• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.182-187
• /
• 2010

The aim of this experiment was to evaluate the levels of hormones (progesterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-3) in blood plasma, growth, carcass traits and their interactions of sexually immature (n = 18) and sexually mature (n = 17) gilts. To calculate average daily weight gain (ADG), gilts were individually weighed at the beginning of the trial and at slaughter (110${\pm}$10 days old). Blood concentrations of progesterone, IGF-I and IGFBP-3 were determined by RIA. The right hot carcass sides were dissected and the individual basic parts from carcasses were weighed to record the carcass traits. IGFBP-3, ADG and carcass traits were not affected by pubertal maturation. Compared to sexually immature gilts, mature gilts had higher blood concentrations of progesterone and IGF-I. High correlations were noted between levels of some hormonal substances, productive performance and carcass traits of sexually immature and mature gilts.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.31 no.12
• /
• pp.1923-1929
• /
• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the correlation between blood components and carcass traits, and to find the biomarkers related to meat quality and quantity in Hanwoo steers. Methods: One hundred twenty-six Hanwoo steers (8 to 9 months of age, body weight of $185.6{\pm}24.38kg$) were used to find the correlation between blood compositions and carcass traits. The steers were fed concentrate and rice straw (30 steers) or total mixed rations (96 steers) during the whole experimental period. Blood samples were collected from the jugular vein at the growing (8 to 12 months), fattening (13 to 23 months) and finishing phases (24 to 30 months). Steers were slaughtered at 30 to 31 months of age (body weight of $701.6{\pm}60.45kg$) and the carcass traits were evaluated. Blood metabolites and hormones were analyzed and the correlation coefficients and regression equations with carcass traits were determined. Results: Average concentrations of retinol, leptin and insulin were 1.10 IU, 30.34 ng, and 35.35 ng per mL of blood plasma, respectively. Retinol has negative correlations (p<0.01) with insulin and leptin. Blood insulin and total protein decreased with the age of steers, but retinol, aspartic acid transaminase (AST), glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride increased. In the finishing phase, significant (p<0.01) negative correlations occurred between blood retinol content and marbling score, and between blood AST content and longissimus muscle area of 13th rib, and the following regression equations were obtained: Marbling score $(1-9)=-0.009{\times}retinol(IU/100mL)+9.125$ ($R^2=0.643$), Longissimus muscle area $(cm^2)=-0.250{\times}AST(U/L)+112.498$ ($R^2=0.450$). Conclusion: It is possible to make highly marbled beef by controlling the blood retinol content during the fattening and finishing phases of Hanwoo steers. Accordingly, blood retinol and AST could be biomarkers for determining beef quality and quantity, respectively, prior to slaughter.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.26 no.4
• /
• pp.447-453
• /
• 2006

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of $Megazone^{(R)}$ (a mineral mix) supplementation on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, blood characteristics, meat quality and carcass traits in weaning-to-finishing pigs. A total of 48 crossbred $(Landrace{\times}Yorkshire{\times}Duroc)$ pigs with initial body weight (BW) of $4.46{\pm}0.18kg$ were used in a 21 wks trial. Pigs were blocked by weight and allotted to two dietary treatments in a completly randomized design. There were 6 pens per treatment. Dietary treatments included: 1) Control (CON: basal diet) and 2) MT (basal diet+0.8% $Megazone^{(R)}$). Through the entire experimental period, there were no effects of dietary $Megazone^{(R)}$ supplementation on growth performance nutrients digestibility, blood characteristics and meat quality traits (p>0.05). Market weight and backfat thickness also had no differences between the two treatments (p>0.05). However, carcass weight and carcass ratio in MT treatment were improved significantly compared with CON treatment (p<0.05). In conclusion, supplmentation of $Megazone^{(R)}$ can increase carcass weight and carcass ratio in weaning-to-finishing pigs, however, it has no effects on growth performance, nutrients digestibility, blood characteristics and meat quality traits.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.15 no.12
• /
• pp.1776-1783
• /
• 2002

A population segregating for the naked neck (Na) gene was used to evaluate its effect on fast growing broilers at heat stress. An experimental stock comparable to those of modern broilers was established by backcrossing to colour synthetic male and female lines. Matings between heterozygous (Na/na) males and females produced normally feathered (na/na), heterozygous (Na/na) and homozygous (Na/Na) chicks for the present study. Day old to seven week old coloured broilers of three genotypes viz. normally feathered (na/na), heterozygous naked neck (Na/na) and homozygous naked neck (Na/Na) were compared for heat dissipation, growth performance, body conformation traits, blood biochemical parameters and carcass traits in tropical climate. In hot climate, naked neck broilers had significantly less body temperature and better heat dissipation capabilities as compared to normal broilers. The naked neck broilers had significantly higher body weight and better feed conversion ratio than na/na broilers. The Na/Na or Na/na broilers exhibited higher giblet yield, blood loss and lower feather mass compared to na/na broilers. The results indicated that the reduction in feather coverage in Na/Na and Na/na broilers facilitates better heat dissipation with lower body temperature, more body weight gain, better FCR and carcass traits compared to normal broilers.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.796-802
• /
• 2009

