv) OPF-based TMR + 5% bypass fat (OPF+fat). Feed intake, digestibility of the diets and average daily gain were measured. The cattle were slaughtered to determine carcass dressing percentage and meat quality. Costs and return of fattening cattle were estimated. Key results Despite higher intake, cattle fed OPF–fat had a lower bodyweight gain than did cattle fed grass-based diets due to lower digestibility. Bypass-fat supplementation increased the bodyweigh of cattle fed OPF but not of cattle fed Napier grass. Fat supplementation enhanced colour, backfat thickness, and fat content of meat in both the Napier grass- and OPF-based diets. However, replacing Napier grass with OPF reduced the net profit of smallholder feedlot systems, even with fat supplementation. Conclusion While fat supplementation increased liveweight gain and enhanced some aspects of meat quality, the increased feeding cost reduced net profit. Therefore, supplementation of OPF with bypass fat is not recommended for smallholder feedlots in developing countries. Implications Appropriate technology to reduce the feeding cost of OPF needs to be developed to make it an economically viable option for smallholder farmers.

Combined supplementation of chromium-yeast and selenium-yeast on finishing barrows

ABSTRACT: The present study was performed to evaluate the association of chromium-yeast and selenium-yeast as nutritional additives to enhance performance and quantitative characteristics in the carcass of finishing barrows. A total of 48 barrows, commercial hybrid, with initial weight of 68.3±3.5 kg and final weight of 99.6±3.6 kg, were utilized for the study. The animals were distributed in a randomized complete block design, consisting of three levels of chromium-yeast and selenium-yeast (i.e., without supplementation of chromium-yeast and selenium-yeast, supplementation of 0.4 mg kg-1 chromium-yeast and 0.3 mg kg-1 selenium-yeast, and supplementation of 0.8 mg kg-1 chromium-yeast and 0.6 mg kg-1 selenium-yeast) with eight replicates and two animals per experimental unit. The supplementation of chromium and selenium-yeast did not significantly affect (P&gt;0.05) the average daily feed intake, digestible lysine, crude protein and metabolizable energy intake, average daily weight gain, feed conversion, weight and carcass length, back fat thickness, muscle depth, percentage and amount of lean meat, and carcass allowance. These findings suggest that supplementation of chromium and selenium-yeast does not affect the performance or quantitative characteristics in the carcass of finishing barrows.

Effects of Treatment Time and Thickness of Meat on the Removal of Radioactive Cesium from Beef Slices by Boiling and Water Extraction

Boiling effectively decreased radioactive cesium concentrations in beef. Water extraction was also effective but not as effective as boiling. The decontamination effect increased with treatment time. The decontamination effect was inversely proportion to the square of the thickness of the beef slice.

Mechanical properties of irradiated U[sbnd]Mo alloy fuel

This paper presents results of studies characterizing the mechanical properties of irradiated U10Mo fuel in support of low-enriched fuel conversion of several United States high-performance research reactors (USHPRR), specifically the monolithic base fuel qualification. Specimens were tested from ten test fuel plates irradiated at the Advanced Test Reactor (ATR) from the RERTR-12 and AFIP-6 Mk. II irradiation campaigns. Tests were conducted at Idaho National Laboratory (INL) in the Hot Fuel Examination Facility (HFEF) inert atmosphere Main Cell. The monolithic fuel plates consist of a U10Mo fuel foil meat covered with a Zr diffusion barrier layer fabricated by co-rolling, and clad in 6061 Al using a hot isostatic press (HIP) bonding process. Initial unirradiated specimens exhibited nominal (fresh) fuel meat thickness ranging from 0.25 mm to 0.64 mm, and irradiated (as tested) fuel plate average burnup ranged from approximately 0.36 × 1021 to 6.2 × 1021 fissions/cm3. After sectioning individual specimens from the fuel plates, the 6061 Al cladding was removed by dissolution in concentrated NaOH. Pre-dissolution measurement of width and post-dissolution measurement of thickness were conducted on test specimens to facilitate accurate analysis of bend test results. The final thickness values varied from 0.3 to 0.8 mm. Four-point bend testing was conducted on the HFEF Remote Load Frame (RLF) using custom-designed test fixtures and calibrated force and displacement sensors. All specimens exhibited dominantly elastic behavior and failed in a brittle manner. Analysis of test results showed decreasing elastic modulus and bending failure strength with increasing fission density. The trend of modulus decrease intersected with unirradiated modulus at zero fission density. The trend of decreasing bending strength with increased fission density is apparent, but has significantly higher uncertainty levels than the modulus results over the fission density range evaluated. A linear trend fit of the calculated bend strengths versus fission density does not coincide with unirradiated tensile strength, which is significantly higher. Porosities measured on the test specimen material are used with several model equations to predict irradiated modulus values. Over the range of available porosity information, comparison to the experimental modulus values are favorable. Other factors and their potential influence on modulus and strength calculations are discussed.

