Castration age and growth, meat production and meat quality of Nellore male cattle

2020 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 725
Author(s):  
R. J. Anaruma ◽  
L. G. Reis ◽  
P. E. de Felício ◽  
S. B. Pflanzer ◽  
S. Rossi ◽  
...  

Castration in beef cattle production has been proposed to reduce sexual and aggressive behaviour, increase carcass fat deposition, and improve meat quality traits, such as tenderness and juiciness. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the age of castration on performance, subprimal yield and meat quality of Nellore cattle raised on a pasture system. A total of 24 Nellore males were raised in a grass-fed system with Brachiaria brizantha since birth until slaughter (at 30 months old). Three treatments were assigned: castration at weaning (CW); castration at 20 months old (C20); and intact bulls (NoC). Males were weighed, and muscle and fat thickness were periodically evaluated by ultrasonography. The cold carcass weight, dressing and carcass pH (pH 24), and subprimal cut weights were recorded after 24 h of chilling. Samples of Longissimus lumborum (LL) were taken to measure meat quality traits. Animals that were castrated at weaning had lower bodyweight after 10 months of age with no changes in the supplement intakes, average daily gain, hot carcass weight and cold carcass weight compared with NoC. Intact males had greater cooking losses and carcass yield compared with others, with no differences for LL pH 24 according to the treatments. The castration did not change the LL muscle area, but decreased total forequarter, chunk, shoulder and eye of round weights, and increased the back fat over LL and rump fat. Animals castrated at weaning had higher marbling compared with others. In addition, regardless of age, castration improved tenderness, increased LL total lipids and decreased moisture compared with NoC. For sensory property, steers castrated at 20 months of age had lower juiciness, and NoC had a greater global sensory property compared with steers castrated at 20 months old. In conclusion, steers castrated at weaning had lower growth rate, final bodyweight and meat production compared with intact males. However, when castration was performed at 20 months, animals did not differ in most cases from castration at weaning and NoC. Tenderness was improved by castration, but sensory traits did not differ between groups.

2020 ◽  
Vol 33 (8) ◽  
pp. 1224-1232
Author(s):  
Jia Luo ◽  
Yiting Yang ◽  
Kun Liao ◽  
Bin Liu ◽  
Ying Chen ◽  
...  

Objective: The QingYu pig is well known for its excellent meat quality attributes in Sichuan province, China. In order to improve its production efficiency, the determination of genetic factors contributing to quantifiable economic traits of livestock is important. Moreover, the cross-breeding of QingYu pigs with western breeds possessing strong growth attributes is an efficient way to improve the performance of this breed.Methods: Here, the genetic parameters of several important reproductive traits of QingYu pigs were estimated, include total number born (TNB), number born alive, litter birth weight, individual birth weight, number of piglets weaned, litter weaning weight, and individual weaning weight. The data was analyzed using the ASReml 3.0 software (NSW Inc., Sydney, Australia). Furthermore, the effects of crossing Berkshire with QingYu (BQ) pigs on carcass and meat quality traits, as well as the effects of slaughter weight on carcass and meat quality of BQ were characterized.Results: QingYu pigs exhibited superior reproductive traits. The TNB available to QingYu pigs was more than 8 per parity. The observed repeatability of the reproductive traits of the QingYu pigs was between 0.10 and 0.23. The significantly correlated genetic and phenotypic of reproduction traits were consistent. Interestingly, the BQ pigs exhibited improved carcass quality, with a significant increase in loin muscle area, lean percentage and reduction in sebum percentage. As a result, BQ had higher L<sub>45min</sub>, lower cooking scores, and lower drip loss. In addition, the loin muscle area, body length, and sebum percentage were significantly higher in 90 and 100 kg animals. Cooking loss showed a significant increase at 80 kg, and marbling increased significantly from 90 kg.Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that QingYu pigs exhibit excellent reproductive properties and heritability of these traits. Crossing with Berkshire is an efficient strategy to improve the carcass and meat quality of QingYu pigs for commercial operations. Furthermore, it appears as though the optimal slaughter weight of BQ pigs is at approximately 90 kg.


2018 ◽  
Vol 87 (3) ◽  
pp. 293-300 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hulya Yalcintan ◽  
Pembe Dilara Akin ◽  
Nursen Ozturk ◽  
Bulent Ekiz ◽  
Omur Kocak ◽  
...  

