Effects of dietary Allium mongolicum Regel powder supplementation on the growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity and muscle fibre characteristics of fattening Angus calves under heat stress conditions

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary Allium mongolicum Regel powder (AMRP) supplementation on the growth performance, meat quality, antioxidant capacity and muscle fibre characteristics of fattening Angus calves. Growth performance data and longissimus thoracis (LT) samples were collected from four groups of fattening Angus, which were fed either a basal diet (CON) or a basal diet supplemented with an AMRP dose of 10 (LAMR), 15 (MAMR), or 20 g/animal/day AMRP (HAMR) for 120 days before slaughter. AMRP addition to the feed improved growth performance and meat quality and altered muscle fibre type. Some responses to AMRP supplementation were dose dependent, whereas others were not. Together, the results of this study demonstrated that dietary supplementation with 10 g/animal/day AMRP was the optimal dose in terms of fattening calf growth performance, while 20 g/animal/day AMRP supplementation was the optimal dose in terms of meat quality.

Study of the Interactions between Muscle Fatty Acid Composition, Meat Quality-Related Genes and the Ileum Microbiota in Tibetan Sheep at Different Ages

The intestinal microbiota of ruminants is an important factor affecting animal production and health. Research on the association mechanism between the intestinal microbiota and meat quality of ruminants will play a positive role in understanding the formation mechanism of meat quality in ruminants and improving production efficiency. In this study, the fatty acid composition and content, expression of related genes, and structural characteristics of the ileum microbiota of ewes of Tibetan sheep at different ages (4 months, 1.5 years, 3.5 years, and 6 years) were detected and analyzed. The results revealed significant differences in fatty acid composition and content in the muscle of Tibetan sheep at different ages (p < 0.05); in addition, the content of MUFAs in the longissimus dorsi muscle and leg muscle was higher. Similarly, the expressions of muscle-related genes differed among the different age groups, and the expression of the LPL, SCD, and FABP4 genes was higher in the 1.5-year-old group. The ileum microbiota diversity was higher in the 1.5-year-old group, the Romboutsia abundance ratio was significantly higher in the 1.5-year-old group (p < 0.05), and there was a significant positive correlation with oleic acid (C18:1n9c) (p < 0.05). In conclusion, the content of beneficial fatty acids in the longissimus dorsi muscle and leg muscle of Tibetan sheep was higher at 1.5 years of age, and the best slaughter age was 1.5 years. This study provides a reference for in-depth research on the mechanism of the influence of the gut microbiota on meat quality and related regulation.

Potential modulating effects of Allium mongolicum regel ethanol extract on rumen fermentation and biohydrogenation bacteria of dairy cows in vitro

The objective of this study was to evaluate the potential modulating effects of Allium mongolicum regel ethanol extract (AME) on rumen fermentation and biohydrogenation (BH) bacteria in vitro. Four Holstein cows were used as donors for the rumen fluid used in this study. In experiment 1, five treatments (supplemented with 0 mg/g, 1 mg/g, 2 mg/g, 3 mg/g, and 4 mg/g of AME based on fermentation substrate, respectively) were conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of AME on fermentation status in vitro. The results showed that after 24 h of fermentation, MCP was reduced with AME supplementation (p < 0.05), and the multiple combinations of different combinations index (MFAEI) value was the highest with 3 mg/g of AME. In experiment 2, six treatments were constructed which contained: control group (A1); the unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) mixture at 3% concentration (A2); the mixture of A2 and 3 mg/g of AME (A3); 3 mg/g of AME (A4); the UFA mixture at 1.5% concentration (A5); the mixture of A5 and 3 mg/g of AME (A6). The abundance of bacterial species involved in BH was measured to evaluate the potential modulating effect of AME on rumen BH in vitro. Compared with the A1 group, the A3, A4, and A6 groups both showed significant decreases in the abundance of rumen BH microbial flora including Butyrivibrio proteoclasticus, Butyrivibrio fibrisolvens, Ruminococcus albus and Clostridium aminophilum (p < 0.01). The A3 group was less inhibitory than A4 in the abundance of B. proteoclasticus, B. fibrisolvens, and R. albus, and the inhibitory effect of the A6 group was higher than that of A4. In conclusion, the supplementation with 3 mg/g of AME could modulate the rumen fermentation and affect BH key bacteria, which suggests that AME may have the potential to inhibit the rumen BH of dairy cows.

