Soybean molasses increases subcutaneous fat deposition while reducing lipid oxidation in the meat of castrated lambs.

This study aimed to evaluate the effect of including soybean molasses (SM) on performance, blood parameters, carcass traits, meat quality, fatty acid, and muscle (longissimus thoracis) transcriptomic profiles of castrated lambs. Twenty Dorper × Santa Inês lambs (20.06 ±â€…0.76 kg body weight [BW]) were assigned to a randomized block design, stratified by BW, with the following treatments: CON: 0 g/kg of SM and SM20: 200 g/kg of SM on dry matter basis, allocated in individual pens. The diet consisted of 840 g/kg concentrate and 160 g/kg corn silage for 76 d, with the first 12 d as an adaptation period and the remaining 64 d on the finishing diet. The SM20 diet increased blood urea concentration (P = 0.03) while reduced glucose concentration (P = 0.04). Lambs fed SM showed higher subcutaneous fat deposition (P = 0.04) and higher subcutaneous adipocyte diameter (P < 0.01), in addition to reduced meat lipid oxidation (P < 0.01). SM reduced the quantity of branched-chain fatty acids in longissimus thoracis (P = 0.05) and increased the quantity of saturated fatty acids (P = 0.01). In the transcriptomic analysis, 294 genes were identified as differentially expressed, which belong to pathways such as oxidative phosphorylation, citric acid cycle, and monosaccharide metabolic process. In conclusion, diet with SM increased carcass fat deposition, reduced lipid oxidation, and changed the energy metabolism, supporting its use in ruminant nutrition.

This study investigated the effects of incorporating soybean molasses (SM) into the diet of castrated lambs on various aspects of their performance and meat quality. Twenty lambs were divided into two groups: one was fed a control diet without SM whereas the other was fed a similar diet but containing 20% of SM. The feeding trial lasted for 76 d. Results showed that the SM inclusion in the diet led to increased blood urea levels and decreased glucose concentrations. SM inclusion also resulted in lambs with higher levels of subcutaneous fat and larger adipocytes, while reducing meat lipid oxidation. Moreover, SM altered fatty acid composition in the meat, decreasing branched-chain fatty acids and increasing saturated fatty acids. In agreement with these findings, transcriptomic analysis revealed a significant change in the expression of genes related to energy metabolism in the muscle of lambs fed SM. In conclusion, incorporating SM in lamb's diet increased fat deposition, improved meat quality, and induced a transcriptomic change in the muscle energy metabolism, supporting its potential use in ruminant nutrition.

Changes in the Lipid Metabolism of the Longissimus thoracis Muscle in Bulls When Using Different Feeding Strategies during the Growing and Finishing Phases.

The objective was to evaluate the supplementation strategy's effect on beef cattle during the growing phase and two systems during the finishing phase. One hundred and twenty young bulls were randomly divided in a 2 × 2 factorial design to receive either mineral (ad libitum) or protein + energy (3 g/kg body weight (BW)/day) during the growing phase and pasture plus concentrate supplementation (20 g/kg BW/day) or feedlot (25:75% corn silage:concentrate) during the finishing phase. Feedlot-fed bulls had meat (Longissimus thoracis-LT) with a higher content of lipids and saturated and monounsaturated fatty acids and a greater upregulation of stearoyl-CoA desaturase and sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c than animals that fed on pasture (p < 0.05). On the other hand, pasture-fed bulls had meat with a higher content of α-linoleic acid, linolenic acid, and n6 and a greater n6:n3 ratio compared to the feedlot-fed group (p < 0.05). In addition, meat from pasture-fed bulls during the finishing phase had 17.6% more isocitrate dehydrogenase enzyme concentration than the feedlot group (p = 0.02). Mineral-fed and pasture-finished bulls showed down-regulation of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (p < 0.05), while the bulls fed protein + energy and finished in the feedlot had higher carnitine palmitoyltransferase 2 expression (p ≤ 0.013). In conclusion, mineral or protein + energy supplementation in the growing does not affect the fatty acid composition of intramuscular fat of LT muscle. In the finishing phase, feeding bulls in the feedlot upregulates the lipogenic genes and consequently improves the intramuscular fat content in the meat.

Early Weaning Possibly Increases the Activity of Lipogenic and Adipogenic Pathways in Intramuscular Adipose Tissue of Nellore Calves.

