Quality Of Goat Meat Research Articles

Integrated Metabolomics and Transcriptomics Analyses Reveal the Candidate Genes Regulating the Meat Quality Change by Castration in Yudong Black Goats (Capra hircus).

Yudong black goats (YDGs) are a local breed in southwest China that possess unique meat qualities and produce a high meat yield, making them ideal models for studying goat meat quality. Castration may decrease off-odors, significantly change metabolites and improve meat quality. Using multi-omics techniques, this study focused on Yudong black goat wethers (YDW, n = 4) and Yudong black bucks (YDB, n = 4). The findings revealed that 33 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and 279 significantly changed metabolites (SCMs) influenced goat meat quality by affecting fat accumulation and lipolysis regulatory processes. Herein, several candidate genes (IGF1, TNNT2, PPP2R2C, MAPK10 and VNN1, etc.) were identified that play a role in regulating meat quality, non-castrated and castrated, alongside a series of metabolites that may serve as potential meat quality biomarkers. Lipids (triglycerides, oxidized lipids_5-iso PGF2VI, ceramide (t18:1/36:2(2OH)) and Carnitine C20:5, etc.) were significantly higher in the castrated goats. These results revealed that lipids and hydrophilic metabolites were affected by castration, which might be beneficial in terms of goat meat quality. This study aimed to investigate the differences in meat quality between uncastrated and castrated male goats and the possible molecular regulatory mechanisms.

Effects of Copy Number Variations in the Plectin (PLEC) Gene on the Growth Traits and Meat Quality of Leizhou Black Goats

The plectin (PLEC) gene is crucial in regulating muscle development and maintaining the cytoskeleton. An abnormal expression of PLEC can lead to muscle atrophy and muscular dystrophy. In a previous study, we found that Leizhou black goats exhibit abundant structural variations in the PLEC gene. However, the genetic effects of these variations on growth traits and meat quality in goats are not fully understood. In this study, three PLEC copy number variations (CNVs) were identified in a population of 417 Leizhou black goats, using quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) technology. Population distribution analysis revealed a high abundance of various types of these three CNVs. PLEC mRNA was found to be highly expressed in muscle tissue and remained consistently high from 1 month to 24 months after birth. Specifically, the gain type of CNV-1 (chr14: 81056401-81064800) showed a significant association with PLEC mRNA expression in muscle tissue (p < 0.01). The sequence of CNV-1 in PLEC shares similarities with three domain superfamilies associated with muscle development and skin disease. Furthermore, there were significant differences in chest circumference, body weight, carcass weight, the cross-sectional area of the longissimus dorsi lumbar muscle, and shear stress between different types of CNV-1 (p < 0.05). Notably, goats with the CNV-1 gain type demonstrated better phenotypic values compared to those with loss and normal types. These findings suggest that PLEC CNV-1 could play a crucial role in the growth and muscle development of Leizhou black goats, making it a potential marker for assisted selection in goat breeding.

A Role of Multi-Omics Technologies in Sheep and Goat Meats: Progress and Way Ahead.

Sheep and goat meats are increasingly popular worldwide due to their superior nutritional properties and distinctive flavor profiles. In recent decades, substantial progress in meat science has facilitated in-depth examinations of ovine and caprine muscle development during the antemortem phase, as well as post-mortem changes influencing meat attributes. To elucidate the intrinsic molecular mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers associated with meat quality, the methodologies employed have evolved from traditional physicochemical parameters (such as color, tenderness, water holding capacity, flavor, and pH) to some cutting-edge omics technologies, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics approaches. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of multi-omics techniques and their applications in unraveling sheep and goat meat quality attributes. In addition, the challenges and future perspectives associated with implementing multi-omics technologies in this area of study are discussed. Multi-omics tools can contribute to deciphering the molecular mechanism responsible for the altered the meat quality of sheep and goats across transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic dimensions. The application of multi-omics technologies holds great potential in exploring and identifying biomarkers for meat quality and quality control, thereby promoting the optimization of production processes in the sheep and goat meat industry.

Molecular Mechanism of ε-Polylysine Treatment of Animal-Derived Foods: Glycine Amidinotransferase Activity Implicates Upregulation of l-Arginine and Creatine.

