Comparison of varying doses and durations of ractopamine hydrochloride on late-finishing pig carcass characteristics and meat quality.

The objective was to investigate the effect of various doses and durations of ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) on pig HCW, cutting yields, and meat quality. Late-finishing pigs (approximately 93 kg) were allotted to 12 treatments 35 d before slaughter. Treatments consisted of negative control (NEG; 13.1% CP, 0.64 TID Lys), positive control (POS; 17.8% CP, 0.94 TID Lys), and 2 RAC doses (5 and 7.4 mg/kg) with 5 different feeding durations for each dose (7, 14, 21, 28, or 35 d). Pigs on ractopamine-duration diets were fed NEG until incorporation of RAC, and then the diet was switched to POS to comply with label requirements. A subset of 240 pigs was utilized to determine the effects of RAC on carcass cutting yields. This subset was selected by taking the 5 pigs closest to the average pen weight from 4 complete replicates. Differences in response to RAC between 5 and 7.4 mg/kg were not significant. Therefore, RAC dosages were pooled, resulting in an average dose of 6.2 mg/kg, which was then compared with NEG and POS diets. Ractopamine increased (P < 0.05) HCW by 2.5 and 2.3 kg compared with the NEG and POS diets, respectively. Hot carcass weight also increased linearly (P=0.003) as RAC duration increased. Indicators of carcass leanness increased with RAC compared with NEG. Estimated carcass lean percentage increased (P=0.010) 1 percentage unit from 54.79 to 55.79%, carcass cut yield increased (P<0.001) 1.23 percentage units from 50.61 to 51.84%, and (P=0.006) boneless lean cut yield increased 1.27 percentage units from 36.71 to 37.98%. Ractopamine decreased (P=0.002) subjective marbling scores 0.49 units from the NEG value of 3.0, but RAC did not differ (P=0.203) from POS. Subjective color values and shear force aging curves for RAC were not significantly different from NEG or POS. Overall, RAC had greater responses in carcass weight and cut yield than NEG, and had minimal effects on meat quality.

Carcass, meat quality, and sensory characteristics of heavy body weight pigs fed ractopamine hydrochloride (Paylean).

Carcass characteristics, meat quality traits, and sensory attributes were evaluated in late-finishing barrows and gilts, weighing between 100 to 130 kg of BW, fed 0, 5, or 7.4 mg/kg of ractopamine hydrochloride (RAC) for the final 21 to 28 d before slaughter. Carcass data were collected from carcasses from barrows and gilts (n = 168), and all primal cuts from the right sides of these carcasses were fabricated to calculate primal yields as a percentage of the HCW. Subjective (National Pork Producers Council and Japanese) color, firmness, and marbling scores were determined on the LM of each loin and the semimembranosus muscle (SM) of the ham, whereas the moisture, extractable lipid, Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and trained sensory evaluations (juiciness, tenderness, and pork flavor) were measured on the LM samples only. Gilts produced heavier (P < 0.05) HCW than barrows, whereas feeding RAC increased (P < 0.05) HCW over pigs fed diets devoid of RAC. Carcasses from gilts also had greater (P < 0.02) primal cut and lean cut (P < 0.01) yields than barrows, and dietary inclusion of 5 mg/kg of RAC increased (P < 0.05) total boneless cut and lean cut yields when compared with carcass from pigs fed 0 or 7.4 mg/kg of RAC. Warner-Bratzler shear forces values were greater (P < 0.05) in the LM of gilts than barrows, but only juiciness scores were greater (P < 0.03) in LM chops from barrows than gilts. The LM from barrows had greater intramuscular lipid (P < 0.001) than the LM from gilts, and even though the LM from pigs fed 5 mg/kg of RAC had greater (P < 0.04) WBSF values than the LM from pigs fed 0 or 7.4 mg/kg of RAC, including RAC in the late-finishing diets for 21 or 28 d did not affect sensory panel rating or percentages of moisture and intramuscular lipid. In summary, addition of RAC in the late-finishing diet improved carcass and primal cut yields when it was fed at 5 and 7.4 mg/kg without altering pork quality traits regardless of whether RAC was fed for 21 or 28 d.

Effect of ractopamine level, gender, and duration of ractopamine on belly and bacon quality traits.

The objective was to determine belly and bacon quality traits in pigs fed ractopamine (RAC) for various durations during finishing. A 2×3×2 factorial arrangement was used with barrows and gilts, fed RAC levels of 0.0, 5.0, or 7.4ppm, for 21 or 28d prior to harvest. Bellies were fabricated and measured for length, thickness, firmness, and processing yields. Once processed, 1.27cm slices were removed at 25%, 50%, and 75% the distance from the blade end, packaged and digitally imaged using a Chem1 Genius(2) Bio Imaging System. Total slice area (TA), total slice length (TL), secondary lean length (SL), secondary lean area (SA), and percent lean area (TA - all lean components=LA) were determined by tracing images in Adobe Photoshop Elements. A composite sample from the three slices was used for proximate analysis to determine moisture and fat composition for each belly. Feeding RAC increased belly yield, TA, TL, SA, and LA (P<0.05), but did not alter moisture or fat composition (P>0.05). Gilts had decreased firmness and higher pump uptakes compared to barrows (P<0.05). Additionally gilts had increased TL, SL, and LA with lower fat and higher moisture content (P<0.05). RAC feeding duration had no significant effect on belly or bacon quality traits (P>0.05), furthermore, no interactions were found to be significant (P>0.05). RAC administration during finishing resulted in improved belly and bacon yields with no negative effects on the quality traits evaluated.

Effects of virginiamycin and a mannanoligosaccharide-virginiamycin shuttle program on the growth and performance of large white female turkeys.

