|
1
|
da Silva JC, Silva LHP, de Souza MV, Coelho PGB, de Castro Nunes CL, da Silva W, Assis DEF, da Silva Martins T, Chizzotti ML, Guimarães SEF. Characteristics of intramuscular collagen in calf-fed Nellore bulls and steers throughout the finishing phase. Meat Sci 2023; 206:109347. [PMID: 37757505 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109347] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 06/07/2023] [Revised: 09/06/2023] [Accepted: 09/19/2023] [Indexed: 09/29/2023]
Abstract
This study evaluated collagen solubility and gene expression of biomarkers for intramuscular collagen (IMCT) deposition and remodeling in the Longissimus muscle of bulls and steers through the finishing phase. Thirty-six Nellore calves were used (18 bulls and 18 steers), and six of each sexual condition were randomly assigned to be harvested at 0, 100, or 200 days on feed (DOF) to evaluate collagen characteristics in different time points throughout the finishing phase. Bulls showed a greater collagen solubility than steers (P = 0.03). The gene expression of fibrogenic markers (TGFβ1, COL1A1, and COL3A1) and IMCT remodeling mediators (MMPII, TIMPII, and LOX) were not affected by sexual condition or DOF (P > 0.05). Our data indicate that young Nellore bulls have a higher percentage of soluble intramuscular collagen, possibly due to higher collagen remodeling associated with a faster growth rate and muscle hypertrophy. Moreover, castration and DOF did not modify mRNA levels of fibrogenic and collagen remodeling markers.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
| | | | | | | | | | - Walmir da Silva
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil
| | | | | | - Mario Luiz Chizzotti
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil
| | - Simone Eliza Facioni Guimarães
- Department of Veterinary, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil; Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG 36570-900, Brazil.
| |
Collapse
|
|
2
|
Zhou F, Quan J, Ruan D, Qiu Y, Ding R, Xu C, Ye Y, Cai G, Liu L, Zhang Z, Yang J, Wu Z, Zheng E. Identification of Candidate Genes for Economically Important Carcass Cutting in Commercial Pigs through GWAS. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:3243. [PMID: 37893967 PMCID: PMC10603759 DOI: 10.3390/ani13203243] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 09/12/2023] [Revised: 10/08/2023] [Accepted: 10/16/2023] [Indexed: 10/29/2023] Open
Abstract
During the process of pork production, the carcasses of pigs are divided and sold, which provides better economic benefits and market competitiveness for pork production than selling the carcass as a whole. Due to the significant cost of post-slaughter phenotypic measurement, the genetic architecture of tenderloin weight (TLNW) and rib weight (RIBW)-important components of pig carcass economic value-remain unknown. In this study, we conducted genome-wide association studies (GWAS) for TLNW and RIBW traits in a population of 431 Duroc × Landrace × Yorkshire (DLY) pigs. In our study, the most significant single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) associated with TLNW was identified as ASGA0085853 (3.28 Mb) on Sus scrofa chromosome 12 (SSC12), while for RIBW, it was Affx-1115046258 (172.45 Mb) on SSC13. Through haplotype block analysis, we discovered a novel quantitative trait locus (QTL) associated with TLNW, spanning a 5 kb region on SSC12, and a novel RIBW-associated QTL spanning 1.42 Mb on SSC13. Furthermore, we hypothesized that three candidate genes, TIMP2 and EML1, and SMN1, are associated with TLNW and RIBW, respectively. Our research not only addresses the knowledge gap regarding TLNW, but also serves as a valuable reference for studying RIBW. The identified SNP loci strongly associated with TLNW and RIBW may prove useful for marker-assisted selection in pig breeding programs.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Fuchen Zhou
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jianping Quan
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Donglin Ruan
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yibin Qiu
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Rongrong Ding
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Cineng Xu
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Yong Ye
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Gengyuan Cai
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Zhongxin Breeding Technology Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Langqing Liu
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Zebin Zhang
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
| | - Jie Yang
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| | - Zhenfang Wu
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
- Guangdong Zhongxin Breeding Technology Co., Ltd., Guangzhou 510642, China
- Yunfu Subcenter of Guangdong Laboratory for Lingnan Modern Agriculture, Yunfu 527400, China
| | - Enqin Zheng
- College of Animal Science and National Engineering Research Center for Breeding Swine Industry, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China; (F.Z.); (J.Q.); (D.R.); (Y.Q.); (R.D.); (C.X.); (Y.Y.); (G.C.); (L.L.); (Z.Z.); (J.Y.)