Effect of fission rate on the microstructure of coated UMo dispersion fuel

Compared to previous irradiation experiments containing UMo/Al dispersion fuel plates, the SELENIUM irradiation experiment performed at the SCK·CEN BR2 reactor in 2012 showed an improved plate swelling behavior. However, in the high burn-up area of the plates a significant increase in meat thickness was still measured. The origin of this increase is currently not firmly established, but it is clear from the observed microstructure that the swelling rate still is too high for practical purposes and needs to be reduced. It was stipulated that the swelling occurred at the high burnup areas which are also the high power zones at beginning of life. For that reason, an experiment was proposed to investigate the influence of fission rate (i.e. power) on some of the observed phenomena. For this purpose, a sibling plate to a high power (BOL>470 W/cm2) SELENIUM plate was irradiated during four BR2 cycles. The SELENIUM 1a fuel plate was submitted to a local maximum heat flux below 350 W/cm2, throughout the full irradiation. At the end of the last cycle, the SELENIUM 1a fuel plate reached a maximum local burnup value of close to 75%235U compared to 70%235U for the SELENIUM high power plates. When comparing to the results on the SELENIUM plates, the non-destructive tests clearly show a continued linear swelling behavior of the low power irradiated fuel plate SELENIUM 1a in the high burn-up region. The influence of the fission rate is also evidenced in the microstructural examination of the fuel showing that there is no formation of interaction layer at the high burn-up region.

Analysis on the post-irradiation examination of the HANARO miniplate-1 irradiation test for kijang research reactor

Abstract The construction project of the Kijang research reactor (KJRR), which is the second research reactor in Korea, has been launched. The KJRR was designed to use, for the first time, U–Mo fuel. Plate-type U–7 wt.% Mo/Al–5 wt.% Si, referred to as U–7Mo/Al–5Si, dispersion fuel with a uranium loading of 8.0 gU/cm3, was selected to achieve higher fuel efficiency and performance than are possible when using U3Si2/Al dispersion fuel. To qualify the U–Mo fuel in terms of plate geometry, the first miniplates [HANARO Miniplate (HAMP-1)], containing U–7Mo/Al–5Si dispersion fuel (8 gU/cm3), were fabricated at the Korea Atomic Energy Research Institute and recently irradiated at HANARO. The PIE (Post-irradiation Examination) results of the HAMP-1 irradiation test were analyzed in depth in order to verify the safe in-pile performance of the U–7Mo/Al–5Si dispersion fuel under the KJRR irradiation conditions. Nondestructive analyses included visual inspection, gamma spectrometric mapping, and two-dimensional measurements of the plate thickness and oxide thickness. Destructive PIE work was also carried out, focusing on characterization of the microstructural behavior using optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Electron probe microanalysis was also used to measure the elemental concentrations in the interaction layer formed between the U–Mo kernels and the matrix. A blistering threshold test and a bending test were performed on the irradiated HAMP-1 miniplates that were saved from the destructive tests. Swelling evaluation of the U–Mo fuel was also conducted using two methods: plate thickness measurement and meat thickness measurement.

Effects of replacing marine fishmeal with graded levels of Tra Catfish by-product protein hydrolysate on the performance and meat quality of pigs

A feeding trial was carried out to evaluate the effects of replacing fish meal (FM) with Tra Catfish (Pangasius hypophthalmus) by-product protein hydrolysate (TPH) on performance and carcass quality in pigs. Forty crossbred castrated (Yorkshire x Landrace) male pigs with an initial average bodyweight of 22.8 ± 1.5 kg were allocated to 40 individual pens in a randomized complete block design with eight replications. The pigs were fed a control diet (TPH0) with FM as sole protein supplement. In the experimental diets, 100% (TPH100), 75% (TPH75), 50% (TPH50) and 25% (TPH25) of the crude protein (CP) from FM was replaced by the CP from TPH. The results showed no significant differences in average daily feed intake (ADFI) in all treatments during the growing and finishing phases. However, daily weight gain (ADG) was higher in TPH75 (655 g/day) and TPH100 (663 g/day) than in TPH0 (639 g/day). Feed conversion ratio (FCR) was improved with higher inclusion of TPH in the diets. Carcass yield and dressing percentage were not affected by treatments, but abdominal fat and backfat thickness were higher and in the loin-eye area lower in TPH100 compared with TPH0. Polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), ether extract (EE) contents and meat colour values a* (redness) in the longissimus dorsi muscle increased with TPH replacement level. Feed costs were 10% lower in TPH100 compared with TPH0. In conclusion, replacing FM with TPH improved the performance, but resulted in an increase in backfat thickness and fat content of meat. However, because of reduced feed costs, complete replacement of FM would still be profitable for pig producers in Vietnam.Keywords: Backfat thickness, longissimus dorsi muscle, fatty acid, Pangasius hypophthalmus

The Breed and Sex Effect on the Carcass Size Performance and Meat Quality of Yak in Different Muscles.