Production of high-quality carcass and meat from goat kids may contribute to an increase in goat farming profitability. The aim was to compare carcass and meat quality traits of Saanen goat kids raised under natural (NR) and artificial (AR) rearing systems and slaughtered at 80 days and 120 days of age. The AR kids were separated from their dams immediately after birth and were fed with a commercial milk replacer, while the NR kids suckled their mothers. The rearing type did not affect the average daily gain, slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, empty body weight, commercial dressing percentage, subjective conformation and fatness scores. In parallel with the increase in slaughter age, the slaughter weight, hot carcass weight, empty body weight and subjective carcass conformation score increased. The rearing type had no effect on instrumental meat quality traits, except for meat Lightness (L*) and Hue values. Meat from NR kids had higher L* and Hue values 1 h and 24 h after cutting than those of AR kids. Warner-Bratzler shear force value increased with the slaughter age, but the meat lightness decreased. The ultimate pH was generally high in all groups, ranging between 5.94 and 6.10. The panellists evaluated the meat from NR kids to be more tender and juicy and also gave the highest tenderness scores to the meat obtained from the kids slaughtered at 80 days of age. As a conclusion, the slaughter age may be more determinant than the rearing type in the occurrence of carcass and meat quality characteristics.


Author(s):  
Rodica Stefania Pelmus ◽  
Horia Grosu ◽  
Mircea Cãtãlin Rotar ◽  
Mihail Alexandru Gras ◽  
Cristina Lazãr ◽  
...  

Background: Presently, the demand for sheep meat is directed mainly towards high quality products. Meat production improvement and meat quality are very important in sheep industry. The aim of this paper is focusing to review the papers to studies regarding the influence of genes to production and quality of meat. Methods: Single nucleotide polymorphism microarrays are a molecular genetic method in searching the markers associated with meat production and meat quality traits in animal breeding. Conclusions: Previous study had shown that genes like myostatin, leptin, calpastatin had influenced the meat production and meat quality traits. The meat production traits and meat quality traits have a moderate heritability and can be included in meat sheep breeding objectives.


2018 ◽  
Vol 58 (11) ◽  
pp. 2091 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jun-Mo Kim ◽  
Sang-Hoon Lee ◽  
Youn-Chul Ryu

Comprehensive understanding of the effect of pig breed and sex on meat quality and post-mortem muscle conditions will be necessary to estimate meat quality post mortem. In this study, we applied multiple regression and principal component analysis (PCA) using conventional meat quality traits and muscle fibre characteristics on six pig breeds and different sexes. A total of 1374 pigs from six breeds [Berkshire, Duroc, Landrace, Meishan, Yorkshire, and LYD (Landrace × Yorkshire sows with Duroc as terminal sires) crossbreed] belonging to three sexes (male, castrated male and female) were used in this study. Most of the muscle fibre characteristics showed moderate to high significant correlations with conventional meat quality traits. In particularly, the cross-sectional area (CSAF) of muscle fibres was strongly correlated with muscle pH values, water-holding capacity values and lightness (0.10 < |r| <0.26 and P < 0.01). Multiple regression analysis by general linear model revealed that the effects of breed were significant on muscle pH24h, lightness, drip loss, and marbling score (P < 0.01), whereas sex had no significant effect on meat quality. In the muscle fibre characteristics, the effects of breed and sex were significant on composition of area and density of muscle fibres (P < 0.05). We observed that the Meishan breed was clearly inferior to other breeds, whereas the LYD or Berkshire breeds showed better meat quality and muscle fibre properties. Moreover, we observed clear separations between pig breeds based on the PCA, whereas the sexes in each breed presented a continuum cluster. In summary, we suggest that muscle pH24h, lightness, and drip loss are conventional meat quality traits that can be considered as quantitative factors important in estimating ultimate meat quality of pigs along with the CSAF of muscle fibres; we conclude that Meishan pigs have low meat quality, whereas Berkshire and LYD crossbred pigs have higher quality of pork.


Meat Science ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 92 (1) ◽  
pp. 36-43 ◽  
Author(s):  
E.A. Lee ◽  
J.M. Kim ◽  
K.S. Lim ◽  
Y.C. Ryu ◽  
W.M. Jeon ◽  
...  

2018 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
Terhi Iso-Touru ◽  
Maiju Pesonen ◽  
Daniel Fischer ◽  
Arto Huuskonen ◽  
Anu Sironen

High meat quality and specifically meat tenderness are desired traits by the consumers, however the environmental impact of meat production is becoming a relevant factor in the industry. Therefore, breeding of dual purpose cattle breeds may answer the high demand of meat production in the future. In this study we identified statistical differences between genotypes of CAST and CAPN1 gene variants with meat quality traits in a dairy breed (Nordic Red Cattle) and compared the results with beef breed (Aberdeen Angus). Our results show that the favorable alleles have not been selected in the studied dairy breed and thus could be used as a tool for improvement of meat quality. The genes were associated with specific meat quality traits (i.e. sensory juiciness, marbling score and meat color) also in the dairy breed. This supports the utility of known meat quality associated genetic variants to improve meat quality in dairy breeds.


2013 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 385-397
Author(s):  
S. Aleksic ◽  
Sun Fang ◽  
Liu Di ◽  
M.M. Petrovic ◽  
V. Pantelic ◽  
...  

