Effects of breed and a concentrate or grass silage diet on beef quality in cattle of 3 ages. I: Animal performance, carcass quality and muscle fatty acid composition

Unveiling the Nutritional Quality of Terrestrial Animal Source Foods by Species and Characteristics of Livestock Systems

Background. It is well-established that a range of macronutrients, micronutrients and bioactive compounds found in animal-source foods play unique and important roles in human health as part of a healthy diet. Methods. This narrative review focuses on terrestrial animal source foods (TASFs). It particularly analyzes five groups: poultry eggs, milk, unprocessed meat, foods from hunting and wildlife farming, and insects. The objectives were as follows: (1) examine the nutrient composition of TASFs within and across livestock species, drawing on the country and regional food composition databases; (2) analyze the influence of intrinsic animal characteristics and production practices on TASF nutritional quality. Results. TASFs are rich in high-quality proteins and fats, as well as micronutrients such as vitamin B12, iron or zinc. This study found differences in the nutritional quality of TASFs by livestock species and animal products, as well as by characteristics of livestock production systems. Our findings suggest that there may be public health opportunities by diversifying TASF consumption across species and improving certain aspects of the production systems to provide products that are both more sustainable and of higher quality. Conclusions. Future research should adopt a more holistic approach to examining the food matrix and the dietary patterns that influence TASF digestibility. It is necessary to include meat from hunting and wildlife farming and insects in global food composition databases, as limited literature was found. In addition, scarce research focuses on low- and middle-income countries, highlighting the need for further exploration of TASF food composition analysis and how intrinsic animal characteristics and livestock production system characteristics impact their nutritional value.

Limpograss [Hemarthria altissima] Silage and Protein Supplementation as an Alternative Feed Option for Growing Heifers in North Florida

Limpograss (Hemarthria altissima) is a warm-season perennial grass that has the potential to feed livestock during scarcity periods. This study evaluated the intake, nutrient digestibility, and animal performance of beef heifers fed 'Gibtuck' limpograss silage combined with different levels of a range cube supplementation. Twenty-four heifers (330 ± 16 kg live weight) were submitted to four different treatments with 6 replicates: (1) control, no supplementation + limpograss silage ad libitum; (2) 1.4 kg of supplement + limpograss silage ad libitum; (3) 2.8 kg of supplement + limpograss silage ad libitum; and (4) 4.2 kg of supplement + limpograss silage ad libitum. The apparent total tract digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, and crude protein showed a positive quadratic effect with increasing supplementation levels (p = 0.001, p = 0.002, and p < 0.0001, respectively). Overall, the supplement improved diet digestibility and total DM intake but reduced silage intake, indicating a combined effect (substitutive and additive effect) of the protein supplement. The increasing level of protein supplement increased the average daily gain with a quadratic effect (p ≤ 0.0001). Limpograss silage associated with supplementation can improve diet digestibility and increase the animal performance of growing heifers, providing an alternative for livestock in North Florida.

Effect of residual feed intake on meat quality in fattening Charolais bulls fed two contrasting diets

The selection of more efficient animals for breeding is of both economic and environmental interest to the industry. The aim of this study was to evaluate the influence of the animals' residual feed intake (RFI) ranking in interaction with the type of diet on the meat quality of Charolais beef cattle. Indeed, several biological mechanisms are associated with RFI, especially when animals are fed high starch-diets. It is therefore possible that quality parameters may show greater changes due to RFI in the context of high starch diets compared to high forage diets. An 84-day feed efficiency trial followed immediately by a second 112-day feed efficiency trial was conducted with a total of 100 animals fed either maize- or grass-diets for 196-days. At the end of the 84-day period, the 32 most divergent RFI animals (16 extreme RFI animals per diet, 8 RFI+ and 8 RFI-) were identified. They were slaughtered after 112-days of finishing. The Longissimus thoracis was characterised in terms of nutritional and sensory quality. RFI had no effect on lab colour, muscle shear force, total fat, fatty acid ratios and most of the total fatty acid content (especially n-3) irrespective of the diet. However, more efficient animals (RFI-) showed higher CLA contents compared to less efficient animals (RFI+) regardless of the diet and also a lower n6/n3 ratio only in animals fed the maize diets. Diet also had a significant effect on lipid and FA content as well as on FA composition.

Impact of Various Ration Energy Levels on the Slaughtering Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Qualities of Honghe Yellow Cattle

Consumers are increasing their daily demand for beef and are becoming more discerning about its nutritional quality and flavor. The present objective was to evaluate how the ration energy content (combined net energy, Nemf) impacts the slaughter performance, carcass characteristics, and meat qualities of Honghe yellow cattle raised in confinement. Fifteen male Honghe yellow cattle were divided into three groups based on a one-way design: a low-energy group (LEG, 3.72 MJ/kg), a medium-energy group (MEG, 4.52 MJ/kg), and a high-energy group (HEG, 5.32 MJ/kg). After a period of 70 days on these treatments, the animals were slaughtered and their slaughter performance was determined, and the longissimus dorsi muscle (LD) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles were gathered to evaluate meat quality and composition. Increasing the dietary energy concentration led to marked improvements (p < 0.05) in the live weight before slaughter (LWBS), weight of carcass, backfat thickness, and loin muscle area. HEG also improved the yield of high-grade commercial cuts (13.47% vs. 10.39%) (p < 0.05). However, meat quality traits were not affected by treatment except for shear force, which was affected by dietary energy. A significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the intramuscular fat (IMF) content was observed in the HEG. Little effect on the amino acid profile was observed (p > 0.05), except for a tendency (p = 0.06) to increase the histidine concentration in the BF muscle. Increasing dietary energy also reduced C22:6n-3 and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and enhanced C18:1 cis-9 and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs, p < 0.05). Those results revealed that increasing energy levels of diets could enhance slaughter traits and affect the meat quality and fatty acid composition of different muscle tissues of Honghe yellow cattle. These results contribute to the theoretical foundation to formulate nutritional standards and design feed formulas for the Honghe yellow cattle.

Improving Shelf Life and Content of Unsaturated Fatty Acids in Meat of Lambs Fed a Diet Supplemented with Grape Dregs

This study was conducted to evaluate the potential effects of dietary grape residue levels on the slaughter indicators, meat quality, meat shelf-life, unsaturated fatty acid content, and expression of fatty acid deposition genes in the muscle of lambs. Sixty 30-month-old male Dorper and Small-Tailed Han F1 hybrid lambs were assigned to a single factor complete randomized trial design and fed with four different diets including 0%, 8%, 16%, and 24% grape dregs, respectively. The findings regarding meat production efficacy in the lambs revealed substantial differences. The control group showed notably lower dressing percentage, carcass weight, net meat weight, meat percentage concerning carcass, meat-to-bone ratio, relative visceral and kidney fat mass, and rib eye area compared to the other groups (p < 0.05). Additionally, the meat shearing force of lambs fed a diet with 16% grape pomace (GP) was significantly higher than that of the 24% GP group (p < 0.05), while the 24 h meat color parameter a* value of the control group was notably higher than that of the 8% GP group (p < 0.05). In addition, compared to the control group, lambs fed with a diet containing 16% GP had higher levels of oleic acid (C18:1n-9c), linoleic acid (C18:2n-6c), behenic acid (C22:0), tricosanoic acid (C23:0), lignoceric acid (C24:0), and conjugated linoleic acid (CLA), at a ratio of ∑CLA/TFA, ∑n-6, ∑MUFA, and ∑PUFA in the longissimus dorsi muscle (p < 0.05), but the reverse case was applicable for Total Volatile Basic Nitrogen (TVB-N) content (p < 0.05). GP supplementation did not substantially affect the expression of stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPARα), and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) genes (p > 0.05). The findings indicated that incorporating grape dregs in the diets of fattening lambs leads to notable enhancements in meat production and the antioxidant capacity of lamb meat, and effectively extends the shelf life of the meat.

Can botanically-diverse pastures positively impact the nutritional and antioxidant composition of ruminant meat? - Invited review

A desire for more sustainable pasture-based ruminant feeding systems has led to growing interest in utilising botanically-diverse pastures (BDP) over monoculture pastures. Research suggests that, from a human consumption viewpoint, grass-based ruminant feeding leads to more nutritionally desirable fatty acid (FA) and antioxidant concentrations in meat compared with concentrate feeding, which can affect meat quality. The FA, antioxidant and secondary metabolite content of plants differ, depending on species, maturity and seasonality, offering the potential through targeted feeding of BDP to produce meat with superior nutritional and antioxidant profiles. This review explores the effect, if any, that grazing ruminants on BDP has on the FA profile, fat-soluble vitamin, and antioxidant content of meat. The input-output relationship between forage and red meat constituents is complex and is likely affected by species diversity, forage consumption patterns and modulation of rumen fermentation processes. Further investigation is required to fully understand the effect that BDP may have on the composition and quality of ruminant meat.