ε-Polylysine is a novel food preservative approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), yet the mechanism of its effect on animal-derived foods remains unclear. Assessment of the effect of preservatives on goat meat products is necessary. Herein, metabolite accumulation and protein expression of ε-polylysine (0.025%, w/w) spiked with goat meat were investigated by nontarget metabolomics and proteomics combined with ultrahigh performance liquid chromatography quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution-mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS) in a simulated in vitro digestion model. The amino side chain of ε-polylysine increased the activity of glycine aminotransferase due to its nucleophilic nature, inducing a significant upregulation of l-arginine (0.43-0.72 mg kg-1) and creatine (3.98-6.89 mg kg-1), with an improvement in muscle quality of goat meat. Downregulation of enzyme phenylalanine hydroxylase expression led to upregulation of l-phenylalanine (2.26-3.25 mg kg-1) and l-tyrosine (0.98-1.29 mg kg-1). Collectively, this study first revealed the biochemical mechanism of ε-polylysine in goat meat products, which makes available new prospects for more accurate use of ε-polylysine in animal-derived foods.

Effects of fermented herbal tea residue on meat quality, rumen fermentation parameters and microbes of black goats

Herbal tea residue (HTR) is generally considered to be a reusable resource which has still retains considerable proportion of nutrients and active substances. This study aimed to investigate the effects of substitution of whole corn silage with fermented herbal tea residue (FHTR) on meat quality, serum indices, rumen fermentation, and microbes in Chuanzhong black goats. Twenty-two female Chuanzhong black goats (4 months old) with similar weight (9.55 ± 0.95 kg) were selected and randomly divided into two groups. FHTR was used to replace 0% (CON group) and 30% (FHTR group) of whole corn silage in the diets and fed as a total mixed ration (TMR) for Chuanzhong black goats. The adaptation feeding period was 7 days, and the experimental period was 35 days. Results illustrated that the FHTR group had higher value of a* and concentrations of DM and CP and lower rate of water loss (P < 0.05) than the CON group. For the serum indices, goats fed with 30% FHTR had higher (P < 0.05) concentration of CR on day 35. For rumen fermentation, the pH and ratio of acetic acid/propionic acid (AA/PA) in the FHTR group were significantly lower than those in the CON group (P < 0.05). In addition, we studied the goats’s rumen microbial community composition and found that the dominant phyla were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes,and Tenericutes; and the dominant genera were Quinella, Candidatus_Saccharimonas, and Saccharofermentans. There was a significant difference in the beta diversity of the rumen microbiota between groups (P < 0.05). To sum up, the addition of FHTR can affect the meat quality, serum indices, improved rumen fermentation by adjusted the diversity and function of the rumen microbiota.

Age, sex, and chilling effects on goat meat

Production and processing factors that affect native goat meat quality are non-existent in the literature. The current study explored age, sex, and chilling effects on 48 goat carcasses cut in half by halal standards and shifting one half immediately to a walk-in chiller at 0–4°C [rapid chilling (RC)] and the other half at 26 ± 2°C [delayed chilling (DC)]. Results showed that Warner Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF) was significantly affected by RC. Cooking loss and color (L*) parameters were significantly higher in young male animals. Chroma values were significantly higher in DC. In conclusion, DC enhances meat quality and tenderness.

Goat Meat: Production and Quality Attributes.

Goat meat could be a sustainable source of red meat. Its farming requires minimal input, is suitable for free-range farming, and produces a healthier red meat option as it is lean. Although goat meat has advantages for meat production, it still needs to be established as a valuable part of the meat trade market. But, currently, goat meat production is less specialized; there is less intense breed selection for premium meat production, and often the animals are farmed with a multifunctional purpose, such as for their meat, fiber, and milk. The less structured goat meat industry contributes to the inconsistent quality of goat meat. This paper attempts to describe the characteristics of popular goat breeds and indigenous goats as a source of meat and the potential of various goat breeds for meat production. Additionally, this paper presents goat meat's quality and physicochemical and sensory attributes that are relevant to understanding the unique attributes of goat meat. Much work is needed for the goat meat processing industry to develop its potential.

