Nutritional Value Of Meat Research Articles

Effect of Freezing on Amino Acids and Fatty Acids Content in Fresh and Frozen Chicken Panie

This study was designed to investigate the effect of freezing on lipid and protein peroxidation parameters in frozen chicken panie through determination of the following PH , total protein %, Total Volatile Nitrogen (TVB-N) , Thiobarbituric acid (TBA), amino acids content by using High Performance Amino acid analyzer and fatty acids content by gas chromatography with FID detector. Chicken meat panie samples were frozen at -18°C for one month and two months. The results showed that, there was no significant change in pH as it remained within normal range. The total protein percentage was significantly decreased by increasing the freezing storage period as it changed from 81.7±0.06 to 80.3±0.06 and 79.1±0.06 respectively. Also TVB-N values were significantly increased as the storage period progressed in all the freezing periods from 11.82±0.89 to 14.7±0.79 and 18.44±1.01 respectively. The increased TBA values were as the freezing period increased as compared to the fresh group from 0.18±0.03to 0.47±0.04 and 0.57±0.04 respectively but within acceptable limit. Amino acids were affected by freezing process as the total amount of essential and nonessential amino acids and amount of each amino acid of meat samples were reduced, there was a significant decrease in amino acids between the fresh chicken panie and frozen chicken panie for 1 month and 2 months except Threonine and alanine amino acids. Freezing had an effect on saturated fatty acids (SFA), unsaturated fatty acids (USFA) and total fatty acids (TFAs).However there were significant decrease at the level of these fatty acids C16:1, C18:1w9, C18:2w6, C18:3w6. The present study concluded that freezing as a method of preservation of food had little changes on the chemical composition of chicken panie and therefore causes small decrease in nutritive value of meat, so important elements for human health are kept in preserved food by freezing with little change.

Оцінка якості м’яса свиней різних генотипів при чистопородному розведенні та схрещуванні

The main indicators of the chemical composition and physical properties of the longest muscle of the back of pigs for different genotypes when using pure breeding and crossing were studied. The certain indicators were determined in the laboratories of the Kharkiv State Zooveterinary Academy by generally accepted methods. The statistical analusis was carried out using methods of variation statistics. Meat and meat products are essential foods. The nutritional value of meat is determined by its chemical composition, energy value, taste properties and level of digestibility. The by taste, energy and nutritional value of pork exceed the meat of other farm animals, and canning even enhances its taste properties. Pigs of the Landrace breed were found to be inferior to the peers of other genotypes by the number of intramuscular fat. Thus, the difference for Landrace breedwas 0.8% (P>0.99) compared with the large white breed, - 0.8% (P>0.99) compared with crossbreeds of the genotype ¼LW+¾L and 1.1% (P>0.999) with crossbreeds of the genotype ¾LW+¼L. The quality of meat is characterized by the content of connective tissue proteins or their ratio. The higher content of tryptophan (1.40%) of the muscle of purebred animals of the Landrace breed as well as for the genotype ¼LW+¾L were also found to compare with animals with a different “blood share” in the landrace breed (½L and ¼L) which were in the intermediate position between the LW and L breeds (1.38 and 1.37% respectively). An increase in the “blood share” of the landrace breed from ½ to ¾ compared to the purebred peers led to significant increase in the wet spot area by 0.04 and 0.05% respectively, and in of the common spot by 0.05-0.08% (landrace breed) and 0 , 02-0.05% (large white breed). There is a tendency to increase the pH value of the longest back muscle in landrace breed compared with large white. In animals with a different “blood share” in the both landrace breed (½L and ¼L), an increase in pH were observed to compare with the large white (by 0.09 or 1.7%) and with the landrace breed (by 0.04 or 0.7%). Therefore, the crossing of large white and landrace breed can result in an increase of intramuscular fat in crossbred animals, regardless of the blood share of the landrace breed.

Effects of dietary apple polyphenol supplementation on carcass traits, meat quality, muscle amino acid and fatty acid composition in finishing pigs.