Combining beef cattle and sheep in an organic system. I. Co-benefits for promoting the production of grass-fed meat and strengthening self-sufficiency

Numerous advantages of combining cattle and sheep have been demonstrated at the grazing-season level, but the effects of this practice on system self-sufficiency require system-level and longer-term studies. We established three grassland-based organic systems as separate farmlets: one mixed system combining beef cattle and sheep (MIX) and two specialised systems, beef cattle (CAT) and sheep (SH), to serve as reference points. These farmlets were managed for 4 years, to assess the benefits of combining beef cattle and sheep in promoting the production of grass-fed meat and strengthening system self-sufficiency. The ratio of cattle to sheep livestock units in MIX was 60:40. The surface area and stocking rate were similar across all systems. Calving and lambing were adjusted to grass growth to optimise grazing. Calves were pasture-fed from 3 months old on average until weaning in October, fattened indoors with haylage and slaughtered at 12-15 months. Lambs were pasture-fed from 1 month old on average until slaughter; if lambs were not ready for slaughter when the ewes mated, they were stall-finished with concentrates. The decision to supplement adult females with concentrate was based on the achievement of a target body condition score (BCS) at key periods. The decision to treat animals with anthelmintics was based on mean faecal egg excretion remaining below a certain threshold. A higher proportion of lambs were pasture-finished in MIX vs SH (P < 0.001) due to a higher growth rate (P < 0.001) which led to a lower age at slaughter (166 vs 188 days, P < 0.001). Ewe prolificacy and productivity were higher in MIX vs SH (P < 0.02 and P < 0.065, respectively). The levels of concentrate consumption and number of anthelmintic treatments in sheep were lower in MIX vs SH (P < 0.01 and P < 0.08). Cow productivity, calf performance, carcass characteristics and the level of external inputs used did not differ between systems. However, cow BW gain during the grazing season was higher in MIX vs CAT (P < 0.05). These outcomes validated our hypothesis that the association of beef cattle and sheep promoted the self-sufficient production of grass-fed meat in the sheep enterprise. It also promoted better ewe and cow BCS and BW at key stages of the reproduction cycle and better development of the females used for replacement, which may enhance animal and system resilience.

Lipid Characteristics of the Muscle and Perirenal Fat in Young Tudanca Bulls Fed on Different Levels of Grass Silage

Beef derived from grass-fed cattle is a specific quality criterion. The effect of grass silage intake on quality characteristics, i.e., fatty acids, fat-soluble vitamins, and lipid-derived volatile composition of intramuscular and perirenal fat from fattening bull weaners were studied. Visible (VIS) and near-infrared (NIR) spectra were also obtained from perirenal fat. Perirenal fat analysis was performed for feeding differentiation purposes. A total of 22 Tudanca breed 11-month-aged bulls were finished on three different diets: grass silage and a commercial concentrate ad libitum (GS-AC), grass silage ad libitum and the commercial concentrate restricted to half of the intake of the GS-AC group (GS-LC), and barley straw and concentrate ad libitum (Str-AC). Feeding had a significant effect (p < 0.05) on γ-linolenic acid and the ratio n-6/n-3 fatty acids. Furthermore, β-carotene content was greater in beef from silage groups than in the Str-AC group. Feeding also affected the perirenal fat composition. Beef from silage-fed bulls and straw-fed bulls could be differentiated by fatty acid percentages, especially 18:0, t-18:1, and c9-18:1, β-carotene content, b* colour value, and carotenoid colour index. However, the VIS or NIR spectra data showed poor differentiating performance, and the volatile composition did not have appreciable differentiation power.

Fatty Acid and Micronutrient Profile of Longissimus Lumborum from Red Angus and Red Angus x Akaushi Cattle Finished on Grass or Grain

Cattle diet and breed modify the nutritional profile of beef. The objective of this study was to compare the fatty acid (FA) and micronutrient profiles of Red Angus (RA) and RA x Akaushi (AK) crossbreed steers fed either a grass or grain diet. This two-year study randomly assigned steers to the diets using a 2 × 2 factorial experiment. FAs and micronutrients were analyzed. Diet effect was the strongest with grass-finished beef being higher in n-3 polyunsaturated FAs (p < 0.001), conjugated linoleic acid (p < 0.05), vaccenic acid (p < 0.05), iron (p < 0.001), and vitamin E (p < 0.001) compared to grain-finished beef. Breed effects were observed for lauric and myristic acids (p < 0.05), selenium (p < 0.05), and zinc (p < 0.01) with AK containing more of these compounds than RA. Diet × breed effects were non-existent. These results indicate that diet has a stronger influence than breed on modifying the nutritional profile of beef. Because of a more favorable FA and antioxidant profile, consumption of grass-finished beef could benefit human health.

Effects of Rearing Management Applied throughout the Charolais Young Bulls' Life on Carcass and Meat Quality

The aim of this work was to study, for the first time, the effects of the rearing management (from birth to slaughter) applied throughout the life of young bulls on carcass and meat quality. Five rearing managements were defined statistically, from a combination of 30 rearing factors, using a hierarchical clustering on principal components. This study considered the individual data of 179 Charolais young bulls from commercial farms. The carcass traits were more sensitive to rearing management than the meat traits. Rearing management had an effect mainly on fat and overall meat grain for the carcass, and on color and tenderness for the longissimus meat. However, it was possible to produce carcass and/or meat with similar properties from different rearing managements. Among the five rearing managements defined in this study, two were identified as allowing the best trade-off to produce simultaneously high carcass and meat quality. The first management was characterized by absence of growth period and a short fattening duration, with a wrapped haylage or corn silage-based diet. The second management was characterized by short pre-weaning and growth periods, and a long fattening period.

Long Term Dietary Supplementation with Omega-3 Fatty Acids in Charolais Beef Cattle Reared in Italian Intensive Systems: Nutritional Profile and Fatty Acids Composition of Longissimus lumborum Muscle

Recently, the quality of beef has received great attention, and health concerns have been focused on fatty acid composition in relation to dietary requirements. The present work aims to evaluate the effect of omega-3 fatty acids (FA) lipid supplement in beef diet on the nutritional characteristics of Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle. One hundred and eighty Charolais beef were divided in two groups: the control group (CON) received a basal diet and the second one (TR) an isoenergetic diet containing the omega-3 supplement. Dietary treatment did not affect (p > 0.05) growth performances, carcass characteristics and LL colour indices. Cholesterol content resulted lower (p < 0.001) in LL muscle from TR group than CON. The omega-3 FA and conjugated linoleic acid content were higher (p < 0.001) in LL muscle from TR than CON. As expected, LL muscle from TR group showed an increased value of malondialdehyde than CON during refrigerated storage, anyway, remaining within the threshold value of 1 mg/kg meat. In conclusion, the lipid supplement, rich in omega-3 FA improves the fatty acid profile and decreases cholesterol content of LL muscle. This feeding practice is suggested to enhance the nutritional value of meat from beef reared in intensive condition, improving the consumer’s health.

Breed dependent regulatory mechanisms of beneficial and non-beneficial fatty acid profiles in subcutaneous adipose tissue in cattle with divergent feed efficiency

The current study aimed to determine whether breed and feed efficiency affect the molecular mechanisms regulating beneficial and non-beneficial fatty acid profiles in subcutaneous adipose tissue of beef steers. Fatty acid profiling and RNA-Seq based transcriptome analysis were performed on subcutaneous adipose tissues collected from beef steers with three divergent breeds (Angus, ANG, n = 47; Charolais, CHAR, n = 48; Kinsella Composite, KC, n = 48) and different residual feed intake (RFI, a measure of feed efficiency). The comparison of fatty acid profiles showed that KC had higher beneficial FAs compared to the other two breeds. Distinct FA profiles between H-RFIfat and L-RFIfat steers was more obvious for KC steers, where H-RFIfat steers tended to have higher proportion of healthy FAs and lower proportion of the unhealthy FAs. A higher number of differentially expressed (DE) genes were observed for KC steers, whereas ANG and CHAR steers had a lower number of DE genes between H- and L-RFIfat steers. The association analyses of the gene expressions and FA profiles showed that 10 FA metabolism-associated genes together with the one upstream regulator (SREBF1) were associated with the proportion of C18:2n-6, total n-6, PUFA and PUFA/SFA for KC steers but not the other two breeds. Subcutaneous adipose tissue FA profiles and healthy FA index differed in cattle with divergent feed efficiency and such variation was unique for the three examined cattle breeds. Key FA metabolism-associated genes together with SREBF1 which is the upstream regulator of a set of genes involved in lipid metabolism may be of importance for genetic selection of meat with higher healthy FA index in beef cattle.