This paper presents the results of crossing Domestic Spotted breed with beef cattle breeds in the People's Republic of China and the Republic of Serbia. China is a big country of beef production and consumption. In 2012, beef production in China was 5,540,000 tons, which accounted for 9.7% of the global beef production, ranking the third in the world. The main sources of China?s beef are from crossbreeding cattle (native breed crossbred with foreign beef cattle). Simmental cattle are the most-widely used beef cattle in China?s improved beef cattle. China has cultivated its own Simmental after over 40 years? crossbreeding and improvement. China?s consumers mainly have three demands for beef quality as follows: expensive beef produced from Wagyu crossbreed with better marbling; lean beef from Simmental, Charolais and Limousin crossbreeds, top parts supplied to hotels while common parts to supermarkets; veal from cow calves. Chinese researchers are carrying out researches which are centered on marbling beef, lean beef and veal on complete techniques of good breed, feeding management, slaughter and cutting and carcass classification. At present, researchers have lively interest in functional genomics of meat quality traits of cattle, they expect to use these methods to study meat quality traits and then improve the meat quality. Improved cattle breeds universally utilized in China are mainly Simmental followed by Charolais, Limousin, Wagyu and Angus. Other three cattle breeds including Belgian blue cattle, Piedmontese and Gelbvien have ever been applied, however, rarely used in present beef cattle production. Republic of Serbia has in the future to quickly and efficiently provide adequate quantities of top quality meat. One of the ways to increase the yield and quality of the meat is crossing of Domestic spotted cattle of lower production traits with French beef cattle breeds. Beef production in the EU is adapted to the consumer taste. Meat must have a light red colour, equally suffused with fat and with pronounced sensory characteristics such as tenderness, juiciness, flavour and aroma. The results on the quality of meat of F1 generation crosses (Domestic Spotted breed with French beef cattle breeds Charolais and Limousine) indicate that by industrial crossing beef, meat-packing and organoleptic characteristics of meat can be improved.


2017 ◽  
Vol 52 (3) ◽  
pp. 205-213 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adriane Molardi Bainy ◽  
Rodrigo Pelicioni Savegnago ◽  
Luara Afonso de Freitas ◽  
Beatriz do Nascimento Nunes ◽  
Jaqueline Oliveira Rosa ◽  
...  

Abstract: The objective of this work was to estimate genetic parameters for bird carcass and meat quality traits, as well as to explore the genetic patterns of the breeding values of this population using cluster analyses. Data from 1,846 birds were used to estimate the genetic parameters of production and quality traits using the multiple-trait animal model, and cluster analyses were performed. The heritability estimates ranged from 0.08± 0.03 for meat pH measured 24 hours after slaughter to 0.85± 0.09 for body weight. The genetic correlations between production traits were high and positive. The genetic correlations between meat quality traits were low and were not informative due to the high standard errors (same magnitudes as those of the genetic correlations). The genetic correlations between meat production and quality traits were negative, except between production traits and meat lightness intensity. Based on breeding values (EBVs), the evaluated population can be divided into four groups through cluster analyses, and one group is suitable for selection because the birds presented EBVs above and around the average of the population, respectively, for production and quality traits. Therefore, it is possible to obtain genetic gains for production-related traits without decreasing meat quality.


2016 ◽  
Vol 14 (1) ◽  
pp. e0601
Author(s):  
Martín A. González ◽  
Franklin R. Peláez ◽  
Andrés L. Martínez ◽  
Carmen Avilés ◽  
Francisco Peña

<p>The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of rearing system (confinement, C <em>vs </em>semi-confinement, SC) and sex (barrows <em>vs </em>females) on growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality of “Criollo negro de la costa ecuatoriana” pigs. A total of 32 pigs, 16 barrows and 16 gilts were used. The average daily gain (0.30 kg/day <em>vs </em>0.22 kg/day), slaughter weight (51.4 kg <em>vs </em>43.1 kg), morphometric parameters and weights for the most valuable meat cuts were higher in C pigs than in SC pigs, whereas hot and cold carcass yields were higher in SC pigs than in C pigs. The loin and sirloin percentages from C pigs were lower and higher compared with those SC pigs, respectively. Carcass of C pigs showed higher percentage of fat and lower percentage of lean and bone that SC pigs. The rearing system had scarce effects on meat quality traits and mineral composition. Meat from C pigs showed lower scores for color, brightness, and unctuousness, and higher for metallist taste, juiciness and persistence of flavor than SC pigs. Few sensory attributes of cooking chops were affected by sex. Metallist taste was higher in barrows, while brightness and lard flavor were higher in females. It can be concluded that the rearing system had a significant effect on most of the productive and carcass traits, whereas its effect was limited on the meat traits. Sex had little influence on most of the traits studied.</p>


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