As health awareness is increasing, consumers have changed their focus with a desire to purchase safer, healthier, and higher quality and nutritional value meat. The aim of this study was to investigate whether dietary apple polyphenol (APP) supplementation in finishing pigs could provide pork with high quality and nutritional value. In the present study, 36 castrated Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire pigs with an average body weight of 71.25 ± 2.40 kg were randomly divided into three treatments and fed with a basal diet supplemented with 0, 400, or 800 mg kg-1 APPs for 7 weeks. The results showed that dietary 800 mg kg-1 APP supplementation not only decreased backfat thickness and abdominal adipose tissue index but also decreased L* (lightness) and b* (yellowness) in the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle. The LD muscle crude protein content, the proportions of essential amino acids, flavor amino acids, and total amino acids, as well as the amino acid transporter (SLC7A1, SLC7A2, SLC7A7, SLC1A2) mRNA levels were increased by 800 mg kg-1 APPs. The proportions of docosahexaenoic acid and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) and the ratio of PUFA to saturated fatty acid in LD muscle were increased by 400 mg kg-1 APPs. Meanwhile, dietary 400 mg kg-1 and 800 mg kg-1 APP supplementation decreased the contents of blood urea nitrogen and total cholesterol, as well as increased the content of inosinic acid in LD muscle. In conclusion, these results suggested that dietary 800 mg kg-1 APP supplementation improved the carcass traits, meat color, and meat flavor in finishing pigs. These results also suggested that dietary 400 mg kg-1 and 800 mg kg-1 APP supplementation improved the meat nutritional value in finishing pigs. The present study provides effective evidence for the application of APP supplementation for healthy high-quality and nutritional value pork production.

Growth Performance, Blood Biochemical Constituents, Antioxidant Status, and Meat Fatty Acids Composition of Lambs Fed Diets Supplemented with Plant Essential Oils

The aim of this study was to evaluate the growth performance, antioxidant status, meat fatty acid composition, antioxidant status, and health of sheep received diets supplemented with plant essential oils. Growing lambs (n= 20) were randomly allotted into four groups: control (CON) group received a fattening standard diet with no additive, the second group received the CON diet supplemented with 5g/kg DM of black cumin seed oil (CUMO), the third group received the CON diet supplemented with 5g/kg DM of cinnamon oil (CINO), and the fourth group received the CON diet supplemented with 5 g/kg DM of pomegranate seed oil (POMO) for a period of 8 weeks. The body weights of lambs were greater in the CUMO group than the other groups (P = 0.03). Bodyweight gain and daily feed intake of lambs fed diets supplemented with plant oils were not different from those fed the control diet. Lambs fed the diets supplemented with CUMO had improved FCR (P = 0.005) compared to other groups. The experimental diet containing CUMO, POMO, and CINO significantly decreased blood MDA levels (P < 0.001). Lambs fed the diet supplemented with CUMO had greater blood GPx values (P < 0.001) than other groups. Lambs fed CUMO, POMO, and CINO supplemented diets had greater serum total protein and globulin concentrations (P < 0.001), while lower serum cholesterol levels than those fed the CON diet. The ALT concentration was lower (P < 0.001) in the serum of lambs fed essential oils supplemented diets. The POMO lambs had lower serum AST levels (P < 0.01) compared to other treatments. Lower proportions of SFA (P < 0.001) and MUFA (P < 0.001) were observed in the CUMO, POMO, and CINO supplemented groups compared to CON. Dietary CUMO supplementation increased PUFA (P < 0.01) and n6-PUFA proportions (P < 0.05) compared to other groups. The CUMO and CINO groups had greater n3-PUFA (P < 0.05) than other groups. In conclusion, dietary supplementation of CUMO, CINO, and POMO was a good approach to improve antioxidant status, health, and meat nutritive value of feedlot lambs.