Nutritional Benefits from Fatty Acids in Organic and Grass-Fed Beef

Livestock production is under increasing scrutiny as a component of the food supply chain with a large impact on greenhouse gas emissions. Amidst growing calls to reduce industrial ruminant production, there is room to consider differences in meat quality and nutritional benefits of organic and/or pasture-based management systems. Access to forage, whether fresh or conserved, is a key influencing factor for meat fatty acid profile, and there is increasing evidence that pasture access is particularly beneficial for meat’s nutritional quality. These composition differences ultimately impact nutrient supply to consumers of conventional, organic and grass-fed meat. For this review, predicted fatty acid supply from three consumption scenarios were modelled: i. average UK population National Diet and Nutrition Survey (NDNS) (<128 g/week) red meat consumption, ii. red meat consumption suggested by the UK National Health Service (NHS) (<490 g/week) and iii. red meat consumption suggested by the Eat Lancet Report (<98 g/week). The results indicate average consumers would receive more of the beneficial fatty acids for human health (especially the essential omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid) from pasture-fed beef, produced either organically or conventionally.

Characterization of the Flavor Precursors and Flavor Fingerprints in Grazing Lambs by Foodomics

Tan sheep are greatly preferred by consumers in China because of their nutritional value and unique flavor. However, the meat quality of Tan sheep has decreased due to the change in feeding systems from grazing to indoor. Studies investigating the mechanisms for the decrease in meat quality are limited. A total of 28 Tan sheep were randomly allocated to two treatments, receiving a concentrated diet, or pasture. Flavor precursors and volatile compounds were analyzed with foodomics. E-nose and E-tongue analyses suggested that the aroma and taste profiles differed between the feeding systems. The grazing lambs had higher levels of linoleic acid and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (p < 0.01). Metabolomics indicated that 25 hydrophilic metabolites active in glycolipid and amino acid metabolisms were changed by the feeding system. Among the 57 volatile compounds identified, methional, γ-butyrolactone, benzaldehyde, and ethyl acetate were at concentrations significantly higher in the grazing lambs than the indoor-fed lambs (p < 0.01). These results reveal key changes in flavor precursors and flavor profiles affected by the feeding system, which may provide an initial view of the reason for consumer preference for the grazing Tan sheep.

Influence of beef genotypes on animal performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and sensory characteristics in grazing or feedlot-finished steers

A 2-yr study was conducted to evaluate the effects of beef genotypes and feeding systems on performance, carcass traits, meat quality, and sensory attributes. A 2×2 factorial experiment was used to randomly allocate 60 steers in year 1 (YR1) and 44 steers in year 2 (YR2). The two beef genotypes evaluated were Red Angus (RA), and RA x Akaushi (AK) crossbreed. The steers were allotted to two finishing feeding systems: grazing, a multi-species forage mixture (GRASS) and feedlot finishing, conventional total mixed ration (GRAIN). All steers were slaughtered on the same day, at 26 and 18 mo of age (GRASS and GRAIN, respectively), and carcass data were collected 48 h postmortem. Growth and slaughter characteristics were significantly impacted by the finishing system (P < 0.01), with the best results presented by GRAIN. Beef genotype affected dressing percent (P < 0.01), ribeye area (P = 0.04), and marbling score (P = 0.01). The AK steers had a tendency (P = 0.09) for lower total gain; however, carcass quality scores were greater compared to RA. There was a genotype by system interaction for USDA yield grade (P < 0.01), where it was lower in GRASS compared to GRAIN in both genotypes, and no difference was observed between the two genotypes for any GRASS or GRAIN systems. There was no difference in meat quality or sensory attributes (P > 0.10) between the two genotypes, except that steaks from AK tended to be juicier than RA (P = 0.06). Thawing loss and color variables were impacted by the finishing system (P < 0.01). L* (lightness) and hue angle presented greater values while a* (redness), b* (yellowness), and chroma presented lower values in GRAIN compared to GRASS. Sensory attributes were scored better in GRAIN than GRASS beef (P < 0.01). There was a genotype by system interaction for flavor (P = 0.02), where beef from RA had a lower flavor rating in GRASS than in GRAIN, and no difference was observed for AK. Within each system, no difference was observed for flavor between RA and AK. Beef from steers in GRASS had greater (P < 0.01) WBSF than those from GRAIN. These results indicate that steers from GRAIN had superior performance and carcass merit and that AK enhanced these traits to a greater degree compared to RA. Furthermore, the beef finishing system had a marked impact on the steaks’ sensory attributes and consumer acceptability. The favorable results for texture and juiciness in GRAIN, which likely impacted overall acceptability, may be related to high marbling.

Direct and indirect contributions of molecular genetics to farm animal welfare: a review

Since domestication, farm animals have played a key role to increase the prosperity of humankind, while animal welfare (AW) is debated even today. This paper aims to comprehensively review the contributions of developing molecular genetics to farm animal welfare (FAW) and to raise awareness among both scientists and farmers about AW. Welfare is a complex trait affected by genetic structure and environmental factors. Therefore, the best welfare status can be achieved not only to enhance environmental factors such as management and feeding practices, but also the genetic structure of animals must be improved. In this regard, advances in molecular genetics have made great contributions to improve the genetic structure of farm animals, which has increased AW. Today, by sequencing and/or molecular markers, genetic diseases may be detected and eliminated in local herds. Additionally, genes related to diseases or adaptations are investigated by molecular techniques, and the frequencies of desired genotypes are increased in farm animals to keep welfare at an optimized level. Furthermore, stress on animals can be reduced with DNA extraction from stool and feather samples which reduces physical contact between animals and veterinarians. Together with molecular genetics, advances in genome editing tools and biotechnology are promising to improve FAW in the future.

Effect of Dams and Suckling Lamb Feeding Systems on the Fatty Acid Composition of Suckling Lamb Meat

The effects of the dams and suckling lamb feeding systems on the fatty acid (FA) profile of lamb meat are reviewed in this article. The suckling lamb can be considered a functional monogastric, and therefore, its meat FA composition is strongly influenced by the FA composition of maternal milk. The major source of variation for ewe milk FA composition is represented by pasture amount and type. In the traditional sheep breeding system of the Mediterranean area, the main lambing period occurs in late autumn-early winter, and ewes are able to exploit the seasonal availability of the natural pastures at their best. Therefore, lambs start suckling when maternal milk concentrations of vaccenic, rumenic, and n-3 long-chain polyunsaturated FA in maternal milk are the highest. When maternal diet is mainly based on hay and concentrates, the use of vegetable oils can be considered a good strategy to improve the meat FA profile of suckling lambs.

Review: Improving the nutritional, sensory and market value of meat products from sheep and cattle

This paper focuses on improving the sensory, health attributes and meat yield of beef and lamb meats. Value for meat is defined as the weight of meat × price/kg received with price linked to eating quality. To maximise value across the supply chain, accurate carcass grading systems for eating quality and yield are paramount. Grading data can then be used to target consumers' needs at given price points and then to tailor appropriate production and genetic directions. Both the grading methodologies and key phenotypes are complex and still under intensive research with international collaboration to maximise opportunities. In addition, there is value in promoting the health aspects of red meats served as whole trimmed meats. Typically, the total fat content is relatively low (less than 5%) and for forage systems, they deliver a very significant content of long-chain n-3 fatty acids. Further research is needed to clarify the healthiness or otherwise of ground beef served as burgers given the fat content is typically 20% or more. It is important to continue to improve the feedback to producers regarding the quantity and quality of the products they produce to target new value opportunities in a transparent and quantitative manner.

Meat Quality of Nellore Young Bulls-Effects of Different Days on Feed and Zilpaterol Hydrochloride Supplementation

Ninety-six Nellore young bulls were fed (90 or 117 day) diets containing ZH (8.33 mg/kg) for 0, 20, 30, or 40 days to evaluate the effects of days on feed (DOF) and length of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) supplementation on meat quality. At the end of feeding period, animals were slaughtered, and samples of the Longissimus muscle were collected to evaluate the chemical composition, fatty acid profile, color stability, shear force, and sensory profile. DOF did not affect chemical composition, shear force, sensory tenderness, and most of fatty acids; however, animals fed for 90 d had lower redness (p < 0.01), sustained juiciness (p < 0.01), and more flavor (p = 0.03) than those fed for 117 d. The ZH supplementation decreased lipid content and redness (p < 0.01), initial and sustained tenderness (p < 0.01), initial and sustained juiciness (p < 0.01), but increased protein (p < 0.01) and shear force (p < 0.01) as compared to non-supplemented animals. The ZH supplementation increased total PUFA, c9,c12-18:2, and 20:4-n6, and decreased c9-20:1 (p < 0.05). Feeding ZH impairs meat quality attributes of Nellore young bulls, regardless of duration of supplementation, while DOF has a small effect on meat quality properties.