Shuttle programs involving dietary supplementation of mannanoligosaccharides (MOS) and virginiamycin (VM) were evaluated in turkeys by their effects on growth performance, body weight uniformity, and carcass yield characteristics. Diets containing no growth promoter (control), VM (22 mg/kg), or a shuttle program (MOS-VM) of MOS (0 to 6 wk of age at 500 mg/ kg) and VM (6 to 14 wk of age at 22 mg/kg) were fed to Hybrid female turkeys. All diets were formulated to exceed NRC nutrient requirements. Each treatment was assigned to 8 replicate floor pens containing 20 birds that were reared from 1 to 98 d of age. Body weights and feed consumption were recorded at 3-wk intervals, and mortality and culled birds were recorded daily. At the conclusion of the trial, 2 birds per pen were randomly chosen for carcass yield analysis. Feeding VM alone significantly (P < 0.05) increased body weight compared with control fed birds during all periods. The MOS-VM shuttle program resulted in early growth depression for birds less than 3 wk of age, possibly influenced by an unplanned cold stress, but better growth than the nonmedicated control birds after 6 wk of age. Birds fed VM had superior (P < 0.05) feed conversion ratio from 0 to 3 wk, which persisted until 14 wk (P < 0.10). There were no treatment effects on overall feed consumption, uniformity, mortality, or cull rate. Processing yields or weight of various parts were also unaffected by treatment.

Effect of wheat enzyme preparation on the performance characteristics of Tom turkeys fed wheat-based rations.

Wheat contains 5 to 8% nonstarch polysaccharides (NSP). The NSP complex forms a viscous mass when fully hydrated, which impedes the absorption of nutrients from chyme and causes reduced growth performance and osmotic diarrhea and associated wet litter. These adverse effects can be alleviated by appropriate enzyme supplementation. The objective of this experiment was to evaluate the efficacy of endoxylanase and beta-glucanase enzyme mixtures supplemented to wheat-based diets on growth performance characteristics of turkeys. Seven-day-old Large White male turkeys were randomly assigned to 40 litter floor pens of 12 poults each as a completely randomized block design arrangement of four experimental treatments and were raised to 140 d. The dietary treatment consisted of a control treatment (no supplemental enzyme) and three dietary enzyme treatments: 1) Lyxasan forte, 2) Natugrain Blend, and 3) Natugrain. Body weight, feed consumption, and mortality were recorded weekly. Feather condition was evaluated at 98 d of age. Natugrain Blend improved BW at 84 d (P < 0.075) and 112 d (P < 0.01) in comparison to the unsupplemented control diet. Lyxasan forte had the best feed/gain ratio throughout the experiment. Subjective feather condition score was significantly improved (P < 0.05) by all the three enzyme treatments and corresponded with reduced incidence of neck and back picking behavior. The enzyme treatment groups had lower mortality than the control group with the Natugrain blend treatment having the lowest mortality rate through the experiment. The results of this experiment demonstrate marginal improvement in growth performance of turkeys depending upon enzyme formulation.

The effect of mannanoligosaccharides, bambermycins, and virginiamycin on performance of large white male market turkeys.

A study was conducted to evaluate the effects of mannanoligosaccharides (MOS), bambermycins (BAM), and virginiamycin (VIR) on the growth performance of male turkeys. Hybrid Large White male poults were assigned to six dietary treatments: control, MOS, BAM, VIR, MOS+BAM (MB), and MOS+VIR (MV). All diets were formulated to meet NRC (1994) nutrient requirements. There were eight replicate floor pens per treatment with 20 birds per pen reared from 1 to 140 d. Body weight and feed conversion (FC) were collected at 3-wk intervals and at 20 wk of age. Mortality and culled birds were recorded daily. All treatments except MV significantly (P < 0.05) increased 20 wk BW. Body weight was increased at 12 wk by BAM, whereas VIR increased BW at Weeks 12 and 15. All treatments improved FC for Weeks 0 to 3, whereas VIR, MB, and MV improved FC for Weeks 0 to 12 and 0 to 18. There were no treatment effects on cumulative mortality or cull rate. Dietary supplemental MOS, BAM, and VIR resulted in improved growth performance of Large White turkeys. These results indicate that MOS may be utilized as an alternative to antibiotic growth promotants to improve turkey performance.

Issues inherent in the multicultural feminist couple treatment of African-American, same-gender loving female adult survivors of child sexual abuse.

This manuscript focuses on four potential stumbling blocks in the multicultural feminist couple treatment of African-American, same-gender loving female adult child sexual abuse survivors: (1) gender roles; (2) "coming out" to self, family, and the community; (3) lesbian couple relationships; and (4) the expression of lesbian sexuality. These four potential barriers to therapeutic outcome within the context of multicultural feminist couple treatment needs to be systematically addressed during the provision of culturally-informed clinical services to African-American, same-gender loving female adult child sexual abuse survivors. The nature and impact of feminism on the family, as an institution, served as the framework for this discussion.

Cognitive and social functioning across adulthood: age or student status differences?

Younger adult students between 19 and 24 years of age (M = 21.3 years), older adult students between 61 and 76 years of age (M = 67.9 years), and older adult nonstudents between 62 and 76 years of age (M = 68.5 years) were assessed for health (self-ratings of physical and mental health), social functioning (self-ratings of physical and mental activity, perceived role activity level, perceived roles, locus of control, and age-norm expectations), and cognitive functioning (Wechsler Adult Intelligence Scale-Revised vocabulary and block design, and paired associate memory). Age differences were observed in self-ratings of health, social roles, intellectual performance, and memory. No student status differences were observed. The results are discussed in terms of plasticity of intellectual function and characteristics of student status in later adulthood.