Potential use of garlic products in ruminant feeding: A review

The addition of antibiotics as growth promoters to ruminant feed can result in bacterial resistance and antibiotic residues in ruminant products. Correspondingly, there is serious public concern regarding the presence of antibiotic residue in ruminant products and the consequent threat to human health. As a result, the addition of plants and their products to ruminant feeds, as an alternative to antibiotics, has received much attention recently. Garlic and its products are rich in organosulphur compounds, which have a variety of biological activities and have been widely used as natural additives in animal production. This review presents recent knowledge on the addition of garlic products (powder, skin, oil, leaf and extracts) to the diets of ruminants. In this paper, garlic products are evaluated with respect to their chemical composition, bioactive compounds, and their impacts on the rumen ecosystem, antioxidant status, immune response, parasitic infection, growth performance and product quality of ruminants. This review provides valuable guidance and a theoretical basis for the development of garlic products as green, highly efficient and safe additives, with the aims of promoting ruminant growth and health, reducing methane emissions and improving ruminant product quality. Garlic extracts have the potential to control parasite infections by decreasing the faecal egg count. Garlic powder, oil and allicin are able to reduce the methane emissions of ruminants. Organosulphur compounds such as allicin, which is present in garlic products, have the potential to inhibit membrane lipid synthesis of the archaeal community, thus influencing the population of methanogenic archaea and resulting in a reduction in methane emissions. Some garlic products are also able to increase the average daily gain (garlic skin, water extract, and leaf) and the feed conversion ratio (garlic skin and leaf) of ruminants. Garlic stalk silage fed to sheep has the potential to improve the nutritional value of mutton by increasing the concentrations of linoleic and linolenic acids and essential amino acids. Sheep fed a diet containing garlic powder or oil are able to produce milk with higher concentrations of the conjugated linoleic acids and n-3 fatty acids, which has health benefits for consumers, due to the widely recognized positive impact of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acids on human heart health, improving platelet aggregation, vasodilation and thrombotic tendency. Overall, garlic products have the potential to enhance growth performance and product quality and reduce parasite infections, as well as methane emissions of ruminants.

Insights into the trace Sr2+ impact on the gel properties and spatial structure of mutton myofibrillar proteins

Myofibrillar proteins (MPs) and the quality of meat strongly depend on the properties of MP gels, which in turn depend on several parameters that include the thermal history and the concentration of metal ions. Strontium element (Sr) widely exists in mineral water and is found as strontium ions (Sr²⁺), which is an essential trace element for humans. This study investigated the effects of trace Sr²⁺ on the structure-function relationship of mutton MPs, as well as their gels with water. Trace concentrations of Sr²⁺ were found to significantly alter the conformation of the MPs. An increase in Sr²⁺ concentration was associated with a reduction in the tightness and strength of the gel and a significant increase in its water-holding capacity As compared to the untreated control sample, the solubility, particle size, and the magnitude of the Zeta potential of the gels increased by 13.03 %, 12.62 %, and 19.73 %, respectively, whereas the water retention capacity and the gel strength increased by 23.13 % and 21.90 %, at a Sr²⁺ concentration of 5.0 mg/L. Molecular docking predicted an increase in ionic bonds and disulfide bonds because Sr²⁺ had a strong interaction with hydrophilic amino acids and acidic amino acids. The analysis of molecular forces further verified the significant facilitation of interactions between MP molecules with the induction of Sr²⁺. As compare to the untreated control group, the ionic and disulfide bonds increased by 141.17 % and 66.94 %, when treated with 5.0 mg/L Sr²⁺. These changes were likely due to the enhancement of protein-protein interactions caused by Sr²⁺, which could induce MP molecules to properly unfold and aggregate in gel formation. The results could provide a basis for improving the texture and the quality of meat and meat products.