The content and composition of the longissimus muscle proteins in the lambs of different ages under the intensive fattening

The article presents data on the effect of intensive fattening of lambs on its weight gain, the chemical and protein composition of the longissimus muscle tissue, the biological and nutritional value of meat. For the experiments, the lambs of an Ascanian thin wool breed, Tauride type were used. According to the analog method, 12 newborn lambs with an average body weight of 4.58 kg were selected, the suckling period in animals lasted 1.5 months. After 1.5 months of age, the animals were transferred to intensive fattening. It has been shown that during the suckling period the average weight of lambs was 12.3 kg, the average live weight gain – 7.8 kg, and the overall daily live weight gain – 172.1 g. Intensive fattening contributed to the increase of the average daily gain to 215.0 g in 4-month-old age lambs and up to 228.2 g – in the 5-month-old young sheep, respectively on 24.8 and 32.5% more than in the 1.5-month-old animals. In the 4-month-old age lambs, the tissues of the longissimus muscle contain a lower amount of dry matter (1.08%) and total fat (1.74%), on the same time the higher content of total and soluble proteins, respectively 1.1 and 1.05 times, compared to the 5-month old animals. It was found that the largest part of soluble proteins of the muscle tissue was in the band of albumin mobility, smaller – all fractions of globulins and least – prealbumin both in the 4th and 5th month of age of the animals. The higher content of soluble proteins in the longissimus muscle of the lambs of the 4th month of age is due to the β- and γ-globulin fractions, whereas in the muscle of lambs of 5 months of age there is a higher content of the fraction of prealbumin and albumins. Consequently, the biological and nutritional value of lamb meat of 4 months of age is better than that of 5-month-old animals.

Genetic correlations between meat quality traits and growth and carcass traits in Merino sheep1.

Genetic correlations between 16 meat quality and nutritional value traits and live weight at various ages, live ultrasound fat and muscle depth, carcass measures, and carcass dissection traits were estimated for Merino sheep in the Information Nucleus (IN). Genetic correlations between live weight at various ages and the carcass traits are also reported. The IN comprised 8 genetically linked flocks managed across a range of Australian sheep environments. Meat quality traits included between 1,200 and 1,300 records for progeny from over 170 sires for intramuscular fat (IMF), lean meat yield (LMY), shear force (SF5), pH, meat color, and meat nutritional value traits including iron and zinc levels and long-chain omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels. The genetic correlations indicated that selection of Merino sheep to either reduce fat or increase muscle using ultrasound assessments will result in little change in IMF and SF5. Myoglobin levels would tend to be reduced following selection for reduced ultrasound fat depth (0.35 ± 0.21, 0.43 ± 0.14), whereas increases in myoglobin levels would occur due to selection for increased ultrasound muscle depth (0.25 ± 0.24, 0.38 ± 0.15). Selection for increased live weight will result in favorable correlated responses in hot carcass weight (0.76 to 0.97), dressing percentage (0.13 to 0.47), and carcass muscle (0.37 to 0.95), but unfavorable responses of increases in carcass fatness (0.13 to 0.65) and possible small reductions in muscle oxidative activity (-0.13 ± 0.14 to -0.73 ± 0.33) and iron content (-0.14 ± 0.15 to -0.38 ± 0.16), and a possible deterioration of shear force from selection at later ages (0.15 ± 0.26, 0.27 ± 0.24). Negligible changes are generally expected for LMY and meat color traits following selection for increased live weight (most genetic correlations less than 0.20 in size). Selection for increased LMY would tend to result in unfavorable changes in several aspects of meat quality, including reduced IMF (-0.27 ± 0.18), meat tenderness (0.53 ± 0.26), and meat redness (-0.69 ± 0.40), as well as reduced iron levels (-0.25 ± 0.22). These genetic correlations are a first step in assisting the development of breeding values for new traits to be incorporated into genetic evaluation programs to improve meat production from Merino sheep and other dual-purpose sheep breeds.

