Search Results (411)

In order to investigate the nutritional processing quality of sika deer (Cervus nippon) venison at different sites, the pH_{24 h}, tenderness, pressurized water loss rate, meat color, intramuscular fat, moisture, protein, amino acid, fatty acid and squalene contents of sika deer venison were determined in twelve sites: foreleg, hind leg, outer tenderloin, rump, neck meat, chest meat, deer flank, abdominal rib, high rib, tenderloin, anterior tendon and posterior tendon. The results showed that the pH_{24 h} of sika deer venison at different sites was 5.49~5.78; the tenderness of outer tenderloin (31.71 N) was the lowest, and the neck meat (68.53 N) was the highest; the squeezing moisture of tenderloin (28.12%) was the largest, and the foreleg (12.34%) was the smallest; the brightness of outer tenderloin L* (29.68) was the lowest, and the redness a* and yellowness b* of deer flank were the highest; the intramuscular fat and moisture were 0.66~4.97% and 71.00~73.78%, respectively; and the protein content of outer tenderloin (23.44%) and rump (24.02%) was high. The venison meat contained 17 kinds of amino acids, and the total amount was 63.87~79.33 g/100 g. It was rich in essential amino acids, mainly lysine and leucine, accounting for 64.29~65.39% of non-essential amino acids, which was close to the ideal protein composition. Palmitoleic acid and oleic acid were the main monounsaturated fatty acids in venison, and the contents of abdominal ribs were the highest, 16,875.33 mg/kg and 31,772.73 mg/kg, respectively. The contents of essential fatty acids were also the highest in abdominal ribs (11,225.37 mg/kg); forelegs, hind legs, outer tenderloins, rumps, neck meat, chest meat, high rib, tenderloins, anterior tendons and posterior tendons were all good sources of polyunsaturated fatty acids. Squalene content was highest in the abdominal rib (100.85 mg/kg). The nutritional processing quality of sika deer venison in different muscles is significantly different, and this study can provide a data basis for the evaluation and processing of sika deer venison quality. Full article

The Ningxiang pig, one of the well-known Chinese native pig breeds, has the advantages of tender meat, high intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and roughage tolerance, compared to the commercial lean pig breeds. The genetic basis for complex traits in Ningxiang pigs has been previously studied through other genetic markers, such as Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP), while the characteristics of copy number variation (CNV) and the selection signal have not been investigated yet. In this study, GGP 50 k genotyping data of 2242 Ningxiang pigs (NX) and 1137 Duroc pigs (Duroc) were involved in CNV atlas construction and selection signals identification. Annotations of genes and quantitative trait locus (QTLs) were performed on the target candidate regions, as follows: (1) 162 CNVs were detected in Ningxiang pigs, while 326 CNVs were detected in Duroc pigs, and there are 21 copy number variation regions (CNVRs) shared between them; (2) The CNVRs of Duroc are more abundant, with 192 CNVRs, accounting for 1.61% of the entire genome, while those of Ningxiang pigs only have 98 CNVRs, accounting for 0.49%; (3) The QTLs annotated on CNVs and selected regions of Ningxiang pigs were mainly associated with meat quality and fertility. In contrast, the Duroc QTLs’ notes relate primarily to the carcass and immunity, and explain why they have a higher slaughter rate and immunity; (4) There is a presence of high-frequency acquired CNVs, specifically in Ningxiang pigs, with 24 genes significantly enriched in the sensory receptor-related pathway in this region; (5) Based on the CNVs atlas, candidate genes such as 3 inositol 1,4,5-triphosphate receptor, type 3 (ITPR3), forkhead box protein K2 (FOXK2), G-protein coupled estrogen receptor 1 (GPER1), Glyceraldehyde 3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), triosephosphate isomerase 1 (TPI1), and other candidate genes related to fat deposition and differentiation were screened. In general, this study improved our knowledge about copy number variation and selection signal information of Ningxiang pigs, which can not only further explain the genetic differences between Chinese native and Western commercial pig breeds, but also provide new materials for the analysis of the genetic basis of complex traits. Full article