Fatty Acid Composition of Meat Animals as Flavor Precursors

This article provides an overview of fatty acids in meat, their variation among animal species, and the roles of fatty acids as flavor precursors. Animal fat mostly consists of triglycerides and phospholipids. Fats from ruminant (cattle, sheep, and goats) and monogastric (pigs and horses) animals have similar fatty acids with more saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids than polyunsaturated fatty acids. In monogastric animals, fatty acids in the muscle reflect the composition of diets, whereas ruminant fatty acids are more saturated because of biohydrogenation in the rumen. Lipid- derived flavor compounds are formed from the thermal oxidation of fatty acids during cooking, producing more desirable aromatic compounds than autoxidation. Monounsaturated fatty acids such as oleic acid and polyunsaturated fatty acids such as linoleic acid in meat produce various volatile compounds contributing to cooked meat aromas. Under most cooking conditions, lipid-derived flavor compounds are usually predominant. However, these compounds have greater thresholds than those derived from water-soluble compounds, such as the Maillard reaction products. The interactions between lipid oxidation products and Maillard compounds are more important for the development of meat flavor than originally thought. Moreover, fat-derived volatile compounds provide flavor notes indicative of species identification.

Nutrient provision capacity of alternative livestock farming systems per area of arable farmland required

Although climate impacts of ruminant agriculture are a major concern worldwide, using policy instruments to force grazing farms out of the livestock industry may diminish opportunities to produce nutritious food without exacerbating the food-feed competition for fertile and accessible land resources. Here, we present a new set of quantitative evidence to demonstrate that, per unit of overall nutrient value supplied by a given commodity, the demand for land suitable for human-edible crop production is considerably smaller under ruminant systems than monogastric systems, and consistently so at both farm and regional scales. We also demonstrate that imposition of a naïvely designed “red meat tax” has the potential to invite socioeconomic losses far greater than its environmental benefits, due largely to the induced misallocation of resources at the national scale. Our results reiterate the risk inherent in an excessively climate-focused debate on the role of livestock in human society and call for more multidimensional approaches of sustainability assessment to draw better-balanced policy packages.

Comparison of carcass characteristics and meat quality between Simmental crossbred cattle, cattle-yaks and Xuanhan yellow cattle

BACKGROUND

The study compared the growth performance, carcass characteristics and meat quality of steers of Xuanhan yellow cattle, Simmental crossbreed cattle (Simmental × Xuanhan yellow cattle) and cattle-yak (Jersey × yak). All steers were feed with the same diet from 6 months until slaughter at 30 months. The longissimus dorsi muscle was used to compare the meat quality traits.

RESULTS

By comparison, Simmental crossbreed cattle had higher growth performance (P < 0.05) and carcass characteristics (P < 0.05); cattle-yak had higher value of a*, b* of meat color (P < 0.05) and higher protein contents of meat (P < 0.05); Xuanhan yellow cattle had higher water holding capacity (P < 0.05) and lower shear force (P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

The results show that Simmental crossbred cattle had better meat performance and provided low-fat meat with a beneficial fatty acid composition, but with lower meat quality; cattle-yaks provided greater meat color and higher protein content; Xuanhan yellow cattle provided meat with preferable tenderness. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry.

Nutritional value of suckler beef from temperate pasture systems

The role of beef in human diets has been questioned over the last few decades, due largely to its typically high mass-based carbon footprint. However, recent advancements in sustainability literature challenge this paradigm based on the new theory that climate impacts of food commodities should be measured relative to their overall nutritional value rather than their nominal mass. This shift has opened a new opportunity for the global beef industry, and especially for pasture-based systems that can avoid food-feed competition for land and other resources, as beef is a nutritionally dense food. Nonetheless, the sector's true capability to supply a wide range of nutrients for humans, consistently across multiple systems under multiple weather patterns, has not been well-documented. Using whole-system datasets from the North Wyke Farm Platform in the South West of England, we investigated the nutritional value of beef produced from the three most common pasture systems in temperate regions: permanent pasture (PP), grass and white clover (GWC) and a short-term monoculture grass ley (MG). Beef produced from these three pasture systems was analysed for key nutrients (fatty acids, minerals and vitamin E) over three production cycles (2015-2017) to determine potential differences between systems. Fatty acid, mineral and vitamin E profiles of the pasture and silage fed to each group were also assessed, with subtle differences between pastures reported. For beef, subtle differences were also observed between systems, with GWC having higher omega-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations than PP and MG. However, the overall nutritional quality of beef was found to be largely comparable across all systems, suggesting that temperate pasture-based beef can be classified as a single commodity in future sustainability assessments, regardless of specific sward types. A 100 g serving of temperate pasture-based beef was found to be a high source (>20% recommended daily intake: RDI) of protein, monounsaturated fatty acids, saturated fatty acids, vitamins - B2, B3, B12 and minerals - Fe, P, Zn; a good source (10-19% RDI) of vitamin - B6 and mineral - K; and a complementary source (5-9% RDI) of omega-3 PUFA, vitamin - B9 and minerals - Cu, Mg, Se. The nutritional value of a food item should be used in defining its environmental cost (e.g. carbon footprint) to make fair comparisons across different food groups (e.g. protein sources). Here, we showed that pasture-based beef had a nutrient indexed carbon footprint of between 0.19 and 0.23 Kg CO2-eq/1% RDI of key nutrients.

Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy for Predicting the Phospholipid Fraction and the Total Fatty Acid Composition of Freeze-Dried Beef

Research on fatty acids (FA) is important because their intake is related to human health. NIRS can be a useful tool to estimate the FA of beef but due to the high moisture and the high absorbance of water makes it difficult to calibrate the analyses. This work evaluated near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy as a tool to assess the total fatty acid composition and the phospholipid fraction of fatty acids of beef using freeze-dried meat. An average of 22 unrelated pure breed young bulls from 15 European breeds were reared on a common concentrate-based diet. A total of 332 longissimus thoracis steaks were analysed for fatty acid composition and a freeze-dried sample was subjected to near-infrared spectral analysis. 220 samples (67%) were used as a calibration set with the remaining 110 (33%) being used for validation of the models obtained. There was a large variation in the total FA concentration across the animals giving a good data set for the analysis and whilst the coefficient of variation was nearly 68% for the monounsaturated FA it was only 27% for the polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA). PLS method was used to develop the prediction models. The models for the phospholipid fraction had a low R²p and high standard error, while models for neutral lipid had the best performance, in general. It was not possible to obtain a good prediction of many individual PUFA concentrations being present at low concentrations and less variable than other FA. The best models were developed for Total FA, saturated FA, 9c18:1 and 16:1 with R²_p greater than 0.76. This study indicates that NIRS is a feasible and useful tool for screening purposes and it has the potential to predict most of the FA of freeze-dried beef.

A method for assessing sustainability, with beef production as an example

A comprehensive approach to decisions about the use of land and other world resources, taking full account of biological and other scientific information, is crucial for good decisions to be made now and in future. The sustainability of systems for producing food and other products is sometimes assessed using too narrow a range of component factors. A production system might be unsustainable because of adverse effects on a wide range of aspects of human welfare, animal welfare, or the environment. All factors should be included in sustainability evaluation, otherwise products or actions might be avoided without adequate consideration of key factors or of the diversity of production systems. A scoring method that is based on scientific information and potentially of general relevance is presented here, using beef production as a example with a review of each of its sustainability components. This includes an overall combined score and specific factors that make the system unacceptable for some consumers. The results show that, in this example, the sustainability of the best systems is very much better than that of the worst systems. By taking account of scores for a wide range of components of sustainability in comparing beef-production systems, better quality policies about beef use can be formulated than when statements referring only to one system are considered. The least sustainable beef-production systems are extensive grazing that causes land degradation and the use of feedlots or indoor housing with grain feeding. Semi-intensive silvopastoral systems are the most sustainable beef-production systems, and well-managed pasture-fed beef from areas where crop production is uneconomic is also sustainable. This simple, scientifically based scoring system could be modified to use positive as well as negative scores and is of value for policy makers, researchers, producers, organisations aiming to improve sustainability, and the general public.