- Guangdong Provincial Key Laboratory of Agro-Animal Genomics and Molecular Breeding, South China Agricultural University, Guangzhou 510642, China
| |
Collapse
|
|
3
|
Santos MM, Costa TC, Silva W, Pistillo LZ, Junior DTV, Verardo LL, Paulino PVR, Sampaio CB, Gionbelli MP, Du M, Duarte MS. Nutrient supplementation of beef female calves at pre-weaning enhances the commitment of fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells to preadipocytes. Meat Sci 2023; 204:109286. [PMID: 37494740 DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109286] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [MESH Headings] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/03/2023] [Revised: 07/13/2023] [Accepted: 07/18/2023] [Indexed: 07/28/2023]
Abstract
We aimed to evaluate the impact of nutrient supplementation of beef female calves at pre-weaning on adipogenic determination. Thirty-four female calves were assigned to two experimental treatments: Control (CON, n = 17), where animals were supplemented only with mineral mixture; Supplemented (SUP, n = 17), where animals received energy-protein supplement containing minerals (5 g/kg of BW per day) of their body weight. Animals were supplemented from 100 to 250 days of age, and muscle samples were biopsied at the end of the supplementation period. Regarding the performance variables, there were no differences between treatments for initial body weight (P = 0.75). The final body weight (P = 0.07), average daily gain (P = 0.07), rib eye area (P = 0.03), and rib fat thickness (P = 0.08) were greater in SUP female calves compared with CON treatment. The number of fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells (P = 0.69) did not differ between treatments, while a greater number of intramuscular pre-adipocytes were observed in SUP than CON female calves (P = 0.01). The expression of miRNA-4429 (P = 0.20) did not differ between treatments, while the expression of miRNA-129-5p (P = 0.09) and miRNA-129-2-3p (P = 0.05) was greater in CON than SUP female calves. Our results suggest that nutrient supplementation at early postnatal stages of development enhances the commitment of fibro-adipogenic progenitor cells into the adipogenic lineages allowing to an increase in intramuscular fat deposition potential of the animals later in life.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- M M Santos
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil; Muscle Biology and Nutrigenomics Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - T C Costa
- Muscle Biology and Nutrigenomics Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil; Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
| | - W Silva
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil; Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - L Z Pistillo
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - D T Valente Junior
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil; Muscle Biology and Nutrigenomics Laboratory, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil; Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada
| | - L L Verardo
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal dos Vales do Jequitinhonha e Mucuri, Diamantina, Brazil
| | | | - C B Sampaio
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, Brazil
| | - M P Gionbelli
- Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Lavras, Lavras, MG, Brazil
| | - M Du
- Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA, USA
| | - M S Duarte
- Department of Animal Biosciences, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON, Canada.
| |
Collapse
|
|
4
|
He X, Wu Q, Xue W, Wu R, Huang Y, Chen L, Han Y, Wu J, Borjigin G, Sha R. Characterization of Type I and Type III Collagen in the Intramuscular Connective Tissue of Wuzhumuqin Sheep. Animals (Basel) 2023; 13:ani13030395. [PMID: 36766284 PMCID: PMC9913400 DOI: 10.3390/ani13030395] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 12/13/2022] [Revised: 01/15/2023] [Accepted: 01/18/2023] [Indexed: 01/26/2023] Open
Abstract
Intramuscular connective tissue (IMCT) collagen is an important factor in meat quality. This study analyzed the characteristics of type I and III collagen in the IMCT of the semitendinosus (SD) and longissimus dorsi (LD) of Wuzhumuqin sheep at different growth stages (6, 9, 12, and 18 months). Utilizing sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (SDS-PAGE) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), collagen types I and III were successfully isolated and shown to contain an intact triple helix structure. Immunofluorescence revealed that these collagens were located in the endomysium and perimysium. Collagen-related genes were significantly expressed in sheep aged 9 and 12 months. The amino acid content increased with age in type I collagen whereas it decreased in type III collagen. Furthermore, type III collagen contained more hydroxyproline (Hyd) than type I collagen. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) revealed that the thermal stability of collagen increased with age, accompanied by a decrease in solubility. Semitendinosus muscle had more collagen cross-linkages than LD muscle due to the high pyridinoline (Pyr) content in the endomysium. Finally, a correlation analysis highlighted the multiple correlations between characteristics in different types of collagen during sheep growth. In summary, the collagen characteristics in the IMCT of sheep were impacted by collagen type, muscle type, and age. Furthermore, the various correlations between these characteristics may play an important role in the development of IMCT.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Xige He
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Qiong Wu
- Ke Er Qin You Yi Front Banner Administration for Market Regulation, Xing’an League 137400, China
| | - Wenjun Xue
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Rihan Wu
- College of Biochemistry and Engineering, Hohhot Vocational College, Hohhot 010051, China
| | - Yajuan Huang
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Lu Chen
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Yunfei Han
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Jindi Wu
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
| | - Gerelt Borjigin
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (G.B.)