Improving the nutritive value and sensory quality of rabbit meat by using leafy vegetables as feedstuffs

The study examined the effect of feeding leafy vegetables on nutritional and sensory qualities of rabbit meat. For this, thirty weaned rabbits of 6 weeks of age (535.24-537.83 g) were allotted to six treatments in a completely randomized design with five replicates. The control diet was a concentrate while treatment diets were a mixture of leafy vegetables and concentrate (50:50; w/w). The rabbits were housed, fed in individual cages and the experiment was conducted for 9 weeks with 7 days of adaptation. This study revealed that 50 % Abelmoschus esculentus and 50%Vigna unguiculata leaves combined with 50 % of concentrate diet allowed the highest carcass yield. The meat bone ratio of the rabbits fed with the diets Abelmoschus esculentus and Vigna unguiculata were the highest with (5.56±0.15) and (5.40±0.10) respectively. The rabbits fed Vigna unguiculata with concentrate diet presented the highest protein content (20.92 %). The meat produced by feeding Solanum melongena with concentrate recorded the highest levels of potassium (546.56mg/100 g) and phosphorus (336.99 mg/100 g). The lysine content of rabbit meat obtained with Solanum melongena diet was higher than other groups. Leafy vegetables supplementation had no significant effect (P&gt;0.05) on the appearance, juiciness and tenderness of rabbit meat. This study showed that Solanum melongena with concentrate mixture allowed the best nutritive value of meat as well as its sensory quality.

Fatty acid profile of meat (Longissimus lumborum) from female roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) and red deer (Cervus elaphus L.)

ABSTRACTThe aim of this study was to compare the fatty acid profile of intramuscular fat (IMF) in female roe deer (Capreolus capreolus L.) and red deer (Cervus elaphus L.) living in the wild. The experimental materials comprised samples of the Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle collected from 20 carcasses of does aged 3–5 years and 15 carcasses of hinds aged 4–6 years. All animals were hunter-harvested in the forests of North-Eastern Poland. The IMF of does had considerably higher concentrations of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fatty acids. Therefore, it was characterized by more desirable values of quality parameters, and provided more health benefits. The observed differences in the fatty acid composition of IMF between does and hinds are important in view of both the nutritional value of meat and its susceptibility to lipid oxidation and rancidification.

Paving the High-Way to Sustainable, Value Adding Open-Innovation Integrating Bigger-Data Challenges: Three Examples from Bio-Ingredients to Robust Durable Applications of Electrochemical Impacts

A trilogy review, based on more than 300 references, is used to underline three challenges facing 1) the supply of sustainable, durable and protected biosourced ingredients such as lipids, 2) the accounting for valuable bio-by-products, such as whey proteins that have added-value potential removing their environmental weight and 3) the practical reliable synthetic biology and evolutionary engineering that already serve as a technology and science basis to expand from, such as for biopolymer growth. Bioresources, which are the major topic of this review, must provide answers to several major challenges related to health, food, energy or chemistry of tomorrow. They offer a wide range of ingredients which are available in trees, plants, grasses, vegetables, algae, milk, food wastes, animal manures and other organic wastes. Researches in this domain must be oriented towards a bio-sustainable-economy based on new valuations of the potential of those renewable biological resources. This will aim at the substitution of fossil raw materials with renewable raw materials to ensure the sustainability of industrial processes by providing bioproducts through innovative processes using for instance micro-organisms and enzymes (the so-called white biotechnology). The final stage objective is to manufacture high value-added products gifted with the right set of physical, chemical and biological properties leading to particularly innovative applications. In this review, three examples are considered in a green context open innovation and bigger data environment. Two of them (lipids antioxidants and milk proteins) concern food industry while the third (biomonomers and corresponding bioplastics and derivatives) relates to biomaterials industry. Lipids play a crucial role in the food industry, but they are chemically unstable and very sensitive to atmospheric oxidation which leads to the formation of numerous by-compounds which have adverse effects on lipids quality attributes and on the nutritive value of meat. To overcome this problem, natural antioxidants, with a positive impact on the safety and acceptability of the food system, have been discovered and evaluated. In the same context, milk proteins and their derivatives are of great interest. They can be modified by enzymatic means leading to the formation of by-products that are able to increase their functionality and possible applications. They can also produce bioactive peptides, a field with almost unlimited research potential. On the other hand, biosourced chemicals and materials, mainly biomonomers and biopolymers, are already produced today. Metabolic engineering tools and strategies to engineer synthetic enzyme pathways are developed to manufacture, from renewable feedstocks, with high yields, a number of monomer building-block chemicals that can be used to produce replacements to many conventional plastic materials. Through those three examples this review aims to highlight recent and important advancements in production, modification and applications of the studied bioproducts. Bigger data analysis and artificial intelligence may help reweight practical and theoretical observations and concepts in these fields; helping to cross the boarders of expert traditional exploration fields and sometime fortresses.