To determine the pivotal microorganisms affecting intramuscular fat (IMF) accumulation in Min pigs and to discern the extent of the influence exerted by various intestinal segments on IMF-related traits, we sequenced 16S rRNA from the contents of six intestinal segments from a high IMF group (Group H) and a low IMF group (Group L) of Min pigs weighing 90 ± 1 kg. We then compared their diversity and disparities in bacterial genera. Group H exhibited considerably higher α diversity in the jejunum and colon than Group L (p < 0.05). When 95% confidence levels were considered, the main β diversity components for the ileum, caecum, and colon within Groups H and L exhibited absolute segregation. Accordingly, 31 differentially abundant genera across Group H were pinpointed via LEfSe and the Wilcoxon test (p < 0.05) and subsequently scrutinised based on their distribution and abundance across distinct intestinal segments and their correlation with IMF phenotypes. The abundances of Terrisporobacter, Acetitomaculum, Bacteroides, Fibrobacter, Treponema, Akkermansia, Blautia, Clostridium sensu stricto 1, Turicibacter, Subdoligranulum, the [Eubacterium] siraeum group, and dgA 11 gut groups were positively correlated with IMF content (p < 0.05), whereas those of Bacillus, the Lachnospiraceae NK4A136 group, Streptococcus, Roseburia, Solobacterium, Veillonella, Lactobacillus, the Rikenellaceae RC9 gut group, Anaerovibrio, and the Lachnospiraceae AC2044 group were negatively associated with IMF content (p < 0.05). Employing PICRUSt2 for predicting intergenic metabolic pathways that differ among intestinal microbial communities revealed that within the 95% confidence interval the colonic microbiome was enriched with the most metabolic pathways, including those related to lipid metabolism. The diversity results, bacterial genus distributions, and metabolic pathway disparities revealed the colonic segment as an influential region for IMF deposition. Full article

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of acorn diets on the composition of fatty acid (FA) and the intramuscular fat (IMF) content in Yuxi black pigs. Methods: Ninety Yuxi black pigs with similar body weight (99.60 ± 2.32 kg) were randomly divided into five groups. The control group was fed a basal diet, and the AD20, AD30, AD40, and AD50 groups were fed experimental diets which contained 20%, 30%, 40%, and 50% acorns, respectively. The feeding experiment lasted for 120 days. Results: The results showed that compared with the control group, the content of SFA in longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris tissues in the AD30 group decreased by 8.57% and 20.10%, and the content of MUFA increased by 5.40% and 15.83%, respectively, while the PUFA content of biceps femoris increased by 5.40% (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, the IMF content of the AD30 group was significantly higher than that of the control group in the longissimus dorsi and biceps femoris. In addition, the mRNA expression levels of the ATGL, PPARγ, and FABP4 genes in longissimus dorsi (p < 0.05) were up-regulated, and HSL were down-regulated (p < 0.05) in the AD30 group. In the biceps femoris of the AD30 group, it was observed that the expression levels of the ACC and FAS genes were up-regulated (p < 0.05), while HSL and ATGL genes were down-regulated (p < 0.05). Conclusions: These results demonstrated that the addition of appropriate amounts of acorn to the diet (a 30% acorn diet) could improve the nutritional value of pork. Full article

The replacement of soybean meal with sweet white lupin (Lupinus albus L.) seeds was investigated in the diets of Iberian pigs during the growing and fattening phases, evaluating its effects on growth performance, carcass traits, and meat quality. Iberian pigs (n = 50) were divided into two dietary groups (n = 25 per group), receiving either a lupin-based concentrate or a soybean meal-based concentrate. The data were analysed using one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), with a significance level of p < 0.05. The results showed that lupin substitution had no adverse effect on body weight, average daily gain, or carcass characteristics. No significant differences were observed in meat quality parameters such as pH, colour, and texture. However, significantly (p = 0.007) lower levels of saturated fatty acids (SFA) content were found in the intramuscular fat of pre-finishing (primor) pigs fed lupin-based diets. In addition, these pigs had lower plasma triglyceride levels at the end of the growing phase. Overall, the results suggest that sweet white lupin is a viable alternative protein source in Iberian pig production, offering potential health benefits in line with consumer preferences for sustainably produced, healthier meat products, without compromising production efficiency or product quality. Full article

Pig production is one of the most important providers of high-quality proteins and amino acids (AAs) to human nutrition. In this sector, feeding has an important economic and environmental impact. A strategy to reduce production costs and negative sustainability effects is reducing dietary crude protein (CP) contents with or without AA supplementation. This review addresses the different aspects related to this strategy, particularly the effects on growth performance and pork traits in piglets and growing and finishing pigs, as well as the physiological molecular mechanisms’ underlying effects. Insight is also provided into the effects of dietary CP reduction on the productive performances of alternative pig production systems and breeding boars and sows. Finally, an overview is conducted on the effects of dietary CP reduction on ammonia, odor, and greenhouse gas emissions arising from pig production systems. Overall, CP reduction may lead to production losses, albeit they can be, to some extent, hindered by adequate AA supplementation. Losses are particularly relevant during the post-weaning phase, whereas in finishing pigs, it may bring additional benefits, such as high intramuscular fat contents in some markets or improved gut barrier function with benefits to the animals’ health and welfare, as well as decreased ammonia emissions to the environment. Full article