Effect of dietary concentrate content on feed intake, feed efficiency, and meat quality of Holstein steers fattened in a hot environment

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of feeding high and low concentrate diets on feed intake and feed efficiency, the morphological characteristics of the rumen papillae, and meat quality of Holstein steers fattened under hot climate conditions in Oman. Ten male Holstein calves, of 5 months of age, were selected for the experiment. The animals were fed concentrate and Rhodes grass hay and were divided into two groups of high concentrate (HC, n = 5) and low concentrate diets (LC, n = 5), in which their feed intake, weight gain, and feed efficiency were evaluated across three growing periods. Feed intake and efficiency and average daily gain (ADG) of the HC group were significantly greater than for the LC group and were affected by the diet (p < .01) and the period (p < .001). Across the fattening periods, ADG declined in both groups, with ADG improved by 35% for steers on the HC diet compared to steers on the LC diet. Carcass meat quality was not affected significantly by the dietary concentrate level. In conclusion, our results can be used to make improvements in feed efficiency of Holstein steers under hot climate conditions.

Forage type and transportation stress effects on gut microbial counts and meat quality in goats

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of feeding highly condensed tannin legume (sericea lespedeza, SL; Lespedeza cuneata) forage on gastrointestinal tract microbial counts and meat quality in goats. Intact male Spanish kids were kept in 0.40 ha paddocks of SL, bermudagrass (BG; Cynodon dactylon; control), or a combination of SL + BG (n = 10 goats per treatment group) for 8 wk. All goats were supplemented with a commercial feed pellet at 0.45 kg·head−1·d−1 for the first 4 wk and 0.23 kg·head−1·d−1 for the final 4 wk of the trial. At the end of the experiment, half the goats from each paddock were subjected to 3 h transportation stress, then all animals were humanely slaughtered. Diet or stress did not have a significant effect on skin Escherichia coli, coliform, or aerobic plate counts, and carcass, rumen, and fecal bacterial counts. Muscle pH at 24 h postmortem tended (P = 0.06) to be higher in transported compared with non-transported goats. The results indicate that SL consumption by goats for 8 wk did not significantly affect gastrointestinal tract, skin, and carcass microbial counts or meat quality, although preslaughter stress could influence meat quality due to changes in the course of postmortem pH decline.

Biofuel by-product can replace partially corn in supplement for Angus × Nellore heifers: productive performance and meat characteristics

The aim of this is study was to test the hypothesis that corn can be partially replaced by crude glycerin (at a level of 50%) without affecting performance, ingestive behavior, ruminal parameters, meat composition, and fatty acids profile on the meat of heifers. Sixty-four intact plus four rumen cannulated Angus × Nellore heifers (359.0 ± 12.15 kg BW) were used. The cannulated animals received the same diets as the intact ones to determine the ruminal N-NH3 concentration, pH, and chewing activity weekly. All heifers were maintained in Brachiaria brizantha pasture and supplemented with a concentrate containing corn, soybean meal, urea, premixed minerals, and glycerin partially replacing corn. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with two treatments (corn ground or glycerin + corn ground). The inclusion of crude glycerin (high fat) decreased nutrients intake and ruminal N-NH3 concentration in the rumen but increased lipid intake. Inclusion of glycerin had no effect (P > 0.05) on ruminal pH, daily gain, performance, time spent eating, rumination, idling, or water intake. The moisture, ash, and protein contents of meat were not affected (P > 0.05) by crude glycerin intake. Crude glycerin increased saturated fatty acids (C14:0, C16:0, and C18:0) and decreased unsaturated fatty acids (C18:2n6c and C20:1) in meat. Despite the reduction in nutrient intake, we recommend crude glycerin to replace corn in concentrate because glycerin did not impair the performance, meat composition, and ruminal pH. Therefore, crude glycerin is a by-product that can partially replace corn in diets efficiently.

Effects of grass- and concentrate-based finishing systems on the quality of meat from the M. longissimus thoracis of young Sarda bulls

Context Recent heightened interest of consumers in the origins of their food, together with broader general awareness of environmental matters, has led to an increase in the demand for meat obtained from grazing systems. The importance of local breeds adapted to medium- and low-input production is fully recognised as a means of guaranteeing the sustainability of these farming methods. A finishing system based on pastures and the use of local breeds could both meet the demands of consumers and increase economic returns for Sardinian farmers. Aims The work evaluated the effects of different finishing treatments (pasture PAS-0C vs hay–concentrate-based diets HAY-C) on the quality of meat from young Sarda bulls and the usefulness of meat chemicals as markers to discriminate between finishing systems. Methods Twenty-eight young Sarda bulls were assigned randomly to the following two treatments: finished on natural pasture (PAS-0C group, n = 7), and fed on natural pasture hay ad libitum and concentrate (HAY-C group, n = 21). The latter group comprised three levels characterised by an increasing daily dose of concentrates, as follows: 2.5 kg/animal (HAY-2.5C), 3.3 kg/animal (HAY-3.3C), and ad libitum (HAY-ALC). After slaughter at a fixed age (416 ± 25 days), carcass yield, pH of the Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle, colour parameters, cooking loss, proximate analysis, α-tocopherol and cholesterol concentration, and fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat of LT were all determined. The discriminating power of the meat chemicals between the two main finishing systems (PAS-0C vs HAY-C) and among the three groups receiving concentrates and hay (HAY-2.5C, HAY-3.3C and HAY-ALC) was assessed using linear discriminant analysis. Key results Pasture-based treatment decreased the intramuscular fat and increased the α-tocopherol concentration of meat and the proportion of some desirable fatty acids (α-linolenic acid and its derivatives eicosapentaenoic acid, docosapentaenoic acid), and improved the value of the ratio of n-6:n-3, without affecting the ultimate pH, colour parameters, and cooking loss. The discriminant procedure was able to discriminate accurately between the two main finishing systems and among the three groups receiving concentrate and hay (P &lt; 0.0001 and P &lt; 0.005 of the Hotelling’s T-squared test respectively). The concentration of α-tocopherol was key to the discrimination of the two main finishing systems, whereas the content of C17:0 and C18:0i were particularly effective in discriminating among the three groups fed with hay concentrate. Conclusions Grazing improves some of the meat traits of young Sarda bulls compared with the effects of a hay-concentrate-based finishing diet. The concentration of α-tocopherol in meat is an effective marker for discriminating the effects of pasture from those of a concentrate-based finishing diet Implications The results highlight the role of pasture-based diet in finishing young Sarda bulls, and could provide a wealth of knowledge for Sardinian beef farmers for delivering meat produce that stands out in the market and meets the demand of consumers more concerned about food origin and its healthiness.

Meat and sensory eating quality of loin steaks from cattle slaughtered at different ages as a result of short, medium or long finishing systems

Context In the belief that feed costs and use of cereal grains are reduced, production systems based on grazed and conserved forage in which cattle are slaughtered at 30 to 36 months of age are increasingly advocated. Aims As there is a scarcity of information concerning meat quality traits of beef from such extended rearing systems, three finishing systems of different lengths (Short, 14–16 months; Medium, 20–24 months; Long, 31–34 months) were compared in which cattle were slaughtered at similar conformation and fat classification scores. Methods The experiment comprised a three (system) × two (gender) design with 24 Limousin cross-bred cattle (12 steers and 12 heifers) assigned to each system. Characteristics of the rib section (between and inclusive of the 5th and 10th ribs) and sensory properties of M. longissimus thoracis samples were then assessed. Key results Older (Long system) cattle had greater rib section and L. thoracis weights. L. thoracis was tougher in older (Long system) cattle when assessed by a trained sensory panel. Heifers had lower rib section weights than steers but neither rib section composition or meat toughness differed between genders. Gristle (visible connective tissue) in the rib section increased with system length and was associated with an increased perception of gristle on eating. Conclusions Overall meat quality was considered commercially acceptable regardless of system. Implications The likely increased greenhouse gas emissions but reduced utilisation of food resources from the Long system need to be considered in conjunction with the meat quality characteristics of the system.