Evaluation of lamb production potentiality of the Barind, Jamuna river basin and coastal region sheep of Bangladesh under intensive management

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the lamb production potentiality in terms of nutrient intake and utilization, growth performances, carcass characteristics and meat quality of three regional native sheep under intensive management condition. Materials and methods: A total of 24 growing lambs having 08 lambs from each group with 4 to 6 months of age were used in this study. 40% urea molasses straw (UMS) and 60% concentrate mixture of the total diet were supplied according to lamb body weight. The total feed was offered at 4.0% live weight on dry matter basis of each animal. The completely randomized design was used in this experiment. Results: The dry matter intake was significantly ( P <0.01) lower but DM, OM, CP and ADF digestibility were higher ( P <0.01) in Jamuna river basin group compared to other groups. All group having positive N-balance but significantly higher value ( P <0.01) observed in Barind region sheep. Lower FCR ( P <0.01) was found in Jamuna river basin group but it not differ significantly with Coastal group. Nevertheless, daily gain and total live weight gain were significantly ( P <0.01) higher in Costal sheep. However, cost per kg gain, dressing percent, carcass characteristics and nutritive value of meat did not differ among the groups. Conclusion: All the regional sheep have the potentiality but coastal region sheep are more potential than other regional sheep for commercial lamb production in Bangladesh. The results of this study could be exploited by disseminating this to the wider stakeholders to develop entrepreneurship mechanism on sheep farming. http://doi.org/10.5455/javar.2018.e243

Palates link soil and plants with herbivores and humans

Palates link animals with landscapes. An attuned palate, which enables animals to meet needs for nutrients and self-medicate, evolves from flavour–feedback associations, availability of biochemically rich foods, and learning in utero and early in life to eat nourishing combinations of foods. Unlike our ancestors who ate biochemically rich diets, the palates of many individuals are no longer linked in healthy ways with landscapes. Selection for yield, appearance and transportability diminish phytochemical richness of vegetables and fruits, which adversely affects the flavour and nutritive value of produce for humans. Likewise, phytochemically impoverished pastures and feedlot diets can unfavourably affect the health of livestock and the flavour and nutritive value of meat and dairy for humans. Not coincidentally, as the flavours of meat, dairy and produce became blander, processed foods became more desirable as people in industry learned to link feedback from energy-rich compounds with artificial flavours that obscure nutritional sameness and diminish health. Thus, the roles plants and animals once played in nutrition and health have been usurped by processed foods fortified and enriched in ways that adversely affect preferences by stimulating appetite for processed over wholesome foods. The health of soil, plants, herbivores and humans could be improved by creating cultures that know how to produce and combine biochemically rich foods into meals that nourish and satiate.

Effect of age and gender on carcass traits and meat quality of farmed brown hares