This study aimed to evaluate by wide-expression profile analysis how early weaning at 120 days can alter the skeletal muscle metabolism of calves supplemented with a concentrated diet until the growth phase. Longissimus thoracis muscle samples were obtained by biopsy from two groups of calves, early weaned (EW; n = 8) and conventionally weaned (CW; n = 8) at two different times (120 days of age-T1 [EW] and 205 days of age-T2 [CW]). Next, differential gene expression analysis and functional enrichment of metabolic pathways and biological processes were performed. The results showed respectively 658 and 165 differentially expressed genes when T1 and T2 were contrasted in the early weaning group and when early and conventionally weaned groups were compared at T2. The FABP4, SCD1, FASN, LDLR, ADIPOQ, ACACA, PPARD, and ACOX3 genes were prospected in both comparisons described above. Given the key role of these differentially expressed genes in lipid and fatty acid metabolism, the results demonstrate the effect of diet on the modulation of energy metabolism, particularly favoring postnatal adipogenesis and lipogenesis, as well as a consequent trend in obtaining better quality cuts, as long as an environment for the maintenance of these alterations until adulthood is provided.

Bos indicus Carcasses Suspended by the Pelvic Bone Require a Shorter Aging Time to Meet Consumer Expectations Regarding Meat Quality.

This study evaluated the effects of hanging the carcass by the Achilles tendon (AS) versus pelvic suspension (PS) on meat quality traits. Bos indicus carcasses of two distinct biological types/sex categories comprised 10 young Brangus heifers and 10 Nellore bulls which were finished in a feedlot. Half-carcasses of each biological type/sex category were randomly hung using Achilles suspension (n = 20, AS) or pelvic suspension (n = 20, PS) for 48 h. At boning, longissimus samples were collected for evaluation by untrained consumers for tenderness, liking of flavor, juiciness and overall acceptability, after aging for 5 or 15 days. Objective samples were also tested for shear force (SF), Minolta meat colour, ultimate pH, cooking loss (CL) and purge loss (PL). There was a positive effect (p < 0.01) of PS on the sensory tenderness of Nellore bulls and Brangus heifers aged for 5 days compared to the AS method. At 15 days of aging, difference in sensory tenderness was observed (p < 0.05) in either group. Additionally, an interaction occurred between the suspension method and the aging of Nellore beef (p < 0.05) on liking of flavor, juiciness and overall acceptance, while the same effects were not observed for Brangus beef (p > 0.05). Nellore carcasses submitted to PS tended (p = 0.06) to produce more tender meat than those submitted to AS (SF = 44.62 ± 6.96 vs. 50.41 ± 8.04 N), and lower CL (p < 0.05) were found (27.7 vs. 30.9%). Carcass-suspension methods did not influence meat color, pH or PL in either group (p > 0.05). The PS contributes to improve the quality of Bos indicus bulls loins; in addition, this method allows a reduction in the aging time from 15 to 5 days, and it can be used to supply meat consumer markets which accept a certain level of eating quality.

Proteomics Unveils Post-Mortem Changes in Beef Muscle Proteins and Provides Insight into Variations in Meat Quality Traits of Crossbred Young Steers and Heifers Raised in Feedlot.

Proteomics has been widely used to study muscle biology and meat quality traits from different species including beef. Beef proteomics studies allow a better understanding of the biological processes related to meat quality trait determination. This study aimed to decipher by means of two-dimensional electrophoresis (2D-PAGE), mass spectrometry and bioinformatics the changes in post-mortem muscle with a focus on proteins differentially expressed in the Longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of immunocastrated young heifers and steers. Carcass traits, chemical composition, pH, instrumental color (L*, a*, b*), cooking loss and Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) of meat from F1 Montana-Nellore cattle were also evaluated. Backfat thickness (BFT) and intramuscular fat content (IMF) were 46.8% and 63.6% higher in heifers (p < 0.05), respectively, while evaporation losses (EL) were 10.22% lower compared to steers. No differences (p > 0.05) were observed for tenderness evaluated by WBSF (3, 10, and 17 days post-mortem), pH, and color traits (L*, a* and b*) between the experimental groups. The study revealed several proteins to be differentially expressed proteins in heifers compared steers (p < 0.05). In heifers, proteins involved in nutrient transport (TF, ALB, and MB), energy metabolism (ALDOA, GAPDH, and PKM), and oxidative stress and response to stress (HSPA8 and CA3) were associated with a greater BFT and IMF deposition. The higher expression of these proteins indicated greater oxidative capacity and lower glycolytic activity in the LT muscle of heifers. In steers, there was greater abundance of protein expression related to muscle contraction and proteins of structure (ACTA1, TPM2 and TNNT3), energy metabolism (ENO1, ENO3, PYGM, PGM1 and TPI1) and ATP metabolism (ATP5F1B, PEBP1 and AK1), indicating greater glycogenolysis in LT muscle, suggesting a shift in the glycolytic/oxidative fibers of steers.

Meat Quality and Muscle Tissue Proteome of Crossbred Bulls Finished under Feedlot Using Wet Distiller Grains By-Product.

