• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.331-335
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• 1996

A study was conducted to determine the carcass composition of broilers when fed with three varying levels of dietary energy (3,000, 3,200 and 3,400 kcal/kg ME) at 20% crude protein and 0.79% Total Sulphur Amino Acid. The results showed that there was a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the ME intake of the chickens when the ME of the diet increased. Other factors like the protein intake, dressing percentage, weight gain and feed intake were not significantly affected. On the carcass, the increasing dietary ME levels resulted in a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the abdominal fat percentage and carcass fat percentage and a significant (p < 0.05) decrease in the carcass protein percentage. Similarly, the dietary ME produced a significant (p < 0.05) increase in the amount of and fat percentages of breast meat, thigh meat, and drumstick meat with a significant reduction in the protein percentage. There seemed to be an inverse relationship between the percentages of protein and fat. An increase in fat percentages always resulted in similar reduction in the protein content of the meat. These results also showed major differences between the white and red meat of the chicken.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.3 no.4
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• pp.263-267
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• 1990

The fat thicknesses of twenty-eight Japanese Black beef steers were measured with an ultrasonic device at eleven points on the cattle prior to slaughter and side dissection. The relation between live fat thickness and both weight and percentage of fat and lean in the carcass was examined. Fat thickness obtained from nine points of the chest, flank and rump regions was found to relate significantly (P<0.01) to both weight and percentage of fat. However, shoulder fat thickness measurements were not significantly related to the weight or percentage of fat or lean in the carcass. Addition of live fat thickness to animal age or live weight as an independent variable markedly improved the precision of multiple regression equations for predicting weight of fat and lean, and percentage of fat. In predicting the percentage of lean, both animal age and body weight were not employed in the multiple regression equation. The residual standard deviation for predicting percentage of fat and lean were 1.93 and 1.87, respectively. The ultrasonic measurement of fat thickness if supposed to be useful to the prediction of carcass composition of beef cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.428-433
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• 2004

The aim of this study was to investigate the histochemical parameters of muscle fibers, and to estimate the correlation between these histological parameters and carcass traits in pigs. A total of 230 crossbred Duroc$\times$(Yorkshire$\times$Landrace) pigs (149 gilts and 81 castrated male pigs) was evaluated. Carcass traits (carcass weight, backfat thickness, and loin eye area), muscle fiber size (crosssectional area, diameter, and perimeter), muscle fiber number (density of fibers/$mm^2$ and total number of fibers), and fiber type composition (percentages of myofibers and relative areas of each fiber type) were evaluated. Mean cross-sectional area (CSA) and type IIB fiber CSA were positively correlated to carcass weight, backfat thickness and loin eye area. Mean fiber CSA was mostly related to type IIB CSA (r=0.98) as a result of the high percentage of type IIB fibers in the longissimus muscle. Correlations between fiber diameters and perimeters were also high, and showed similar results with CSA. Mean fiber density was negatively correlated to carcass weight (r=-0.24), backfat thickness (r=-0.18) and loin eye area (r=-0.27). To the contrary, total fiber number was positively correlated with carcass weight (r=0.27) and loin eye area (r=0.53). Carcass weight and loin eyZe area were not significantly related to muscle fiber composition. For backfat thickness, there was an opposition between type IIA percentage, which was positively related and type IIB percentage, which was negatively related. Fiber type composition of type I and IIA fibers were negatively correlated to that of type IIB fibers (r=-0.67 to -0.74). In the present study, carcass weight and loin eye area were positively correlated to CSA and negatively correlated to fiber density. But, these relationships were generally low. The fiber density was strongly affected by muscle fiber size and the total fiber number was affected either by CSA of muscle fiber and loin eye area. Fiber type composition was much more related to their numerical abundance than their CSA.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1348-1352
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• 2005