The effects of docking on growth traits, fattening performance, carcass characteristics and blood biochemical parameters were investigated using 24 fat-tailed Sanjabi single-born male lambs raised from a large commercial sheep herd. The lambs were randomly divided into two groups. One group (n = 12) were docked at two days of age with rubber-rings using an elastrator. The second group (n = 12) were left intact. After weaning (90 days), all lambs were moved to rustic rangelands for 40 days. Then all the lambs were fed concentrates ad libitum for 60 days during the fattening period. Growth traits, body weight and average daily gain (kg) were recorded at the end of the weaning and fattening periods. Blood biochemical parameters including urea, total protein, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) were measured during the fattening period. Finally, at the end of the fattening period, eight lambs (4 intact and 4 docked lambs) were slaughtered in order to determine carcass characteristics. Fat-tail docking had no effect (p>0.05) on lamb growth from birth to weaning. Body weight and average daily gain of docked lambs were significantly higher (p<0.05) than for intact lambs at the end of the fattening period. There was no difference in carcass measurements between the two groups, except for chest depth and leg weight which were higher (p<0.05) in docked lambs. During the fattening period, cholesterol and LDL of docked lambs were less than in intact lambs (p<0.05). The current results indicated that docking with rubber rings causes an improvement in growth traits during the fattening period and leads to desirable carcass characteristics compared to intact lambs; interestingly, this procedure had a significant effect on the lowering of blood cholesterol and LDL of docked lambs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.30 no.8
• /
• pp.1117-1123
• /
• 2017

Objective: This study was conducted to compare growth performance, blood components and carcass traits by two feeding systems (concentrate with roughage separately [CON] vs total mixed ration [TMR]) in Hanwoo steers, and to learn the relationship between blood components during fattening or finishing phases and carcass traits in Hanwoo steers. Methods: Sixty steers aged 8 months were allotted to two feeding systems and fed similar amounts of average dry matter and total digestible nutrient throughout whole experimental period according to each feeding program. Steers were weighed monthly, taken blood at the end of growing, fattening and finishing periods, and slaughtered at 30 month of age. Results: Growing performance was higher (p<0.05) in the CON group compared to the TMR group during fattening and finishing periods. The CON group was lower (p<0.05) in blood aspartic acid transaminase, blood urea nitrogen and retinol levels during growing period, but higher in triglyceride and cholesterol levels during fattening and finishing periods compared to the TMR group. The CON group was greater (p<0.05) in rib-eye area, and lighter (p<0.05) red in meat color compared to the TMR group. In the correlation coefficients between blood components of steers and carcass traits, retinol had a negative (p<0.05) correlation with marbling score and rib-eye area. Leptin had a positive (p<0.05) correlation with back fat thickness. Blood cholesterol and triglyceride were positively (p<0.05) correlated with carcass weight and rib-eye area. Conclusion: Growth performance, carcass ribeye area and meat color showed a more desirable result in the CON compared to the TMR in Hanwoo steers. Assessing the accumulated data of carcass traits with blood components including hormones-particularly retinol, cholesterol, triglyceride, and leptin-during the fattening or finishing phases, it may be possible to find a biomarker for determining beef quality in living animals.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.63 no.5
• /
• pp.1064-1075
• /
• 2021