A total of 48 sub-adult hares and adult reproducing farmed hares were used to characterize carcass and meat traits according to the age and gender of animals. With respect to carcass traits, when age increased, the carcass weight significantly increased (2022 to 3391 g; P<0.001), but dressing out percentages did not change. The dissectible fat (1.3% to 2.2%; P<0.05) and Longissimus lumborum (LL) proportions (13.5% to 14.5%; P<0.001) and muscle-to-bone ratio of hind legs (5.11 to 6.23; P<0.001) increased, whereas the hind leg proportions decreased (37.3% to 36.3%; P=0.01). As for the meat quality, the pH of hind leg (5.74 to 5.83; P<0.001) and LL (5.53 to 5.69; P<0.001) increased with age, while the L* index decreased in both cuts (42.9 to 34.4 in hind leg; 45.1 to 40.3 in LL; P<0.001). The redness index increased at the hind leg (4.07 to 5.76; P<0.001), while it decreased at LL (3.03 to 1.46; P<0.001). In the case of the hind leg, meat thawing losses decreased (1.58% to 1.02%), and shear force increased (2.97 to 4.02 kg/g). In the case of LL, thawing losses decreased (8.79% to 4.91%; P<0.001) in the adult hares compared with the sub-adult ones. Meat water and protein contents decreased in the hind leg and LL of the adult hares compared with the sub-adult ones, whereas ether extract increased in a restricted range in LL only (0.92% to 1.11%; P<0.001). In the case of the hind leg, the rate of the saturated fatty acids (SFA) decreased (41.0% to 26.7%), and the rate of the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) increased (34.0% to 45.3%) (P<0.001). In the case of LL, SFA (38.6% to 42.9%) and monounsaturated fatty acids (19.4% to 27.2%) increased, whereas PUFA decreased (42.0% to 30.1%) when the age increased (P<0.001). Gender affected only the slaughter results and carcass traits. In conclusion, farmed hares have favourable slaughter results (high dressing percentage), carcass traits (high hind legs and loins rates), and meat nutritional value (high-protein, low-fat meat). This fact would offer additional commercial opportunities, in addition to restocking, to hare farmers.

Effect of Mashed Lime Fruit Juice on Carcass Yield, Internal Organs, Economics and Nutritive Value of Meat of Broiler Chickens

Effect of Mashed Lime Fruit Juice on Carcass Yield, Internal Organs, Economics and Nutritive Value of Meat of Broiler Chickens

Antibiotic-free poultry production based on innovative nutritional programs with the involvement of probiotics

EU banned antibiotic growth promoters (AGP) for farm animals and poultry since 2006 in relation to the problem of drug resistance. This requires alternative products for equally efficient prevention and treatment of certain alimentary poultry diseases. One of the most actual trends is the development of innovative nutritional strategies for poultry providing an effective symbiosis between the host and its intestinal microbiota. The study presented was aimed at the comparative evaluation of productivity, nutritive value of meat, and composition of intestinal microbial populations in broiler chicks fed different diets (corn - soybean meal, wheat - sunflower cake, barley - sunflower cake) supplemented with AGP or a probiotic (cellulolytic and lactic microorganisms). In three trials straight-run Cobb 500 broilers reared from 1 to 36 days of age were fed these diets supplemented with bacitracin from 1 to 29 days of age (control) or probiotic preparation from 1 to 36 days of age (70 birds per dietary treatment in each trial). There were no differences in live bodyweight and carcass yield between the treatments in all three trials. In the two trials with sunflower cake, protein content in breast meat was significantly higher by in birds fed probiotic in compare to birds fed AGP (by 10.0 and 6.8%, p<0.05), while fat content in thigh meat was lower by 12.0% (p<0.05) and 14.1% (p<0.01), respectively. Content of amino acids in meat did not differ. Vitamin content in the poultry meat of the experimental groups was significantly higher compared to control (p<0.001). The resulting concentrations of bacitracin in meat in control treatments (no more than 0.02 U/g) did not exceed local legislative limitations. The substitution of the probiotic for AGP beneficially affected the composition of bacterial populations in the duodenum and cecae determined using T-RFLP analysis. It was concluded that the supplementation of diets with probiotic allows to produce antibiotic-free broiler meat without detrimental effects on the productive performance.

Genetic correlations between wool traits and meat quality traits in Merino sheep.