Effect of omega fatty acid‐rich oil blend supplementation on the growth, carcass, meat quality, and gene expression of Barbari goats

AbstractThis study investigated the effect of supplementing omega fatty acids‐rich oil blend, composed of sunflower oil (1.5% and 3.0%), linseed oil (1.5% and 3.0%), and FineXNV1810 (20 g) on the carcass, meat quality, fatty acid profile, and genes (peroxisome proliferator‐activated receptor‐α, stearoyl‐CoA desaturase, acetyl‐CoA carboxylase, hydroxy‐3‐methylglutaryl coenzyme A, and leptin) of Barbari goats. The goat kids (n = 18) were divided into three groups, namely, group A: basal diet; group B: basal diet + oil blend level 1; and group C: basal diet + oil blend level 2, and subjected to the feeding trial for 120 days followed by slaughter and meat quality studies. No treatment effect was recorded in carcass characteristics, pH, water holding capacity, and proximate composition of meat. However, a significant (p &lt; 0.05) treatment effect was observed in cooking loss, lightness, yellowness, and shear force values of meat. There were significant differences (p &lt; 0.05) in linoleic acid, α‐linolenic acids, conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), n − 3 and n − 6 PUFA, PUFA/saturated fatty acids and n − 6/n − 3 ratios, and thrombogenic index among groups. An upregulation of the studied genes in the supplemented groups was observed. There were upregulations in the studied genes in the supplemented groups.Practical applications: Goat meat is in great demand the world over, especially in tropical countries, including India, and does not carry any social or religious prohibition. Although goat meat has relatively less fat, consumers express their concern over the presence of undesirable fatty acids. The present study shows that the fatty acid configuration of goat meat can be improved by a dietary supplementation of an oil blend rich in omega fatty acids. The amount of n − 3 PUFA, n − 6 PUFA, and CLA in goat meat was significantly increased due to the dietary oil blend making it healthy for the consumers. Moreover, the dietary oil blend at the studied levels did not significantly affect the growth and meat quality parameters of the goats. Thus, the studied approach can be successfully followed to produce healthier goat meat.

Influence of Hempseed Meal on Fresh Goat Meat Characteristics Stored in Vacuum Packaging.

The objective of this study was to determine the influence of hempseed meal (HSM) on goat meat characteristics. Goats (N = 10/treatment) were allocated to a diet concentration (0, 10, 20, or 30%) of HSM, fed for 60 days, and harvested. Carcass measurements were collected after chilling, and subsequently fabricated into wholesale subprimals. From the subprimals of the shoulder and leg, steaks were cut 2.54 cm thick, vacuum packaged, and assigned to laboratory methods: cook yield, instrumental color, lipid oxidation, microbial spoilage, and instrumental tenderness. HSM did not alter (p > 0.05) carcass characteristics, microbial spoilage, cook loss, or the thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS). However, a decrease in objective tenderness measurements (p < 0.05) was observed with greater concentrations of HSM supplementation in the diet. Instrumental surface color values for lightness (L*) indicated that steaks became lighter and less red (a*) as storage time increased (p < 0.05). Results suggest that HSM and storage time do not alter some goat meat traits, but HSM or storage time separately may influence goat meat quality. HSM may be an effective feed ingredient that does not alter carcass quality or meat yield.

Lasalocid-supplemented diets for improving carcass characteristics, meat quality, and fatty acids content of goats

Lasalocid-supplemented diets for improving carcass characteristics, meat quality, and fatty acids content of goats

Relationship between Consumers' Perceptions about Goat Kid Meat and Meat Sensory Appraisal.