Recently, a high level of dietary crude protein (CP) has become of interest as a possible practice to improve the carcass quality of beef cattle, and its level has been increasing in the field. However, there is little scientific evidence that supports this. This study was conducted to test whether a high dietary CP level would improve growth performance, body metabolism, and carcass traits in Hanwoo beef cattle. A total of 32 Hanwoo finishing beef cattle (18 multiparous cows, six heifers, and eight steers) participated in a 12-weeks feeding trial. Two kinds of total mixed rations were prepared to contain two different CP; 156 g/kg for the control (CON) and 173 g/kg of CP for the treatment (HCP), while maintaining a similar level of metabolizable energy. The experiment was ended when more than half of the steers reached the target body weight (730 kg). Blood was collected at the end of the experiment. After harvesting, the carcass trait was evaluated at the slaughterhouse according to Korean standards. The carcass yield score and grade were also calculated based on revised criteria. Overall, dry matter intake, average daily gain, blood metabolites concentration, and the carcass traits, except for backfat thickness and the yield score, did not differ between the treatments. The HCP had lower backfat thickness than those of CON. There was no difference in the carcass yield grade, but the yield score was higher in the HCP treatment. According to the newly revised carcass grading criteria, both yield score and grade were higher in HCP than in CON. Increasing CP supply decreased the carcass's backfat thickness without altering growth performance and body metabolism, resulting in improved yield score and grade. Therefore, feeding a high CP diet may be beneficial in the farm income, although it may also increase feed cost and nitrogen excretion to the environment.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.10 no.1
• /
• pp.8-14
• /
• 1997

An experiment was carried out to evaluate the effects of feeding graded levels of chromium in the form of chromium picolinate on growth performance, blood components, carcass grade, in vitro lipogenesis and lipolysis, and in vitro protein degradation and synthesis in growing-finishing pigs. There were no significant differences for daily weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion among treatments during growing phase, while in the finishing phase, feed intake was lower in groups fed diets with 200 ppb chromium than in other treatment (p < 0.1). Feed conversion was improved in the groups fed diets with chromium compared with control. Carcass weight was similar among treatments while carcass length was longer in groups fed diets with 200 ppb chromium (p < 0.05). Thinner carcass fat was found with groups fed diets with chromium compared to control. Three A grade of carcasses were from groups fed chromium compared to control. No significant differences were observed with blood glucose, insulin, total cholesterol, triglycerides and non-esterified fatty acid at 60kg body weight. While, at 100 kg body weight, blood triglyceride was lower in groups with 200 and 400 ppb chromium but higher in groups with 100 ppb chromium (p < 0.05). In vitro lipolysis and protein synthesis in adipose tissues were increased as dietary chromium was increased from 0 to 200 ppb (p < 0.1). As a result, 200 ppb chromium in a growing-finishing diet could improve feed efficiency and carcass traits; an increase to 400 ppb has no further effect.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.39 no.3
• /
• pp.349-355
• /
• 2012

Thyroglobulin (TG) gene was known to be regulated fat cell growth and differentiation and the endothelial differentiation sphingolipid G-protein-coupled receptor 1 (EDG1) gene involves blood vessel formation and known to be affecting carcass traits in beef cattle. The aim of this study was to identify the single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in both TG and EDG1 genes and to analyze the association with carcass traits in Korean cattle (Hanwoo). The T354C SNP in TG gene located at the 3' flanking region and c.-312A>G SNP located at 3'-UTR of EDG1 gene were used for genotyping the animals using PCR-RFLP method. Three genotypes were identified in T354C SNP in TG gene and only two AA and AG genotypes were observed for the c.-312A>G SNP in EDG1 gene. The results indicated that T354C SNP in TG gene was not significantly associated with carcass traits. However, the c.-312A>G SNP in EDG1 gene had significant effects on backfat thickness (BF) and yield index (YI). These results may provide valuable information for further candidate gene studies affecting carcass traits in Korean cattle and may use as marker assisted selection for improving the quality of meat in Hanwoo.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.34 no.2
• /
• pp.141-150
• /
• 2014

This study was conducted to determine the effects of hempseed (H) on performance, carcass traits, and antioxidant activity in Japanese quail (Coturnix coturnix japonica). A total of 192 quail with seven-days old were divided into four experimental groups with four replicates. The treatments were; i) Control diet (C, no hempseed); ii) 5% hempseed in diet (H5); iii) 10% hempseed in diet (H10); and iv) 20% hempseed in diet (H20). The body weight (BW) and feed intake (FI) of quail was determined at 7, 21 and 42 d of age. At 42 d of age four quail were slaughtered and the carcass and internal organ traits were determined. Malondialdehyde (MDA), catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), nitric oxide (NO) and total protein were determined in the blood serum end of the experiment. The BW of the groups were not significant at 7 and 21 d, however in the 20% hempseed group BW decreased at 42 d (p<0.05). The FI and feed conversion ratio were not significant among the treatment groups. The carcass, liver, intestine and heart weight and their percentage to carcass were significantly differ in treatment groups (p<0.05). The serum MDA and NO decreased in hempseed addition (p <0.001). The serum SOD, CAT and GSH-Px were increased by hempseed supplementation (p<0.001). In conclusion, hempseed supplementation to quail diets may not improve quail performance traits but increase antioxidant activity in blood.