Genetic correlations between 29 wool production and quality traits and 25 meat quality and nutritional value traits were estimated for Merino sheep from an Information Nucleus (IN). Genetic correlations among the meat quality and nutritional value traits are also reported. The IN comprised 8 flocks linked genetically and managed across a range of sheep production environments in Australia. The wool traits included over 5,000 yearling and 3,700 adult records for fleece weight, fiber diameter, staple length, staple strength, fiber diameter variation, scoured wool color, and visual scores for breech and body wrinkle. The meat quality traits were measured on samples from the and included over 1,200 records from progeny of over 170 sires for intramuscular fat (IMF), shear force of meat aged for 5 d (SF5), 24 h postmortem pH (pHLL; also measured in the , pHST), fresh and retail meat color and meat nutritional value traits such as iron and zinc levels, and long-chain omega-3 and omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid levels. Estimated heritabilities for IMF, SF5, pHLL, pHST, retail meat color lightness (), myoglobin, iron, zinc and across the range of long-chain fatty acids were 0.58 ± 0.11, 0.10 ± 0.09, 0.15 ± 0.07, 0.20 ± 0.10, 0.59 ± 0.15, 0.31 ± 0.09, 0.20 ± 0.09, 0.11 ± 0.09, and range of 0.00 (eicosapentaenoic, docosapentaenoic, and arachidonic acids) to 0.14 ± 0.07 (linoleic acid), respectively. The genetic correlations between the wool production and meat quality traits were low to negligible and indicate that wool breeding programs will have little or no effect on meat quality. There were moderately favorable genetic correlations between important yearling wool production traits and the omega-3 fatty acids that were reduced for corresponding adult wool production traits, but these correlations are unlikely to be important in wool/meat breeding programs because they have high SE, and the omega-3 traits have little or no genetic variance. Significant genetic correlations among the meat quality traits included IMF with SF5 (-0.76 ± 0.24), fresh meat color * (0.50 ± 0.18), and zinc (0.41 ± 0.19). Selection to increase IMF will improve meat tenderness and color which may address some of the issues with Merino meat quality. These estimated parameters allow Merino breeders to combine wool and meat objectives without compromising meat quality.

Can we improve the nutritional quality of meat?

The nutritional value of meat is an increasingly important factor influencing consumer preferences for poultry, red meat and processed meat products. Intramuscular fat content and composition, in addition to high quality protein, trace minerals and vitamins are important determinants of nutritional value. Fat content of meat at retail has decreased substantially over the past 40 years through advances in animal genetics, nutrition and management and changes in processing techniques. Evidence of the association between diet and the incidence of human non-communicable diseases has driven an interest in developing production systems for lowering total SFA and trans fatty acid (TFA) content and enrichment of n-3 PUFA concentrations in meat and meat products. Typically, poultry and pork has a lower fat content, containing higher PUFA and lower TFA concentrations than lamb or beef. Animal genetics, nutrition and maturity, coupled with their rumen microbiome, are the main factors influencing tissue lipid content and relative proportions of SFA, MUFA and PUFA. Altering the fatty acid (FA) profile of lamb and beef is determined to a large extent by extensive plant and microbial lipolysis and subsequent microbial biohydrogenation of dietary lipid in the rumen, and one of the major reasons explaining the differences in lipid composition of meat from monogastrics and ruminants. Nutritional strategies can be used to align the fat content and FA composition of poultry, pork, lamb and beef with Public Health Guidelines for lowering the social and economic burden of chronic disease.

Fattening performance and the nutritional value of meat from finishing pigs fed diets containing different sources of vegetable protein

Fattening performance and the nutritional value of meat from finishing pigs fed diets containing different sources of vegetable protein

The Effect of Extensive Feeding Systems on Growth Rate, Carcass Traits, and Meat Quality of Finishing Lambs.