Wet distiller grains (WDG) are a corn by-product rich in protein and fiber that can be used in feedlot diets. This study evaluated F1 Angus-Nellore bulls fed on a control diet vs. WDG (n = 25/treatment). After a period of 129 days on these feeds, the animals were slaughtered and Longissimusthoracis samples were collected for both a meat quality evaluation and gel-based proteomic analyses. A greater ribeye area (99.47 cm²) and higher carcass weight (333.6 kg) (p < 0.05) were observed in the WDG-finished cattle compared to the control (80.7 cm²; 306.3 kg). Furthermore, there were differences (p < 0.05) in the intramuscular fat between the WDG and control animals (IMF = 2.77 vs. 4.19%), which led to a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in saturated fatty acids (FA). However, no differences (p > 0.10) were observed in terms of tenderness, evaluated using Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF). The proteomic and bioinformatic analyses revealed substantial changes in the biological processes, molecular functions, and cellular components of the WDG-finished cattle compared to the control. Proteins related to a myriad of interconnected pathways, such as contractile and structural pathways, energy metabolism, oxidative stress and cell redox homeostasis, and transport and signaling. In this experiment, the use of WDG supplementation influenced the protein expression of several proteins, some of which are known biomarkers of beef quality (tenderness and color), as well as the protein-protein interactions that can act as the origins of increases in muscle growth and reductions in IMF deposition. However, despite the effects on the proteome, the tenderness, evaluated by WBSF, and fatty acid profile were not compromised by WDG supplementation.

Meat quality of young bulls finished in a feedlot and supplemented with clove or cinnamon essential oils.

Forty young crossbred bulls (10 ± 2.2 months of age; 219 ± 11.7 kg) were finished in a feedlot with one of five different treatments: CON, control (no essential oil); CLO450, clove essential oil (450 mg/kg); CLO880, clove essential oil (880 mg/kg); CIN450; cinnamon essential oil (450 mg/kg); and CIN880, cinnamon essential oil (880 mg/kg). Instrumental meat quality attributes and consumer acceptability aspects (visual and sensory) were assessed during meat ageing and display. The inclusion of clove essential oil showed (P = 0.033) a quadratic effect on lipid oxidation in meat evaluated under display conditions. Level of cinnamon essential oil affected (P < 0.05) pH, shear force, and meat colour. On the other hand, the diet had no effect (P > 0.05) on sensory or visual acceptability. Ageing (7 days) enhanced (P < 0.05) sensory acceptability attributes. Globally, the addition of essential oil in bull diets can be an alternative to reduces lipid oxidation without modifying sensory acceptability attributes.

Fatty acid profile and carcass traits of feedlot Nellore cattle fed crude glycerin and virginiamycin.

Forty-eight bulls with an initial body weight (BW) of 408.4 ±â€¯22.2 kg (age = 21 ±â€¯2 months) were used in a randomized complete block design arranged in a 2 × 2 factorial design. The treatments were diets without virginiamycin (VM-) or with virginiamycin, at 25 mg/kg of dry matter (DM, VM+), and diets without crude glycerin (CG-) or with crude glycerin, at 100 g/kg DM (CG+). The cold carcass weight and cold carcass dressing (P ≤ 0.05) was greater in bulls fed crude glycerin diets. Total unsaturated fatty acids (UFA) were 6.08% higher, and cooking weight loss was 10% lower in bulls fed CG+ diets, compared to bulls fed CG- diets (P = 0.0081). Crude glycerin at 100 g/kg DM could be a suitable replacement for VM, as it led to a slight increase in UFA deposition in meat. However, simultaneous administration of VM and CG did not positively affect performance and carcass traits of feedlot Nellore cattle.

Validation of photographs usage to evaluate meat visual acceptability of young bulls finished in feedlot fed with or without essential oils.

Forty ½ Brown Swiss×½ Nellore crossbred bulls were distributed into three experimental groups: CON - diet without addition of essential oils; CLO - diet with average 5,000mg/animal/day of clove essential oils and CIN - diet with average 5,000mg/animal/day of cinnamon essential oils to evaluate three methodologies of visual acceptability: with steaks directly in Trays and Sequential and Random photos. Seventeen consumers evaluated visual appearance of meat using a 9-point structured hedonic scale. CON group presented higher shelf-life than essential oils groups. Trays and Sequential scores were similar in the majority of days; thus digital images could be used to evaluate colour evolution. However, Random photos resulted in lower scores and slower acceptability decrease than Trays and Sequential photos (p<0.05) among the second and fifth day of display. Random photos presented a lower and more constant standard deviation than Trays and Sequential photos (p<0.01) indicating that this methodology promoted a higher standard situation for meat colour evaluation.