Intramuscular fat (IMF) content significantly influences pork tenderness, flavor, and juiciness. Maintaining an optimal IMF range not only enhances nutritional value but also improves the taste of pork products. However, traditional IMF measurement methods are often invasive and time-consuming. Ultrasound imaging technology offers a non-destructive solution capable of predicting IMF content and assessing backfat thickness as well as longissimus dorsi muscle area size. A two-stage multimodal network model was developed in this study. First, using B-mode ultrasound images, we employed the UNetPlus segmentation network to accurately delineate the longissimus dorsi muscle area. Subsequently, we integrated data on backfat thickness and longissimus dorsi muscle area to create a multimodal input for IMF content prediction using our model. The results indicate that UNetPlus achieves a 94.17% mean Intersection over Union (mIoU) for precise longissimus dorsi muscle area segmentation. The multimodal network achieves an R² of 0.9503 for IMF content prediction, with Spearman and Pearson correlation coefficients of 0.9683 and 0.9756, respectively, all within a compact model size of 4.96 MB. This study underscores the efficacy of combining segmented longissimus dorsi muscle images with data on backfat thickness and muscle area in a two-stage multimodal approach for predicting IMF content. Full article

The quality of frozen pork is adversely affected upon thawing. In this study, the influence of various thawing methods for frozen pork, including cold water (18 °C), room temperature (18 °C), and refrigeration (4 °C) thawing, on physicochemical and nutrient substances were examined. The pork samples (a Chinese local breed: Anqing six-end-white pigs), which were thawed through the above conditions, were compared with controls (fresh porcine longissimus dorsi). Analyses were carried out to determine porcine longissimus dorsi shear force, pH value, crude protein content, antioxidant capacity, amino acid content, and fatty acid content. The results indicated that the shear force, pH value, crude protein content, total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), and total superoxide dismutase (T-SOD) content of the porcine longissimus dorsi muscle significantly decreased via the three thawing methods compared with the control group (p < 0.05). However, malondialdehyde (MDA) content, intramuscular fat content, inosinate and cholesterol content, essential amino acid content, and umami amino acid proportion in the cold thawing group were not significantly different from the control group (p > 0.05), but there were significant differences between the other two groups. The MDA content of the air thawing and hydrostatic thawing groups significantly increased compared with the control group (p < 0.05), with it being 42.6% and 50.8% higher than the control group, respectively. In addition, the monounsaturated fatty acid content in the pork subjected to the three thawing methods significantly increased compared with the control group (p < 0.05), and the monounsaturated fatty acid content after cold thawing and hydrostatic thawing increased by 18.2% and 21.6%, respectively. In conclusion, refrigeration had less influence on the quality of the Anqing six-end-white pork and was the most suitable thawing method. This study provides a theoretical reference for frozen pork preservation for improving food quality and availing its economic benefits. Full article

High-yielding dairy cows need diets that meet their energy demand and contain sufficient essential nutrients such as n-3 fatty acids (FAs). Conjugated linoleic acid (CLA) is able to relieve the energy metabolism, but common corn silage and concentrate-based diets contain insufficient amounts of essential fatty acids (EFA). Abomasal infusion was used in the current study to supplement cows from 9 weeks antepartum to 9 weeks postpartum with either coconut oil (CTRL, n = 8), EFA (n = 9), or conjugated linoleic acid (CLA, n = 9), or a combination of both (EFA + CLA, n = 10). The study focused on the effects of FAs on peripheral tissues, such as longissimus muscle (MLD) and adipose tissues, which were harvested after slaughter. Fatty acid composition, muscle fiber and fat cell morphology, muscle fiber type transition, and gene expression were analyzed. Supplemented FAs and their metabolites were increased (p < 0.05) in MLD and intermuscular fat (INTF) but not in subcutaneous fat (SCF). The intramuscular fat content and gene expression of ACACA and FASN were increased in CLA-supplemented cows (p < 0.05). Supplementation did not affect the muscle fiber size and fiber type composition. Supplemented CLA had more effects than EFA, improving the energy balance of cows accompanied with increased triglyceride formation and storage. Full article