Fatty Acid Composition and Volatile Profile of M. longissimus thoracis from Commercial Lambs Reared in Different Forage Systems

Animal production factors can affect the fatty acid and volatile profile of lamb meat. The fatty acid and volatile composition of the M. longissimus thoracis was evaluated from 150 lambs from 10 groups of commercial lambs that differed in age, sex, diet and breed, from three farms, which represent typical forage lamb production systems in New Zealand. The meat from 4-month-old composite lambs slaughtered at weaning had a similar polyunsaturated to saturated fatty acid ratio compared to 6- to 8-month-old composite lambs, but a greater ratio than that of 12-month-old Merino lambs (p < 0.05), with all ratios being lower than the recommended ≥0.45. All lamb production systems produced meat with an omega-6 to omega-3 ratio below 1.5, well below the recommended ratio ≤ 4.0. Meat from 4-month-old lambs had higher C12:0, C14:0 and C16:0 and lower C18:0, reflecting the composition of the milk diet, resulting in higher atherogenic index than meat from other animal groups, while meat from 12-month-old Merino lambs, with lower content of polyunsaturated fatty acids, showed higher thrombogenic index. Meat from lambs processed at weaning contained the greatest concentration of eicosapentaenoic and docosahexaenoic acids, which would qualify as a 'source' or 'good source' of these target fatty acids based on the Commission of Regulation of the European Union or the Food Standards Australia New Zealand guidelines, respectively. Volatiles were extracted from the headspace of raw lean meat and 36 volatile compounds were identified. The abundance of carbon disulphide, isododecane, heptanal, 2,5-hexanediol and 3-octanone and pentanoic, octanoic, nonanoic and heptanoic acids was similar between all groups of lambs. Meat from 12-month-old Merino lambs had low abundance of acetic, propanoic, butanoic and hexanoic acids, and hexanal, octanal and dimethyl sulphide. For 6- to 8-month-old composite lambs, hexanal, octanal and nonanal were present at higher relative abundance in meat from lambs that grazed on chicory than perennial ryegrass. The significant differences in the fatty acid and volatile profiles in meat from 12-month-old Merino lambs compared with lambs slaughtered at weaning or further grazed on red clover, chicory or mixed pasture may result in distinctive nutritional value and lamb flavour.

An Overview on Cyclic Fatty Acids as Biomarkers of Quality and Authenticity in the Meat Sector

A survey was conducted to determine the content of cyclopropane fatty acids (CPFAs) and ω-cyclohexyl fatty acids (CHFAs) by using gas chromatography- mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H NMR) techniques in various meat samples from different species, including commercial samples and complex and thermally processed products (i.e., Bolognese sauce). The CPFAs concentration (as the sum of two isomers, namely dihydrosterculic acid and lactobacillic acid) in bovine meat fat (ranging between 70 and 465 mg/kg fat) was positively related to a silage-based diet, and therefore, they are potential biomarkers for monitoring the feeding system of cattle. CHFAs, such as 11-cyclohexylundecanoic and 13-cyclohexyltridecanoic acids, were only found in lipid profiles from ruminant species, and a linear trend was observed in their content, together with iso-branched fatty acids (iso-BCFAs) deriving from ruminal fermentation, as a function of bovine meat percentage in both raw and cooked minced meat. Thus, CHFAs are potential biomarkers for the assurance of the meat species and, combined with iso-BCFAs, of the beef/pork ratio even in complex meat matrices. The proposed approaches are valuable novel tools for meat authentication, which is pivotal in the management of meat quality, safety, and traceability.

Influence of Genotype and Slaughter Age on the Content of Selected Minerals and Fatty Acids in the Longissimus Thoracis Muscle of Crossbred Bulls

Simple Summary

In some European countries, including Poland, beef production is based mostly on dairy cattle herds. Beef quality can be improved by the commercial crossbreeding of dairy cows with beef bulls. The offspring are characterized by higher fattening performance and more desirable carcass characteristics. The experiment was performed on 72 bulls produced by crossing Polish Holstein-Friesian (PHF) cows with bulls of three most popular beef breeds: Hereford (HH), Limousin (LM), and Charolais (CH), to determine the effects of genotype and age at slaughter on the content of selected minerals (K, Na, Mg, Zn, and Fe) and fatty acid profile in beef. The meat of PHF × LM crosses had a lower content of K and Mg, compared with the remaining crossbred bulls. The Fe content per kg of meat was higher in bulls slaughtered at 21 months of age than in those slaughtered at 15 months of age. The best sire breed for crossing with dairy cows cannot be clearly indicated based on the present findings. However, the results of this study suggest that bulls should be slaughtered at 21 months of age to achieve the optimal values of most analyzed traits and parameters, in particular the fatty acid profile.

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the effects of genotype and slaughter age on the mineral content and fatty acid profile of beef. The experiment was performed on 72 crossbred bulls produced by crossing Polish Holstein-Friesian (PHF) cows with bulls of three beef breeds: Hereford (HH), Limousin (LM), and Charolais (CH), slaughtered at 15, 18, and 21 months of age. Samples of the longissimus thoracis muscle were collected to determine their mineral (potassium—K, sodium—Na, magnesium—Mg, zinc—Zn, and iron—Fe) and fatty acid composition. The meat of PHF × LM crosses had a lower (p ≤ 0.01) content of K and Mg, compared with the remaining crossbred bulls. The Fe content per kg of meat was 4 mg higher (p ≤ 0.01) in bulls slaughtered at 21 months of age than in those slaughtered at 15 months of age. The content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) in intramuscular fat was 2.77% higher in bulls slaughtered at 21 months of age than in those slaughtered at 15 months of age. The n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ratio did not exceed 4.0, and it was most desirable in PHF × LM crosses (2.84) and in the oldest bulls (2.92).

Effects of dietary energy on antioxidant capacity, glucose-lipid metabolism and meat fatty acid profile of Holstein bulls at different ages

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary energy on antioxidant capacity, liver glucose-lipid-related gene expressions and meat fatty acid of Holstein bulls. Thirty-six Holstein bulls (age, 17.0 ± 0.49 months; body weight, 493.3 ± 39.7 kg) were randomly allocated to three dietary treatments. The metabolizable energy of diets was 10.12, 10.90 and 11.68 MJ/kg. Bulls in each dietary treatment were sampled at the age of 20, 23 or 26 months. Results showed that serum glutathione peroxidase and superoxide dismutase decreased with the increasing age. Dietary energy and age had interaction effects on the expressions of fatty acid synthase, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor alpha, acyl coenzyme A oxidase 1 and carnitine palmitoyl-transferase 1 alpha. Besides, the increase of age and dietary energy increased the expression of liver phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase 1. The expressions of liver glucose-6-phosphatase, tumour necrosis factor alpha and sterol regulatory element binding protein 1 increased with the increasing age. The increase of age and dietary energy increased the proportions of C18:1cis-9, C18:2n-6trans and monounsaturated fatty acid. In summary, the increase of age and dietary energy enhanced the intensity of metabolic changes and inflammatory responses. Dietary energy and age affected the expressions of liver lipid metabolism-related genes, further affected meat fatty acid composition of Holstein bulls.

Physicochemical properties of crust derived from dry-aged Holstein and Hanwoo loin

This study evaluated the quality characteristics of crust derived from dry-aged Holstein and Hanwoo loins and their effects on food as additives. With respect to physicochemical properties, we examined the proximate composition, pH value, salinity, color, water and fat absorption, emulsifying capacity, and swelling yield. The protein and ash contents in the Holstein crust were significantly higher than those in the Hanwoo crust (p < 0.0001). The fat content in the Hanwoo crust was significantly higher than that in the Holstein crust (p < 0.01). The salinity, lightness, and yellowness of the Hanwoo crust were significantly lower than those of the Holstein crust (p < 0.001). Furthermore, the pH value and emulsifying capacity of the Hanwoo crust were significantly higher than those of the Holstein crust (p < 0.001). The fat absorption of the Holstein crust was significantly higher than that of the Hanwoo crust (p < 0.001). The swelling yield of the Holstein crust was significantly higher than that of the Hanwoo crust at pH 3 and 4 (p < 0.001), whereas the swelling yield of the Hanwoo crust was significantly higher than that of the Holstein crust at pH 7 (p < 0.001). Principal component analysis of dry-aged Hanwoo, Holstein, and non-aged Holstein showed different flavor patterns for each sample. Finally, the results showed that the crusts derived from dry-aged Hanwoo and Holstein loins were suitable flavor enhancers.

A modelling approach to investigate the impact of consumption of three different beef compositions on human dietary fat intakes

OBJECTIVE

To apply a dietary modelling approach to investigate the impact of substituting beef intakes with three types of alternative fatty acid (FA) composition of beef on population dietary fat intakes.

DESIGN

Cross-sectional, national food consumption survey - the National Adult Nutrition Survey (NANS). The fat content of the beef-containing food codes (n 52) and recipes (n 99) were updated with FA composition data from beef from animals receiving one of three ruminant dietary interventions: grass-fed (GRASS), grass finished on grass silage and concentrates (GSC) or concentrate-fed (CONC). Mean daily fat intakes, adherence to dietary guidelines and the impact of altering beef FA composition on dietary fat sources were characterised.

SETTING

Ireland.

PARTICIPANTS

Beef consumers (n 1044) aged 18-90 years.