| | - Rina Sha
- College of Food Science and Engineering, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot 010018, China
- Correspondence: (R.S.); (G.B.)
| |
Collapse
|
|
5
|
Tuell JR, Nondorf MJ, Brad Kim YH. Post-Harvest Strategies to Improve Tenderness of Underutilized Mature
Beef: A Review. Food Sci Anim Resour 2022; 42:723-743. [PMID: 36133641 PMCID: PMC9478978 DOI: 10.5851/kosfa.2022.e33] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Grants] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 05/14/2022] [Revised: 06/19/2022] [Accepted: 06/22/2022] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Beef muscles from mature cows and bulls, especially those originating from the
extremities of the carcass, are considered as underutilized due to
unsatisfactory palatability. However, beef from culled animals comprises a
substantial proportion of the total slaughter in the US and globally. Modern
consumers typically favor cuts suitable for fast, dry-heat cookery, thereby
creating challenges for the industry to market inherently tough muscles. In
general, cull cow beef would be categorized as having a lower extent of
postmortem proteolysis compared to youthful carcasses, coupled with a high
amount of background toughness. The extent of cross-linking and resulting
insolubility of intramuscular connective tissues typically serves as the
limiting factor for tenderness development of mature beef. Thus, numerous
post-harvest strategies have been developed to improve the quality and
palatability attributes, often aimed at overcoming deficiencies in tenderness
through enhancing the degradation of myofibrillar and stromal proteins or
physically disrupting the tissue structure. The aim of this review is to
highlight existing and recent innovations in the field that have been
demonstrated as effective to enhance the tenderness and palatability traits of
mature beef during the chilling and postmortem aging processes, as well as the
use of physical interventions and enhancement.
Collapse
Affiliation(s)
- Jacob R. Tuell
- School of Agricultural Sciences, Northwest
Missouri State University, Maryville, MO 64468, USA
| | - Mariah J. Nondorf
- Meat Science and Muscle Biology
Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University,
West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
| | - Yuan H. Brad Kim
- Meat Science and Muscle Biology
Laboratory, Department of Animal Sciences, Purdue University,
West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA
- Corresponding author: Yuan H.
Brad Kim, Meat Science and Muscle Biology Laboratory, Department of Animal
Sciences, Purdue University, West Lafayette, IN 47907, USA, Tel:
+1-765-496-1631, E-mail:
| |
Collapse
|
|
6
|
Hempseed By-Product in Diets of Italian Simmental Cull Dairy Cows and Its Effects on Animal Performance and Meat Quality. Animals (Basel) 2022; 12:ani12081014. [PMID: 35454260 PMCID: PMC9029570 DOI: 10.3390/ani12081014] [Citation(s) in RCA: 4] [Impact Index Per Article: 2.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/07/2022] [Revised: 04/06/2022] [Accepted: 04/11/2022] [Indexed: 02/07/2023] Open
Abstract
Cull dairy cows are important contributors to total beef production in the USA and in Europe. Hempseed cake is a by-product of oil production and it is rich in unsaturated fatty acids (FA). This study aimed to investigate the effect of adding hempseed cake to the diet of Italian Simmental (IS) cull dairy cows on performances and meat quality. Twenty-six cull dairy cows were divided into three dietary groups: hay-based, corn silage-based and pasture-based diets. Within each group, the animals were equally divided into two treatments according to the protein source of the concentrate: hempseed cake (HEMP) or soybeans meal (SB). The trial lasted four months. HEMP showed similar in vivo performance and carcass characteristics, such as average daily gain (p > 0.05) and dressing percentage (p > 0.05), compared with SB. Meat characteristics, such as ether extract content and Warner−Bratzler shear force, were also similar between experimental groups (p > 0.05). Considering FA composition, HEMP showed similar saturated FA and polyunsaturated FA content (p > 0.05) but lower desirable fatty acids (p < 0.05) content and a tendentially lower hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic ratio (p < 0.10) than SFA. Hempseed cake can substitute soybean in the diet of cull dairy cows without effects on performance or meat quality.