The aim of this study was to identify Longissimus lumborum (LL) muscle from lambs with high IMF content (≥3%) using wool FA. The FA composition was characterized in two sections of wool from Suffolk Down lambs, and its relationship with IMF content assessed. One hundred and forty lambs of similar body weight, body condition score, and age were selected. IMF content from LL muscle, and the wool fat and FA composition of the wool were determined. The proportions of FAs in the wool of lambs with low IMF were 51.96 ± 7.3% of saturated, 31.96 ± 7.7% polyunsaturated, and 16.08 ± 2.3% monounsaturated. Similar proportions of FAs were observed in wool samples of lambs with high IMF. Significant differences were found only in the SFA proportion between groups (p < 0.05). The predominant FAs in the wool samples were C16:0, C17:0, C18:0, C18:1n9c and C18:2n6c, representing over 60% of total FA methyl esters. Correlations were found between the wool FAs C16:1, C17:0, C18:0, C18:1n9c, C24:0, and C22:6n3 in wool samples divided into two sections. Discriminant analysis identified SFAs, particularly FAs C22:0 and C24:0, as potential candidate for predicting lambs with high IMF content with an accuracy of over 92%. These results provide to our knowledge evidence that IMF content could potentially be determined using wool FAs as a non-invasive method. Full article

Meat quality is important in the meat-production chain. Conflicting reports of the effects of feeding systems on sheep growth performance and meat quality exist. By way of meta-analysis, we reviewed the literature on the growth and slaughter performance, and meat quality of lambs that grazed solely on pasture, those that grazed on pasture but received a dietary supplement, and those were exclusively fed indoors. The relevant literature comprised 28 papers, from which response variables of interest were obtained. Compared with stall-fed sheep, pasture-grazing led to significantly (p < 0.05) lower average daily gain, slaughter live weight, hot carcass weight, cold carcass weight, and similar dressing percentage, but pasture-grazed sheep fed a supplement had similar (p > 0.05) values for each of these attributes to stall-fed sheep. The quality of the longissimus muscle from lambs that grazed either exclusively on pasture or pasture with a supplement had significantly (p < 0.05) lower lightness and intramuscular fat content, and significantly (p < 0.05) higher yellowness, Warner–Bratzler shear force, and protein content than meat from stall-fed sheep. We conclude that sheep that have fed exclusively on pasture have lower carcass yield and meat edibility, but improved meat quality, and that pasture-fed sheep that received a supplement had comparable carcass attributes, but greater meat color and health quality than stall-fed sheep. Full article

As a class of regulatory factors, microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in regulating normal muscle development and fat deposition. Muscle and adipose tissues, as major components of the animal organism, are also economically important traits in livestock production. However, the effect of miRNA expression profiles on the development of muscle and adipose tissues in yak is currently unknown. In this study, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-Seq) on Tianzhu white yak longissimus dorsi muscle tissue obtained from calves (6 months of age, M6, n = 6) and young (30 months of age, M30, n = 6) and adult yak (54 months of age, M54, n = 6) to identify which miRNAs are differentially expressed and to investigate their temporal expression profiles, establishing a regulatory network of miRNAs associated with the development of muscle and adipose. The results showed that 1191 miRNAs and 22061 mRNAs were screened across the three stages, of which the numbers of differentially expressed miRNAs (DE miRNAs) and differentially expressed mRNAs (DE mRNAs) were 225 and 450, respectively. The expression levels of the nine DE miRNAs were confirmed using a reverse transcription quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) assay, and the trend of the assay results was generally consistent with the trend of the transcriptome profiles. Based on the expression trend, DE miRNAs were categorized into eight different expression patterns. Regarding the expression of DE miRNAs in sub-trends Profile 1 and Profile 2 (p < 0.05), the gene expression patterns were upregulated (87 DE miRNAs). Gene ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes Genomes (KEGG) analyses showed that the identified DE miRNAs and DE mRNAs were enriched in pathway entries associated with muscle and intramuscular fat (IMF) growth and development. On this basis, we constructed a DE miRNA–mRNA interaction network. We found that some DE mRNAs of interest overlapped with miRNA target genes, such as ACSL3, FOXO3, FBXO30, FGFBP4, TSKU, MYH10 (muscle development), ACOX1, FADS2, EIF4E2, SCD1, EL0VL5, and ACACB (intramuscular fat deposition). These results provide a valuable resource for further studies on the molecular mechanisms of muscle tissue development in yak and also lay a foundation for investigating the interactions between genes and miRNAs. Full article