The goat meat preferred by consumers in Spain comes from suckling goat kids, slaughtered at a live weight of 8-10 kg. However, consumption of this meat is very uncommon, so it is necessary to show its value. To achieve this, we planned to investigate consumers' perceptions about goat kid meat and to study whether their perceptions are related to their sensory appraisal of the meat, measured by the mean of the consumers' home tests. The experiment was conducted with 30 volunteer families (from two cities with different consumption patterns), who were surveyed regarding their sociodemographic parameters, purchasing and eating habits, and the importance of the meat's attributes. As a result, four clusters were obtained, which were labeled "negative," "idealistic," "positive," and "concerned about fat content". The parameters of the animal production system were valued differently by the clusters. Meat tenderness, taste, and amount of fat were considered very decisive factors by most respondents. When the goat kid meat was valued, tenderness was considered more important than taste among older people ("negative" cluster), whereas there was not so much difference between the appraisal of all parameters for the other three clusters. We conclude that it is necessary to improve the information received by consumers about goat production systems and meat quality parameters. There is certainly potential for creating new markets, especially targeted toward young consumers and considering specific strategies for the different groups of consumers, depending on the region and habits of consumption.

A review of some aspects of goat meat quality: future research recommendations

The global goat meat sector is advancing and contributes to long-term food security, especially in meeting the protein demands of the growing human population in developing countries. Spanning all countries, Australia, is the largest exporter of goat meat, although it has negligible consumption. However, Australia does potentially have a secure future as an innovative, profitable, and resilient world leader in goat production, provided some challenges are addressed. These challenges facing the goat meat sector require suitable strategies and interventions for better profitability and acceptance of goat meat consumed in Australia and as an export product. Limited research on goat meat quality and the lack of an adequate grading system for goat meat quality are two of the major issues that need attention from the industry and researchers. Some of the most critical areas that need further research to enable growth of the goat meat industry are the influence of genetics and age of animals on meat quality, standardisation of the ageing period of various goat meat cuts, cooking innovations, consumer acceptance and sensory analysis of goat meat (both farmed and rangeland goats). This paper reviews the status of the goat meat sector and identifies the opportunities for the goat meat sector, particularly in Australia. In addition, we highlight several key issues requiring further research and interventions to enhance the growth of the goat meat industry.

Bio-based material-edible rosemary induced biodegradation of aflatoxin B1 via altering endogenous protective enzymes signatures in animal-derived foods

Aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) is the most hazardous mycotoxin, posing risks to public health. Utilization of bio-based materials to biodegrade AFB1 is a green strategy to overcome this issue. The investigation aimed to screen for endogenous protective enzymes in bio-based material-edible rosemary based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography coupled to hybrid quadrupole-Orbitrap high-resolution mass spectrometry (UHPLC-Q-Orbitrap HRMS)-proteomics and ascertain their impacts on the biodegradation and biotransformation of AFB1, and the trade-offs of multilevel metabolism of the animal-derived foods through untargeted metabolomics. The proteomics results verified that bio-based material-edible rosemary (0.20%, w/w) significantly up-regulated glutathione S-transferase and stimulated the down-regulation of cytochrome P450 1A2 levels via activating AhR nuclear translocation in rosemary-pickled AFB1-contaminated goat meat. Metabolomics results demonstrated that edible rosemary substantially increased histidine and glutathione implicated in the antioxidant status of goat meat. More importantly, edible rosemary with high endogenous protective enzyme content could efficiently biodegrade AFB1 in goat meat. We first unveiled that rosemary could not only efficiently biodegrade AFB1 up to 90.20% (20.00–1.96 μg kg−1) but also elevate the bio-ingestion quality of goat meat. These findings suggest that the bio-based material-rosemary is an efficient and environmentally friendly approach for biodegrading AFB1 and elevating the bio-ingestion composition of goat meat.

Review of Feeding Systems Affecting Production, Carcass Attributes, and Meat Quality of Ovine and Caprine Species.

Growth rate, carcass attributes, and meat quality traits of small ruminants (i.e., sheep and goats) depend on various factors, among which the feeding system is one of the most important factors. However, how feeding systems affect these parameters differ between sheep and goats. Therefore, this review aimed to evaluate the differences in how different feeding systems affect the growth performance, carcass characteristics, and meat quality of sheep and goats. It also explored the effects of a new finishing strategy-time-limited grazing with supplements on these traits. Compared with stalled feeding, finishing lambs/kids on pasture-only feed reduced the average daily gain (ADG) and carcass yield, while supplemented-grazing lambs/kids had near-equivalent or higher ADG and carcass attributes. Pasture-grazing increased the meat flavor intensity and healthy fatty acid content (HFAC) of lamb/kid meat. Supplemental grazing lambs had comparable or superior meat sensory attributes and increased meat protein and HFAC compared to stall-fed ones. In contrast, supplemental grazing only improved the meat color of kids but had little effect on other meat qualities. Moreover, time-limited grazing with supplemental concentrates increased the carcass yield and meat quality in lamb meat. Overall, the effects of different feeding systems on growth performance and carcass traits were comparable between sheep and goats but differed in terms of the meat quality.