Effects of the Dietary Inclusion of Allium mongolicum Regel Extract on Serum Index and Meat Quality in Small-Tailed Han Sheep

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Allium mongolicum Regel ethanol extract (AME) on the serum index and meat quality of lambs. A total of 30 male Small-tailed Han sheep (3 months old) with an average weight of 33.60 ± 1.23 kg were divided randomly into one of two groups: the control group (CON) was offered a basal diet, and the AME group was offered a basal diet with supplementation 2.8 g·lamb−1·day−1 AME. The trial lasted for 75 days. AME supplementation significantly decreased the concentration of triglyceride and total cholesterol (p < 0.05), and tended to lower the concentration of non-esterified fatty acids (0.05 < p < 0.1), but significantly increased the concentration of high-density lipoprotein, leptin, and insulin (p < 0.05) in the serum of lambs. AME also decreased cooking losses and shear force and increased the content of intramuscular fat in the longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle of lambs (p < 0.05). In addition, there was no difference in the composition of hydrolyzed protein amino acids in the LD muscle among treatments (p > 0.05). However, AME changed the composition of free amino acids and promoted MUFA and PUFA deposition in the LD muscle of the lambs. These findings indicate that a diet supplemented with AME may improve the lipid metabolic capacity and meat quality of lambs.

Non-genetic factors affecting the meat quality and flavor of Inner Mongolian lambs: A review

The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region ranks first among the five major pastoral areas in terms of lamb breeding of China. The Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region has a vast territory, with many famous grasslands and thousands of forage plants and multiple local high-quality lamb breeds. After hundreds of years of artificial breeding and improvement, Mongolian sheep have developed many varieties. Different diets, feeding and treatment methods have effects on the production performance, lipid deposition and flavor composition of mutton sheep. Therefore, understanding the relationship among Inner Mongolian lamb, meat quality, and flavor will improve the production of high-quality mutton. The regulation of meat quality and flavor will have a profound impact on the deep processing and income-generating capabilities of mutton. Non-genetic factors affect the quality and flavor of mutton, which are more intuitive than genetic factors. In this review, we cover the contributions made by scientists to explore and improve the quality and flavor of Inner Mongolia lambs through non-genetic means, compare the differences between grazing and drylot-feeding in detail, and summarize some feed additives. We hope that based on our review, we can provide some inspiration to improve the meat quality of Mongolian sheep.

Effects of Allium mongolicum Regel ethanol extract on three flavor-related rumen branched-chain fatty acids, rumen fermentation and rumen bacteria in lambs

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of Allium mongolicum Regel ethanol extract (AME) on the concentration of three branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) related to flavor, fermentation parameters and the bacteria and their correlations in the rumen of lambs. A total of thirty 3-month-old male, Small-tailed Han sheep (33.60 ± 1.23 kg) were randomly distributed into 2 groups as follows: control group (CON) was fed a basal diet and AME group was fed a basal diet supplemented with 2.8 g⋅lamb–1⋅d–1A. mongolicum Regel ethanol extract. AME supplementation decreased (P = 0.022) 4-methyloctanoic acid (MOA) content and tended to lower (P = 0.055) 4-methylnonanoic acid (MNA) content in the rumen. Compared to CON group, the ruminal concentrations of valerate and isovalerate were higher (P = 0.046 and P = 0.024, respectively), and propionate was lower (P = 0.020) in the AME group. At the phylum level, the AME group had a lower abundance of Bacteroidetes (P = 0.014) and a higher abundance of Firmicutes (P = 0.020) than the CON group. At the genus level, the relative abundances of Prevotella (P = 0.001), Christensenellaceae_R-7_group (P = 0.003), Succiniclasticum (P = 0.004), and Selenomonas (P = 0.001) were significantly lower in the AME group than in the CON group, while the relative abundances of Ruminococcus (P &lt; 0.001), Quinella (P = 0.013), and Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group (P = 0.001) were significantly higher. The relative abundances of Prevotella (P = 0.029, R = 0.685; P = 0.009, R = 0.770), Christensenellaceae_R-7_group (P = 0.019, R = 0.721; P = 0.029, R = 0.685), and Succiniclasticum (P = 0.002, R = 0.842; P = 0.001, R = 0.879) was positively correlated with MOA and MNA levels, and the relative abundance of Lachnospiraceae_XPB1014_group (P = 0.033, R = −0.673) was negatively correlated with MOA. The relative abundance of Christensenellaceae_R-7_group (P = 0.014, R = −0.744) and Prevotellaceae_UCG-003 (P = 0.023, R = −0.706) correlated negatively with the EOA content. In conclusion, these findings suggest that the AME affected the concentration of BCFAs, fermentation parameters and the rumen bacteria in the rumen of lambs.