Collapse
|
|
7
|
Ramírez-Zamudio GD, Silva LH, Vieira NM, Vilela RS, Assis DE, Assis GJ, Estrada MM, Rodrigues RT, Duarte MS, Chizzotti ML. Effect of short-term dietary protein restriction before slaughter on meat quality and skeletal muscle metabolomic profile in culled ewes. Livest Sci 2022. [DOI: 10.1016/j.livsci.2022.104956] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Track Full Text] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/26/2022]
|
|
8
|
Costa TC, Gionbelli MP, Duarte MDS. Fetal programming in ruminant animals: understanding the skeletal muscle development to improve meat quality. Anim Front 2021; 11:66-73. [PMID: 34934531 PMCID: PMC8683153 DOI: 10.1093/af/vfab061] [Citation(s) in RCA: 16] [Impact Index Per Article: 5.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 11/25/2022] Open
Affiliation(s)
- Thaís Correia Costa
- Muscle Biology and Nutrigenomics Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| | | | - Marcio de Souza Duarte
- Muscle Biology and Nutrigenomics Laboratory, Department of Animal Science, Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG, Brazil
| |
Collapse
|
|
9
|
Effects of Age and Rice Straw Inclusion Levels in the Diet of Yiling Cull Cows on Growth Performance, Meat Quality, and Antioxidant Status of Tissues. Animals (Basel) 2021; 11:ani11061732. [PMID: 34200608 PMCID: PMC8229695 DOI: 10.3390/ani11061732] [Citation(s) in RCA: 1] [Impact Index Per Article: 0.3] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Download PDF] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 03/18/2021] [Revised: 06/07/2021] [Accepted: 06/08/2021] [Indexed: 11/17/2022] Open
Abstract
Simple Summary Several negative attributes are associated with carcass and meat from cull cows, including lower carcass weights, inferior tenderness, etc. These undesirable characteristics are normally more distinct with increasing age. In addition, there are no recommended standards for forage levels in the diet of Chinese local cattle to produce high marbled beef. In the current study, we evaluated the effects of age and forage levels on the finishing performance of Yiling cull cows under high-energy ration conditions, and also investigated their antioxidant status related to age and diet. We found that younger age and adequate forage had better growth performance and carcass traits. Our findings highlight the importance of selecting according to age and providing adequate forage feed for Yiling cull cows. Moreover, our study also demonstrated the excellent capability of producing high marbled beef for Yiling cattle. Abstract The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of age and dietary straw levels on growth performance, carcass and meat traits, as well as tissue antioxidant status of Yiling cull cows. Twenty-four Yiling cull cows were arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design: two age classes consisting of younger cull cows (YCC; appearing with three or four pairs of permanent teeth) and older cull cows (OCC; worn out teeth); two dietary treatments consisting of lower and higher rice straw levels (LRS and HRS; providing 0.7 kg/d and 1.2 kg/d rice straw per head based on air-dry basis, respectively). Cows were fed twice a day. Straw was offered at half of the predetermined weight each meal; concentrate was separately supplied ad libitum. After 300 d of feeding, final body weight (BW), total BW gain, average daily gain and gain:feed intake were higher (p < 0.01) in the YCC group than in the OCC group. Total dry matter intake was higher (p = 0.03) in the HRS group than in the LRS group, but neutral detergent fiber apparent digestibility was negatively affected (p = 0.01) by increased straw levels. Decreased C15:0, C17:0, C20:5n3c, and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) proportion as well as increased C18:1n9c and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs) proportion in meat from YCC with HRS diet were observed as compared to that in meat from YCC with LRS diet (p < 0.05). Meat from HRS group had higher (p = 0.04) C18:3n3c proportion than meat from LRS group. No significant differences (p > 0.05) were found for meat quality attributes except for cooking loss, which was higher (p = 0.02) in the HRS group than in the LRS group. Both YCC group and HRS group had higher (p < 0.05) cold carcass weight compared to OCC group and LRS group. Moreover, catalase activity of liver tissue was higher (p = 0.045) in YCC than in OCC, while superoxide dismutase activity of muscle tissue was higher (p = 0.01) in LRS than in HRS. Based on results, we concluded that younger age and feeding high-level straw can improve the finishing performance of Yiling cull cows.
Collapse
|