First insights into the dynamic protein changes in goat Semitendinosus muscle during the post-mortem period using high-throughput proteomics

Proteomics plays a key and insightful role in meat research in the post-genomic era. This study aimed to unveil using a shotgun proteomics approach the temporal dynamic changes in early post-mortem proteome of goat Semitendinosus muscle. Therefore, the evolution and comparison of the muscle proteome over three post-mortem times (1, 8, and 24 h) was assessed. The temporal proteomics profiling quantified 748 proteins, from which 174 were differentially abundant (DAPs): n = 55 between 1 h versus 8 h, n = 52 between 8 h versus 24 h, and n = 154 between 1 h versus 24 h. The DAPs belong to myriad interconnected pathways. Binding, transport and calcium homeostasis, as well as muscle contraction and structure, exhibited an equivalent contribution during post-mortem, demonstrating their central role. Catalytic, metabolism and ATP metabolic process, and proteolysis were active pathways from the first hours of animal bleeding. Conversely, oxidative stress, response to hypoxia and cell redox homeostasis along chaperones and heat shock proteins accounted for the large proportion of the biochemical processes, more importantly after 8 h post-mortem. Overall, the conversion of muscle into meat is largely orchestrated by energy production as well as mitochondrial metabolism and homeostasis through calcium and permeability transition regulation. The study further evidenced the role of ribosomal proteins in goat post-mortem muscle, signifying that several proteins experiencing changes during storage, also undergo splicing modifications, which is for instance a mechanism known for mitochondrial proteins. Overall, temporal proteomics profiling of early post-mortem muscle proteome offers an unparalleled view of the sophisticated post-mortem biochemical and proteolytic events associated with goat meat quality determination.

염소와 양 골격근의 근섬유 특성

This study aimed to provide a fundamental summary of the caprine and ovine muscle fiber characteristics. The goat and sheep industries have been experiencing growth due to their adaptability to market changes and the diversity of their products. Muscle fibers, which represent the basic unit of muscle and an essential factor in assessing meat quality, can be classified into several types by their contractile and metabolic properties. Species, breeds, muscle type, age, and sex are the main factors affecting muscle fiber characteristics. While the effects of these factors on muscle fiber characteristics of major livestock species (cattle, pigs, and chickens) are widely studied, goats and sheep (the main meat sources among minor livestock species) have not fully studied. Understanding muscle fiber characteristics will help to development technologies for regulating goat and lamb meat quality. In the present study, the muscle fiber characteristics of the caprine and ovine skeletal muscles assessed in previous studies were summarized. In addition, the effects of breed, sex, age, and muscle type on the caprine and ovine muscle fiber characteristics were assessed using the results of previous studies. Specific in-depth studies on muscle fiber characteristics and their relationship to the quality characteristics of goat and lamb meat are required. These studies will help to extend shelf-life and retard deterioration in meat quality during storage or freeze-thawing of goat and lamb meat.

Towards the discovery of goat meat quality biomarkers using label-free proteomics