Adding of Allium mongolicum regel extracts to lamb feedlot diets influences 4-alkyl-branched fatty acids deposition and the meat quality during storage

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of dietary supplementation with Allium mongolicum Regel extracts on the 4-alkyl-branched fatty acid deposition and meat quality during storage. Small-tailed Han sheep were divided into four groups (n = 15) and fed for 75 days with a basal diet (CK), CK supplemented with A. mongolicum Regel powder (AMR), A. mongolicum Regel water-soluble extract (AWE), or A. mongolicum Regel ethanol-soluble extract (AFE). The results revealed that both AMR and AWE diets decreased the 4-alkyl-branched fatty acids content in longissimus thoracis. Diet × storage time interactions were observed for acid value (AV), peroxidase (POx), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), and total volatile base nitrogen (TVB-N). Patterns of change for AV, POx, and GSH-Px over time leading to the interactions were not readily apparent and changes were more governed by main effects. Dietary supplementation with AMR and AWE increased the total antioxidant capacity, total superoxide dismutase, and inhibited total bacteria counts compared to those in the CK lambs. The AWE diet also decreased the yellowness and hue angle. Overall, A. mongolicum Regel and its extracts could be used as a source of natural bioactive compounds in the lambs' diet to extend the storage time of their meat.

Transcriptome analysis reveals candidate genes of the synthesis of branched-chain fatty acids related to mutton flavor in the lamb liver using Allium Mongolicum Regel extract

The objective of this study was to identify candidate genes via which Allium mongolicum Regel ethanol extract (AME) affects the synthesis of branched-chain fatty acids (BCFAs) related to mutton flavor by transcriptome analysis in the lamb liver. Thirty male Small-tailed Han sheep (3 mo old; 33.6 ± 1.2 kg) were randomly divided into two groups and fed for 75 d with a basal diet containing no AME (CON, control group) or 2.8 g·lamb⁻¹·d⁻¹ AME (AME group). Twelve sheep, CON (n = 6) and AME (n = 6), were selected for slaughter at the end of the trial period, and liver samples were subsequently collected. There was no difference in 4-ethyloctanoic acid content among treatments. The 4-methyloctanoic acid and 4-methylnonanoic acid levels were significantly lower in the AME group than in the CON group (P < 0.05). Furthermore, 461 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified between the CON and AME groups, of which 182 were upregulated and 279 were downregulated in the AME group. The DEGs were enriched in three pathways, namely, glutathione metabolism, ECM–receptor interaction, and steroid hormone biosynthesis, as determined by the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes pathway analysis. Finally, CYP2B6, ACOT12, THEM4, ACSF2, LPIN1, and ADCY4 were identified as candidate genes that might be involved in regulating the BCFAs synthesis in the sheep liver.

Effect of different cooking water on flavor characteristics of mutton soup

The mutton flavor is affected by cooking water significantly, and the flavor of mutton is delicious and widely loved by consumers through an extremely simple processing in northwest China, such as Inner Mongolia, Ningxia, and Xinjiang. The flavor shows obvious changes if get out of these areas even use the same raw meat, which may be caused by different cooking water. To determine whether and how the cooking water affect the mutton soup flavor, the elements in water, the flavor was studied by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS), amino acid analyzer, and thermal desorption (TDS)-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). Specifically, three water samples from different sources, Ningxia (NXW), Beijing (BJW), and ultrapure water from the laboratory (PUW), were used for cooking with Tan sheep's ribs to get different mutton soups. The inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) results showed that the elements and the concentration of solutes in different water sources were significantly different. The NXW batch had the highest Na, Mg, K, and Sr concentrations, and Na in NXW water reached to 50.60 mg/L, which existed as Na+, significantly (p < .05) higher than BJW (8.63 mg/L) and PUW, which were important to the flavor of mutton soup. The PUW batch had the highest content of free amino acids, and the content of glutamic acid (Glu) reached to 17.89 μg/mL. The NXW batch had the highest content of taste nucleotides, and the content of 5´-IMP reached to 68.68 μg/ml. The volatiles of the three batches had significant differences, and only 40 volatiles were detected in all batches. Further flavor studies using electronic nose and electronic tongue showed significant differences in overall aroma and overall taste, especially bitterness, saltiness, and astringency. The results could provide a basis for improving the flavor quality for the mutton soup.