RESULTS

Grass-based feeding practices improved dietary intakes of a number of individual FA, wherein myristic acid (C14 : 0) and palmitic acid (C16 : 0) were decreased, with an increase in conjugated linoleic acid (C18 : 2c9,t11) and trans-vaccenic acid (C18 : 1t11; P < 0·05). Improved adherence with dietary recommendations for total fat (98·5 %), SFA (57·4 %) and PUFA (98·8 %) was observed in the grass-fed beef scenario (P < 0·001). Trans-fat intakes were increased significantly in the grass-fed beef scenario (P < 0·001).

CONCLUSIONS

To the best of our knowledge, the present study is the first to characterise the impact of grass-fed beef consumption at population level. The study suggests that habitual consumption of grass-fed beef may have potential as a public health strategy to improve dietary fat quality.

Genetics of Omega-3 Long-Chain Polyunsaturated Fatty Acid Metabolism and Meat Eating Quality in Tattykeel Australian White Lambs

Meat eating quality with a healthy composition hinges on intramuscular fat (IMF), fat melting point (FMP), tenderness, juiciness, flavour and omega-3 long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (n-3 LC-PUFA) content. These health-beneficial n-3 LC-PUFA play significant roles in optimal cardiovascular, retinal, maternal and childhood brain functions, and include alpha linolenic (ALA), eicosapentaenoic (EPA), docosahexaenoic (DHA) and docosapentaenoic (DPA) acids. The primary objective of this review was to access, retrieve, synthesise and critically appraise the published literature on the synthesis, metabolism and genetics of n-3 LC-PUFA and meat eating quality. Studies on IMF content, FMP and fatty acid composition were reviewed to identify knowledge gaps that can inform future research with Tattykeel Australian White (TAW) lambs. The TAW is a new sheep breed exclusive to MARGRA brand of lamb with an outstanding low fat melting point (28-39°C), high n-3 LC-PUFA EPA+DHA content (33-69mg/100g), marbling (3.4-8.2%), tenderness (20.0-38.5N) and overall consumer liking (7.9-8.5). However, correlations between n-3 LC-PUFA profile, stearoyl-CoA desaturase (SCD), fatty acid binding protein 4 (FABP4), fatty acid synthase (FASN), other lipogenic genes and meat quality traits present major knowledge gaps. The review also identified research opportunities in nutrition-genetics interactions aimed at a greater understanding of the genetics of n-3 LC-PUFA, feedlot finishing performance, carcass traits and eating quality in the TAW sheep. It was concluded that studies on IMF, FMP and n-3 LC-PUFA profiles in parental and progeny generations of TAW sheep will be foundational for the genetic selection of healthy lamb eating qualities and provide useful insights into their correlations with SCD, FASN and FABP4 genes.

Ruminal fermentation, microbial population and lipid metabolism in gastrointestinal nematode-infected lambs fed a diet supplemented with herbal mixtures

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of medicinal herbal mixtures rich in phenolic, flavonoid and alkaloid compounds on ruminal fermentation and microbial populations, and fatty acid (FA) concentrations and lipid oxidation in tissues of lambs infected with the gastrointestinal nematode (GIN) parasite (Haemonchus contortus). Parallel in vitro and in vivo studies were performed using two different herbal mixtures (Mix1 and Mix2). The in vitro study was conducted in a 2 (infection status; non-infected versus infected) × 3 (diets; control, Mix1 and Mix2) factorial design. In the in vivo study, 24 lambs were equally divided into four treatments: non-infected lambs fed a control diet, infected lambs fed the control diet, infected lambs fed a diet with Mix1 and infected lambs fed a diet with Mix2. Herbal mixtures (100 g dry matter (DM)/d) were added to the basal diets of meadow hay (ad libitum) and a commercial concentrate (500 g DM/d). The experimental period lasted for 70 days. Ruminal fermentation characteristics and methane production were not affected by infection in vivo or in vitro. Both herbal mixture supplementation increased total volatile fatty acid (VFA) concentrations (P < 0.01) and DM digestibility (P < 0.01) in vitro. Archaea population was slightly diminished by both herbal mixtures (P < 0.05), but they did not lower methane production in vitro or in vivo (P > 0.05). Infection of H. contortus or herbal mixtures modulated FA proportion mainly in the liver, especially the long chain FA proportion. Concentrations of thiobarbituric acid reactive substances (TBARS) in serum were significantly higher after 70 days post-infection in the infected lambs. Herbal Mix1 supplementation reduced TBARS concentrations in meat after seven days of storage. In conclusion, supplementing of herbal mixtures to the diets of GIN parasite infected lambs did not affect the basic ruminal fermentation parameters. Herbal mixtures may improve few FA proportions mainly in liver as well as decrease lipid oxidation in meat.

Effects of Muscle and Finishing Diets Containing Distillers Grains with Low Moisture Levels on Fatty Acid Deposition in Two Novel Value-added Beef Cuts

This study evaluated the effects of muscle and dietary treatments including CORN, dry distillers grains (DDGS), and modified distillers grains (MDGS) on fatty acid (FA) deposition in two novel value-added beef cuts (Petite Tender - M. teres major - TM, and Flat Iron - M. infraspinatus - INF). Crossbred steers were randomly assigned to one of three dietary treatments (CORN, 40% of DDGS with 8%-12% of moisture, and 40% of MDGS with 45%-55% of moisture - DM basis) and fed for 190 days. The TM muscle had higher concentrations of ω6 FAs and polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) when compared to INF. Beef fed CORN showed greater C16:0 and lower C18:0 values when compared to beef fed distillers grains (DGS). Beef fed DDGS had higher concentrations of ω6 FAs when compared to MDGS. Different moisture levels only affected FAs containing 14, 16, and 17 carbons. Different muscles, diets, and moisture levels of DGS affected the deposition of FAs in the lean.

Applications of nutritional functional units in commodity-level life cycle assessment (LCA) of agri-food systems

PURPOSE

The nutritional quality of final products is attracting an increased level of attention within life cycle assessment (LCA) literature of agri-food systems. The majority of these studies, however, are based on comparisons at the dietary level and, therefore, are unable to offer immediate implications for farmers as to how best to produce food. This article evaluates recent literature examining the nutrition-environment nexus at the commodity level, with the aim to identify potential pathways towards sustainability analysis that can inform both consumers and producers.

METHODS

A systematic search of literature was carried out to produce a shortlist of studies, and strict exclusion criteria were applied to them afterwards to eliminate irrelevant material. The studies thus selected were classified into one of three tiers based on the level of complexity with regard to their functional units: (1) based on single nutrients, (2) based on composite indicators derived from multiple nutrients and (3) based on commodity-level analysis in a dietary context.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

Sixteen papers were identified for inclusion in the review. All of them accounted for climate change either directly or indirectly, whilst only five addressed different impact categories at the same time. Nine studies estimated environmental impacts under functional units associated with nutrient density scores, and the others utilised alternative approaches to account for nutritional value such as linear programming and end-point modelling combined with epidemiological data. A recently developed method to calculate the marginal contribution of a commodity to the overall nutritional value of a specific diet was considered to be a successful first step in bridging the aforementioned knowledge gap.

CONCLUSIONS

The LCA community should continue the ongoing effort to link farm management decisions to diet-level environmental impacts through an enhanced focus on human nutrition across the entire value chain. Future research comparing environmental performances of multiple food groups or multiple production systems should acknowledge differences in nutritional composition and bioavailability between the final products and, ideally, the effects of these nutrients on overall dietary quality.

Grain supplementation of calves as an alternative beef production system to pasture-finished steers in Chilean Patagonia: meat quality and fatty acid composition

Beef production in Chilean Patagonia is based on steer finishing on pastures with low nutritive value. Grain supplementation for finishing calves on pasture arises as an attractive alternative to shorten the finishing phase and improve the production efficiency of the traditional system. The aim of this study was to compare meat quality and fatty acid (FA) composition of beef from steers and calves. Forty Angus cross steers were raised on pasture and slaughtered at 18 to 20 mo of age (448 ± 31.7 kg body weight). An additional group of 10 calves from similar genetics was weaned at 9 mo of age (303 ± 8.0 kg) and subsequently supplemented with 2.5 kg corn plus 1.0 kg commercial concentrate daily while on pasture during 47 d, until they reached slaughter weight (316 ± 13.9 kg). All animals were slaughtered on the same day and the Longissimus thoracis muscle was removed from each carcass for meat quality and FA profile analysis. Hot carcass weight from calves was lighter than steers (174 ± 7.9 vs. 224 ± 17.5 kg, P ≤ 0.001). Meat from calves was lighter (higher L*) and less red (lower a*). In addition, meat from calves showed lower level of yellow pigments in subcutaneous fat (lower b*) compared with meat from steers (P ≤ 0.001). Meat from calves was more tender than meat from steers (P ≤ 0.05), although both shear force values were low and within recommendations for high consumer acceptability. Meat from both production systems showed fat content and FA profiles within dietary recommendations for a healthy diet. However, meat from calves was leaner (1.10 ± 0.29 vs. 2.00 ± 0.72% fat, P ≤ 0.001). Meat from calves showed lower percentages of saturated (P ≤ 0.05) and monounsaturated (P ≤ 0.001) FAs and higher percentages of polyunsaturated and n-3 (P ≤ 0.001) FAs and conjugated linoleic acid (total and 9c,11t-18:2 isomer, P ≤ 0.001) than meat from steers. Grain supplementation of calves on pasture can reduce the finishing period by 8 to 10 mo at the expense of lighter carcasses with similar or improved meat quality characteristics compared with the traditional finishing of steers on pasture. Implementation of the alternative production system will depend mainly on feed costs and target carcass weights for specific markets.