This study aimed to identify for the first time protein biomarkers of meat quality traits from Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of goats (Capra hircus). Male goats of similar age and weight reared under extensive rearing conditions were used to relate the LT muscle proteome with multiple meat quality traits. The early post-mortem muscle proteome analyzed using label-free proteomics was compared among three texture clusters built using hierarchical clustering analysis. Twenty-five proteins were differentially abundant and their mining using bioinformatics revealed three major biological pathways to be involved: 10 muscle structure proteins (MYL1, MYL4, MYLPF, MYL6B, MYH1, MYH2, ACTA1, ACTBL2, FHL1 and MYOZ1); 6 energy metabolism proteins (ALDOA, PGAM2, ATP5F1A, GAPDH, PGM1 and ATP5IF1), and two heat shock proteins: HSPB1 (small) and HSPA8 (large). Seven other miscellaneous proteins belonging to pathways such as regulation, proteolysis, apoptosis, transport and binding, tRNA processing or calmodulin-binding were further identified to play a role in the variability of goat meat quality. The differentially abundant proteins were correlated with the goat meat quality traits in addition to multivariate regression models built to propose the first regression equations of each quality trait. This study is the first to highlight in a multi-trait quality comparison the early post-mortem changes in the goat LT muscle proteome. It also evidenced the mechanisms underpinning the development of several quality traits of interest in goat meat production along the major biochemical pathways at interplay. SignificanceThe discovery of protein biomarkers in the field of meat research is an emerging topic. In the case of goat meat quality, very few studies using proteomics have been conducted with the aim of proposing biomarkers. Therefore, this study is the first to quest for biomarkers of goat meat quality using label-free shotgun proteomics with a focus on multiple quality traits. We identified the molecular signatures underlying goat meat texture variation, which were found to belong to muscle structure and related proteins, energy metabolism and heat shock proteins along with other proteins involved in regulation, proteolysis, apoptosis, transport and binding, tRNA processing or calmodulin-binding. We further evaluated the potential of the candidate biomarkers to explain meat quality using the differentially abundant proteins by means of correlation and regression analyses. The results allowed the explanation of the variation in multiple traits such as pH, color, water-holding capacity, drip and cook losses traits and texture.

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.

Effects of Sasa borealis silage on proximate composition, amino acid and fatty acid contents, and antioxidant activity in fresh meat of Korean native goat fed with total mixed ration

Jeju Sasa borealis (S. borealis) is indigenous to the Halla Mountain area of Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. However, its dominance has retarded the development of other plant species and lowered biodiversity in this region. The aim of this study was to determine whether S. borealis silage (SS) supplementation affects the chemical composition and antioxidant activity in the fresh meat of Korean native goats (Capra hircus coreanae). The experiment was conducted on 12 Korean native goats at the finisher stage. The feeding groups were the Control (total mixed ration, TMR) and the Treatment (80% TMR + 20% SS). The animals were adapted for two weeks and then subjected to a six-month breeding experiment. Meat samples were excised from the neck, loin, rib, front leg, and hind leg of the slaughtered animals. The meat derived from the treatment group contained more taurine and anserine than that derived from the control group. Both groups did not significantly differ in terms of ω-6/ω-3 fatty acid ratio. The loin and front leg of the treatment group contained significantly higher vitamin E levels than those of the control group. DPPH, ABTS, and FRAP analyses disclosed that the loin and front leg had significantly higher antioxidant activity (p⟨0.05) than the other parts. Moreover, the loin and front leg cuts of the treatment group had higher antioxidant activity than those of the control group. The present study demonstrated that S. borealis supplementation could effectively improve Korean native goat meat quality.

Feeding Aquilaria sinensis Leaves Modulates Lipid Metabolism and Improves the Meat Quality of Goats.

Aquilaria (A.) sinensis is a medicinal plant widely grown in tropical South China. Given the abundant pruning waste of its leaves, the use of A. sinensis leaves is valuable. In this study, goats were fed a diet containing 20% A. sinensis leaves. Compared with the basal diet, feeding A. sinensis leaves to goats did not affect growth performance but considerably reduced the feeding cost. Strikingly, feeding A. sinensis leaves resulted in a significant decrease in the blood cholesterol levels (2.11 vs. 1.49 mmol/L, p = 0.01) along with a significant increase in the high-density lipoprotein levels (1.42 vs. 1.82 mmol/L, p = 0.01). There was also a tendency to lower the content of low-density lipoprotein levels in goats (0.78 vs. 0.45 mmol/L, p = 0.09). Furthermore, metabolomics analysis demonstrated that the reduction in cholesterol levels occurred in both the serum (0.387-fold change) and muscle (0.382-fold change) of goats during A. sinensis leaf feeding. The metabolic responses to feeding A. sinensis leaves suggest that the activation of lipolysis metabolism might happen in goats. These observed changes would be conducive to improving animal health and meat quality, ultimately benefiting human health.