Effects of fermented Yupingfeng on intramuscular fatty acids and ruminal microbiota in Qingyuan black goats

Our previous work has demonstrated that Yupingfeng, a Chinese herb medicine, considered as prebiotic showed beneficial properties in poultry health and disease prevention and regulated intestinal microbiota. The effects of Yupingfeng on fatty acids related to meat flavor and ruminal microbiota are not yet known in Qingyuan black goat. In this study, we supplemented fermented (FYP) and unfermented (UYP) Yupingfeng in different combinations to 90 goats. Compared with the normal control group, FYP and UYP significantly increased the concentration of palmitic acid, octadecanoic acid, and arachidonate acid (related to meat flavor) in the longissimus dorsi muscle (p < .05). In addition, the significant upregulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) and fatty acid translocase (CD36) was observed in the FYP and UYP groups (p < .05). In addition, Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the most abundance in goat rumen. At the genus level, FYP and UYP significantly increased Ruminococcus related to fiber degradation, and Alistipes related to short-chain fatty acids production. In summary, Yupingfeng could improve fatty acids of goat meat, which is probably triggered by the increase of PPARγ and CD36, and microbial activity. Besides, FYP showed more beneficial effects than UYP, with increased flavor fatty acids and beneficial microbes.

Effects of dietary mulberry leaf powder on growth performance, blood metabolites, meat quality, and antioxidant enzyme-related gene expression of fattening Hu lambs

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of the mulberry [Morus alba var. multicaulis (Perrott.) Loud.] leaf powder (MLP) supplementation in dietary concentrates on growth performance, blood metabolites, meat quality, and antioxidant enzyme (AOE) gene expression in fattening Hu lambs. Forty approximately 3-mo-old Hu lambs (16.5 ± 0.6 kg) were randomly allocated to five groups and fed with concentrates containing 0%, 15%, 30%, 45%, or 60% MLP (control, T15, T30, T45, and T60, respectively). The results showed that 15%–30% MLP supplementation maintained growth and carcass performance, and the weight of total stomach, especially of rumen in T15 and T30, were higher than those of the control. Dietary MLP supplementation decreased serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, lactate dehydrogenase, cholesterol, and triglyceride levels, but increased the high-density lipoprotein levels. Moreover, MLP supplementation improved the longissimus lumborum muscle color (redness), tenderness, and water-holding capacity. It was further observed that 15% MLP supplementation enhanced all AOE mRNA levels apart from that of EPHX1. In summary, dietary MLP supplementation could partially improve the blood metabolites, meat quality, and AOE mRNA levels in the liver of fattening Hu lamb, and the level of 15% supplementation was the most promising.

Effects of dietary sea buckthorn pomace supplementation on skeletal muscle mass and meat quality in lambs

The aim of the present trial was to evaluate the effects of dietary sea buckthorn pomace (SBP) supplementation on muscle mass, meat nutritional value and quality of lambs. The results showed that dietary 16% SBP supplementation increased muscle mass and altered muscle fiber size distribution. Both nutritional compositions, including crude protein, moisture and ash, and lamb meat quality, including pH, color and cooking loss were not affected by SBP supplementation. Importantly, crude fat content was elevated, and shear force was decreased in Longissimus thoracis (LT) when lambs were fed the SBP containing diet. Moreover, the total antioxidative capacity in LT and the HDL content in serum were elevated in SBP feed lambs. Dietary SBP supplementation increased the Akt/mTOR signaling activity, and downregulated myostatin expression. Taken together, these data suggested that SBP could be used as a feed ingredient for lamb meat production by increasing muscle mass and improving tenderness, water holding capacity and antioxidative capacity of resulting meat.