The carcass size performances and the meat quality of Gannan and Sibu yak were determined using M. supraspinatus (SU), M. longissimus thoracis (LT) and M.quadriceps femoris (QF). It is found that Sibu yak had significantly higher carcass weight (CW) than Gannan yak with difference of nearly 40 kg, as well as significantly higher eye muscle area (EMA), carcass thorax depth (CTD), round perimeter (RP), etc. The carcass performances of steer yak were significantly higher than heifer yak except meat thickness at round (MTR) (p<0.05). The results show that both yak breed and gender had significant effects on carcass performances. It could be seen that the variation of carcass size performances from breeds is as large as from gender (50.22% and 46.25% of total variation, respectively) through principal component analysis (PCA). Sibu yak had significantly higher L*, b*, WBSF, cooking loss and Fat content, while Gannan yak had significantly higher a*, press loss, protein content and moisture (p<0.05). Yak gender and muscle had insignificant effects on meat colour and water holding capacity (p>0.05). The variation of meat quality of yak from breed is up to 59.46% of total variation according to PCA. It is shown that the difference between breeds, for Gannan yak and Sibu yak, plays an important role in carcass size performance and meat quality.

Potensi Serbuk Daun Pepaya untuk Meningkatkan Efisiensi Pemanfaatan Pakan, Rasio Efisiensi Protein dan Laju Pertumbuhan Relatif pada Budidaya Ikan Nila (Oreochromis niloticus) &lt;br&gt;&lt;i&gt;[Papaya Leaf Powder Potential to Improve Efficiency Utilization of Feed, Protein Efficiency Ratio and Relative Growth Rate in Tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus) Fish Farming]&lt;i&gt;

Abstract Tilapia is a fish that has high economic value and is an important commodity in the business world of freshwater fish. Some of the things that support the importance of commodities tilapia, among others, have a relatively high resistance to disease, have a wide tolerance to environmental conditions, has the ability to grow well and can thrive well in intensive farming systems. Feeding efficiency can reduce production costs, but still has the required nutritional value of fish is an alternative that should be pursued. Several methods are used to improve feed efficiency, including optimizing digestion and absorption of food and increase the efficiency of the protein with the addition of digestive enzymes. There are two types of digestive enzymes in the enzyme or enzymes endogeneous eksogeneous to help accelerate the process of digestion and hydrolysis. One eksogeneous enzyme is an enzyme papain. The purpose of this study is to analyze the improvement of the efficiency of feed utilization, increasing and enhancing the protein efficiency ratio relative to the growth rate of tilapia due to the addition of papaya leaf powder. The method used is a method laboratory experiments. While the research design used in this research is completely randomized design (CRD), with all the factors conditioning the same and homogeneous, except for the treatment factor. Treatments consisted of 3 treatments and repeated each 6 replications, namely: A1: treatment of feeding with powdered papaya leaves 2%, A2: treatment of feeding with powdered papaya leaves 3%, A3: treatment of feeding with powdered leaves of papaya 4% and C: feeding without addition of the enzyme papain (control). The main parameters in this study is the efficiency of feed utilization, protein efficiency ratio of the feed rate relative pertumhuhan on tilapia, fish protein in meat and fish meat thickness. Fish feed without the addition of the enzyme papain proximate tested. Once given the addition of papaya leaf powder, tested proximate feed back. The amount of feed intake was calculated by weighing the amount of feed that has been consumed during treatment (30 days). The research result analysis showed that papaya leaf powder addition of as much as 2% can improve the efficiency of feed utilization in tilapia fish farming amounted to 36.65%, can increase the protein efficiency ratio amounted to 0.55%, could increase the growth rate relative to the cultivation of tilapia by 2,725% , can increase the protein content in the flesh of tilapia by 17.98%. As for the treatment of papaya leaf powder addition of as much as 3% can increase the thickness of the flesh of tilapia by 38.09%

Mechanical analysis of UMo/Al dispersion fuel

Deformation of fuel particles and mass transfer from the transverse end of fuel meat toward the meat center was observed. This caused plate thickness peaking at a location between the meat edge and the meat center. The underlying mechanism for this fuel volume transport is believed to be fission induced creep of the U–Mo/Al meat. Fuel meat swelling was measured using optical microscopy images of the cross sections of the irradiated test plates. The time-dependent meat swelling was modeled for use in numerical simulation. A distinctive discrepancy between the predicted and measured meat thickness was found at the meat ends, which was assumed to be due to creep-induced mass relocation from the meat end to the meat center region that was not considered in the meat swelling model. ABAQUS FEA simulation was performed to reproduce the observed phenomenon at the meat ends. Through the simulation, we obtained the effective creep rate constants for the interaction layers (IL) and aluminum matrix. In addition, we obtained the corresponding stress and strain analysis results that can be used to understand mechanical behavior of U–Mo/Al dispersion fuel.