This review aims to summarize the relevant published information about the effects of extensive feeding systems on the carcass and meat quality characteristics of lambs. Lambs finished in a feedlot or with supplementation under extensive systems exhibit faster growth rates, achieve target weights quicker, and produce heavier carcass weights when compared to grazing lambs. However, the literature also shows that finishing lambs on high-quality pasture can produce satisfactory growth rates without compromising carcass and meat quality traits. Lately, the consumer demand for products perceived as "healthy" and that are produced where animal welfare is optimal under systems which do not impact negatively on the environment, has heightened the interest in lamb production under extensive systems. Lambs raised on pasture can meet many of these specifications. Also, lambs fed higher quality green pasture can produce meat with greater amounts of health-claimable omega-3 fatty acids such as eicosapentaenoic acid plus docosahexaenoic acid than feeding systems based on feedlot pellets, grain, or dry pasture/straw. It is apparent that in some previous published research, the number of animals allocated for each treatment, and the lack of replicates, makes it difficult to formulate a correct understanding of the effect of forages on lamb carcass and meat quality. Future research should concentrate on the effect of legume, improved pasture, and specialized forage finishing systems on growth rate, carcass traits, and nutritional value of meat using well-designed experiments with an adequate number of lambs and appropriate paddock replicates per treatment.

An innovative approach combining Animal Performances, nutritional value and sensory quality of meat

This work sets out a methodological approach to assess how to simultaneously control together Animal Performances, nutritional value, sensory quality of meat. Seventy-one young bulls were characterized by 97 variables. Variables of each element were arranged into either 5 homogeneous Intermediate Scores (IS) or 2 Global Indices (GI) via a clustering of variables and analysed together by Principal Component Analysis (PCA). These 3 pools of 5 IS (or 2 GI) were analysed together by PCA to established the links existing among the triptych. Classification on IS showed no opposition between Animal Performances and nutritional value of meat, as it seemed possible to identify animals with a high butcher value and intramuscular fat relatively rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids. Concerning GI, the classification indicated that Animal Performances were negatively correlated with sensory quality. This method appeared to be a useful contribution to the management of animal breeding for an optimal trade-off between the three elements of the triptych.

Genetic correlation estimates between beef fatty acid profile with meat and carcass traits in Nellore cattle finished in feedlot.

The objective of this study was to estimate the genetic-quantitative relationships between the beef fatty acid profile with the carcass and meat traits of Nellore cattle. A total of 1826 bulls finished in feedlot conditions and slaughtered at 24months of age on average were used. The following carcass and meat traits were analysed: subcutaneous fat thickness (BF), shear force (SF) and total intramuscular fat (IMF). The fatty acid (FA) profile of the Longissimus thoracis samples was determined. Twenty-five FAs (18 individuals and seven groups of FAs) were selected due to their importance for human health. The animals were genotyped with the BovineHD BeadChip and, after quality control for single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), only 470,007 SNPs from 1556 samples remained. The model included the random genetic additive direct effect, the fixed effect of the contemporary group and the animal's slaughter age as a covariable. The (co)variances and genetic parameters were estimated using the REML method, considering an animal model (single-step GBLUP). A total of 25 multi-trait analyses, with four traits, were performed considering SF, BF and IMF plus each individual FA. The heritability estimates for individual saturated fatty acids (SFA) varied from 0.06 to 0.65, for monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) it varied from 0.02 to 0.14 and for polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) it ranged from 0.05 to 0.68. The heritability estimates for Omega 3, Omega 6, SFA, MUFA and PUFA sum were low to moderate, varying from 0.09 to 0.20. The carcass and meat traits, SF (0.06) and IMF (0.07), had low heritability estimates, while BF (0.17) was moderate. The genetic correlation estimates between SFA sum, MUFA sum and PUFA sum with BF were 0.04, 0.64 and -0.41, respectively. The genetic correlation estimates between SFA sum, MUFA sum and PUFA sum with SF were 0.29, -0.06 and -0.04, respectively. The genetic correlation estimates between SFA sum, MUFA sum and PUFA sum with IMF were 0.24, 0.90 and -0.67, respectively. The selection to improve meat tenderness in Nellore cattle should not change the fatty acid composition in beef, so it is possible to improve this attribute without affecting the nutritional beef quality in zebu breeds. However, selection for increased deposition of subcutaneous fat thickness and especially the percentage of intramuscular fat should lead to changes in the fat composition, highlighting a genetic antagonism between meat nutritional value and acceptability by the consumer.