Grass finishing and the residual effect of pasture prior to concentrate finishingon the shelf stability of late-maturing bull beef

Context The finishing of late-maturing bulls on grass is economically more favourable than finishing on cereal concentrates but it may have a negative effect on oxidative stability. Aim To determine the effect of varying levels of pasture feeding during the finishing period on the oxidative stability of bull beef. Methods Groups of eight late-maturing breed sired bulls were assigned to one of the following production systems: (1) pasture only for 200 days (P), (2) pasture only for 100 days followed by pasture plus 50% of the dietary dry matter (DM) intake as concentrate for 100 days (P-C50), (3) pasture plus 50% of the DM intake as concentrate for 200 days (C50), (4) pasture only for 100 days followed by ad libitum concentrates for 100 days (P-C), (5) pasture plus 50% of the DM intake as concentrate for 100 days followed by ad libitum concentrates for 100 days (C50-C) and (6) ad libitum concentrates offered indoors for 200 days (C). The M. Longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle was excised post-slaughter for proximate, fatty acid and α-tocopherol analysis and for measurement of lipid and protein oxidation and colour stability. Results The polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentration and proportion in muscle were higher (P &lt; 0.001) in C50 bulls compared with P, P-C50 and P-C bulls. The concentration of highly peroxidisable PUFA was at least 1.3-fold higher (P &lt; 0.001) in the muscle of C50 bulls than of C and P-C bulls whereas the proportion was at least 1.5-fold higher (P &lt; 0.001) in muscle of P, P-C50 and C50 bulls compared with C and P-C bulls. There was a higher (P &lt; 0.001) concentration of saturated fatty acids and monounsaturated fatty acids in muscle of bulls fed on concentrate in the last 100 days (P-C, C50-C and C) compared with those fed on grass (fully or partially) in the last 100 days (P, P-C50 and C50). α-Tocopherol concentration was at least 1.5-fold higher (P &lt; 0.001) in muscle of P bulls compared with C, C50-C and P-C bulls. Redness, redness stability, lipid and protein oxidation did not differ between treatments (P &gt; 0.05). Conclusions The increase in highly peroxidisable PUFA in beef, by increasing pasture in the finishing ration did not increase susceptibility to oxidation, most likely due to a concomitant increase in α-tocopherol. Implications Beef can be produced from late-maturing bulls grazing on pasture for 200 days without impacting negatively on oxidative stability.

The effects of graded levels of concentrate supplementation on colour and lipid stability of beef from pasture finished late-maturing bulls

Finishing late-maturing bulls on grass may alter the antioxidant/prooxidant balance leading to beef with higher susceptibility to lipid oxidation and a lower colour stability compared to bulls finished on cereal concentrates. In this context, lipid oxidation and colour stability of beef from late-maturing bulls finished on pasture, with or without concentrate supplements, or indoors on concentrate was assessed. Charolais or Limousin sired bulls (n = 48) were assigned to four production systems: (1) pasture only (P), (2) pasture plus 25% dietary DM intake as barley-based concentrate (PC25), (3) pasture plus 50% dietary DM intake as barley-based concentrate (PC50) or (4) a barley-based concentrate ration (C). Following slaughter and postmortem ageing, M. Longissimus thoracis et lumborum was subjected to simulated retail display (4°C, 1000 lux for 12 h out of 24 h) for 3, 7, 10 and 14 days in modified atmosphere packs (O2 : CO2; 80 : 20). Lipid oxidation was determined using the 2-thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances assay; α-tocopherol was determined by HPLC; fatty acid methyl esters were determined using Gas Chromatography. Using a randomised complete block design, treatment means were compared by either ANOVA or repeated measures ANOVA using the MIXED procedure of SAS. Total polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) concentrations were not affected by treatment, n-3 PUFAs were higher (P < 0.001) and the ratio of n-6 to n-3 PUFAs was lower (P < 0.001) in muscle from P, PC25 and PC50 compared to C. α-Tocopherol concentration was higher in muscle from P compared to PC50 and C bulls (P = 0.001) and decreased (P < 0.001) in all samples by day 14. Lipid oxidation was higher in muscle from C compared to P bulls on day 10 and day 14 of storage (P < 0.01). Finishing on pasture without supplementation did not affect beef colour stability and led to lower lipid oxidation, possibly due to the higher α-tocopherol concentration compared to concentrate finished beef.

Chemical, structural and mechanical characterization of bovine enamel

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this investigation was to establish microstructure, microhardness, fracture toughness, chemical composition, and crack repair of bovine enamel and to compare these features with their human counterparts.

DESIGN

Bovine enamel fragments were prepared and optical microscopy and atomic force microscopy were used to establish microstructure; Raman spectroscopy was used to estimate composition and microindentation using Vickers testing was performed to evaluate hardness.

RESULTS

A strong dependence between indentation load and microhardness values was observed, as was the case in human enamel. Similar microstructure and chemical composition between bovine and human enamel, 7.89% lower microhardness and 40% higher fracture toughness values for bovine enamel were found.

CONCLUSION

From a structural and mechanical standpoint, bovine enamel is a suitable alternative to human enamel for in vitro testing of dental products.

Suckler Bulls Slaughtered at 15 Months of Age: Effect of Different Production Systems on the Fatty Acid Profile and Selected Quality Characteristics of Longissimus Thoracis

The objective was to compare the quality of beef from bulls reared in typical Irish indoor systems or in novel grass-based systems. Bulls were assigned to one of the following systems: (a) grass silage plus barley-based concentrate ad libitum (CON); (b) grass silage ad libitum plus 5 kg of concentrate (SC); (c) grazed grass without supplementation (G0); (d) grazed grass plus 0.5 kg of the dietary dry matter intake as concentrate (GC) for (100 days) until slaughter (14.99 months). Carcass characteristics and pH decline were recorded. Longissimus thoracis was collected for analytical and sensory analysis. Lower carcass weight, conformation and fatness scores were found for grazing compared to CON and SC groups. CON bulls had highest intramuscular fat and lighter meat colour compared with grazing bulls. The SC meat (14 days aged) was rated higher for tenderness, texture, flavour and acceptability compared with grazing groups. CON saturated and monounsaturated fatty acid (FA) concentration was highest, conversely, omega-3 FA concentration was higher for GC compared with CON, while no differences were found in polyunsaturated FA. In conclusion, while market fatness specification was not reached by grazed grass treatments, beef eating quality was not detrimentally affected and nutritional quality was improved.

New Approach Studying Interactions Regarding Trade-Off between Beef Performances and Meat Qualities

The beef cattle industry is facing multiple problems, from the unequal distribution of added value to the poor matching of its product with fast-changing demand. Therefore, the aim of this study was to examine the interactions between the main variables, evaluating the nutritional and organoleptic properties of meat and cattle performances, including carcass properties, to assess a new method of managing the trade-off between these four performance goals. For this purpose, each variable evaluating the parameters of interest has been statistically modeled and based on data collected on 30 Blonde d'Aquitaine heifers. The variables were obtained after a statistical pre-treatment (clustering of variables) to reduce the redundancy of the 62 initial variables. The sensitivity analysis evaluated the importance of each independent variable in the models, and a graphical approach completed the analysis of the relationships between the variables. Then, the models were used to generate virtual animals and study the relationships between the nutritional and organoleptic quality. No apparent link between the nutritional and organoleptic properties of meat (r = -0.17) was established, indicating that no important trade-off between these two qualities was needed. The 30 best and worst profiles were selected based on nutritional and organoleptic expectations set by a group of experts from the INRA (French National Institute for Agricultural Research) and Institut de l'Elevage (French Livestock Institute). The comparison between the two extreme profiles showed that heavier and fatter carcasses led to low nutritional and organoleptic quality.