Vaccination is an essential method of immunological preventive care required for the health management of all animals, including fish. More particularly, immunization is necessary for in-land aquaculture to manage diseases in fish broodstocks and healthy seed production. According to the latest statistics in 2020, 90.3 million tons of capture fishery production was achieved from the aquaculture sector. Out of the above, 78.8 million tons were from marine water aquaculture sectors, and 11.5 million tons were from inland water aquaculture sectors. About a 4% decline in fish production was achieved in 2020 in comparison to 2018 from inland aquaculture sectors. On the other hand, the digestive protein content, healthy fats, and nutritional values of fish products are comparatively more affordable than in other meat sources. In 2014, about 10% of aquatic cultured animals were lost (costing global annual losses > USD 10 billion) due to infectious diseases. Therefore, vaccination in fish, especially in broodstocks, is one of the essential approaches to stop such losses in the aquaculture sector. Fish vaccines consist of whole-killed pathogens, protein subunits, recombinant proteins, DNA, or live-attenuated vaccines. Challenges persist in the adaption of vaccination in the aquaculture sector, the route of administration, the use of effective adjuvants, and, most importantly, the lack of effective results. The use of autogenous vaccines; vaccination via intramuscular, intraperitoneal, or oral routes; and, most importantly, adding vaccines in feed using top dressing methods or as a constituent in fish feed are now emerging. These methods will lower the risk of using antibiotics in cultured water by reducing environmental contamination. Full article

Shear force is commonly used to evaluate tenderness, one of the most crucial eating quality aspects of sheep meat. The effect size of various factors on tenderness is still unknown. Studies have suggested that both genetic and environmental factors contribute to the variation in meat tenderness, and there are possible interactions between these factors. An extensive data set (n = 23,696) was analyzed to examine genetic and non-genetic influences on the shear force at 5 days postmortem (SF5). SF5 was measured on lamb loins (Longissimus lumborum) taken from lambs reared over 12 years at eight sites across Australia. The results showed that all carcass traits had a significant (p < 0.001) impact on SF5, with the largest effect on SF5 associated with intramuscular fat (IMF %) (f = 1035). There was also a significant effect of sex, cold shortening at 18 °C, sire type and cohort on SF5 (p < 0.001), with a large variation observed between the minimum cohort at 15.9 ± 1.5 N and maximum at 51.2 ± 2.1 N. In conclusion, a complex matrix of production, processing and genetic factors impact lamb tenderness as measured by shear force. This experiment helps identify the size of the contribution of these factors towards lamb tenderness, enabling the sheep industry to enhance consumers’ satisfaction. Full article

Background. The rise in global obesity has worsened the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and related cardiovascular complications, particularly among post-menopausal women. Dysfunctions in thyroid hormone activity, critical for metabolic regulation, are often implicated in obesity and its associated conditions. This study evaluated the interactions between thyroid function, body composition, and cardiovascular health in post-menopausal women. Material and Methods. We conducted an observational, prospective, open-label clinical study, involving post-menopausal women, stratified into two groups based on weight changes after menopause: the Menopausal Weight Gain Group (MWGG) and the Menopausal Weight Maintenance Group (MWMG). We included 12 cases (MWGG) and 8 control (MWMG) women. Participants underwent cardio-metabolic assessments, including evaluations of thyroid function, blood pressure, arterial stiffness, body composition, and cardiovascular risk profiles. The statistical analysis employed t-tests and Pearson correlations. Results. The MWGG showed significant increases in both the Augmentation Index (AI@75) and adiposity markers (BMI, total fat mass, in percentage and kg, and lean–to–fat mass ratio) compared to the MWMG. A notable decrease in FT3 and the FT3/FT4 ratio was observed in the MWGG. Moreover, discrepancies in Cholesterol levels and insulinemia were reported between groups. Moreover, differences in cholesterol levels and insulinemia were reported between groups. We analyzed the correlation between blood pressure, cardiovascular stiffness, and body composition parameters; notably, there was a strong correlation between AI@75 and weight, BMI, and total fat mass, and a strong negative correlation with the lean–to–fat mass ratio. Conclusions. The MWGG presented a higher BMI, greater total fat mass (kg) and a higher percentage of total fat mass compared to the MWMG. Interestingly, we reported a significant difference in intramuscular adipose tissue between the groups. These results highlight the importance of further research to elucidate the mechanisms involved and to develop targeted interventions for managing menopause-related cardio-metabolic risks. Full article