Most breeds of sheep in Iran are adapted to their agro ecological niches where it is likely that they were also artificially selected by their owners. In general, most of sheep breeds are multipurpose producing lambs, wool and milk. To compare the physical and chemical composition of the carcasses of ten Iranian native fat-tailed sheep breeds, 243 male lambs (6-7 months of age) of ten fattailed, Iranian breeds of sheep, Sanjabi (S), Ghezel (G), Afshari (A), Mehrabani (M), Lori (L), Lori Bakhtiari (LB), Kordi Khorasan (K), Sangesari (Sa), Baluchi (B) and Chal (C) were studied. Lamb breed group had a significant (p<0.05) effect on all the carcass traits measured. The LB and C lambs showed the same live weight which was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the other breeds. Carcass dressing- out percentage in S lambs was lowest (p<0.05), but not different from G lambs. K and Sa breeds showed the highest (p<0.05) carcass dressing-out percentage. The S lambs had the highest (p<0.05) lean meat percent. Lean meat percentage was not significantly (p>0.05) different in the G, A, M and C breeds. The Sa and K breeds showed the lowest lean meat percent. The S lambs showed the lowest (p<0.05) fat percent in their carcass, while K and Sa showed the highest (p<0.05). Subcutaneous fat in K, Sa and B was higher (p<0.05) than the other breeds. Lambs of S, G, A and M breeds had the lowest subcutaneous fat in their carcasses (p>0.05). Intramascular fat was significantly (p<0.05) lower in M, S and C despite the fact that this values were highest in B and K lambs. The K and Sa breeds had highest fat-tail percentage (p<0.05) in their carcass, whereas S and G showed lowest. Lambs of G, S and A breeds had higher bone percent than other breeds (p<0.05). Lowest bone percent (p<0.05) was seen in K and Sa lambs. The carcass moisture percent was not significantly (p>0.05) different in S, G, A, M, L and C breeds. M lambs showed the lowest crude protein percentage and S breed the highest (p<0.05). There were no significant (p>0.05) differences among other lamb breeds for this trait. Chemical fat percentage was the same in S, G, A, C and M breeds, but significantly (p<0.05) lower from LB, K, Sa and B. Ash percent in S, G and A had no significant (p>0.05) difference. According to higher lean meat and lower fat percentages in the carcass, the ranking of breeds would be S, G, A, M and C.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.26-31
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• 2005

Leptin, the product of the obesity (ob) gene, is synthesized in adipocytes or fat cells and has been implicated in the regulation of food intake, energy balance and body composition in mammals. Therefore, the leptin gene could be a candidate gene controlling fat deposition, meat quality and carcass traits in cattle. In this study the microsatellite genotypes for leptin gene were determined and their effects on carcass traits and meat quality were estimated in Korean cattle. Six different microsatellite alleles within leptin gene were identified and gene frequencies of 173, 177, 184, 186, 190 and 192 bp alleles were 0.012, 0.308, 0.067, 0.260, 0.342 and 0.016, respectively. The microsatellite marker of the leptin gene showed a significant association with the carcass percentage (CP) and marbling score (MS). Animals with genotypes 192/192 and 177/184 had higher CP than animals with other genotypes. Animals with genotypes 184/192 and 177/184 had higher MS compared with animals with other genotypes. Thus, the results suggest that the 177, 184 and 192 bp alleles may be associated with increased carcass percentage and intramuscular fat levels. No associations were found between the microsatellite genotypes of the leptin gene and other carcass traits such as carcass weight (CW), backfat thickness (BF) and M. longissimus dorsi area (LDA). In conclusion, the microsatellite markers of the leptin gene may be useful for marker-assisted selection of carcass traits and meat quality in Korean cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.209-216
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• 2019

Objective: We compare the effects of three different approved sources of supplemental zilpaterol on growth-performance responses and carcass characteristics of finishing lambs. Methods: Twenty four Pelibuey${\times}$Katahdin lambs ($46.75{\pm}2.43kg$) were used in a 33-day feeding trial. Lambs were fed a dry rolled corn-based finishing diet. Treatments consisted of the non-supplemental basal diet (Control) versus the basal diet supplemented with 125 mg zilpaterol/kg of diet (as fed basis) from three commercial sources marketed in Mexico: Zilmax (ZIL), Grofactor, and Zipamix. Results: Compared to controls, zilpaterol (ZH) supplementation did not affect dry matter intake (DMI), but increased carcass adjusted daily weight gain (ADG, 36.7%), gain efficiency (34.2%), and dietary net energy (26.0%), and decreased (23.4%) the ratio of observed:expected DMI. Compared to controls, supplemental ZH increased hot carcass weight (6.4%), dressing percentage (3.2%), m. longissimus thoracis (LM) area (15.6%), and shoulder muscle:fat ratio (28.7%), but decreased kidney-pelvic-heart fat, and fat thickness. Supplemental ZH increased 10.9% and 14.3% whole cut weight of loin and leg, respectively, and the proportion (as percentage of cold carcass weight) of leg (4.3%). These increases were reflected in greater forequarter and hindquarter weights. Lambs fed ZH increased (4.6%) empty body weight (EBW) and reduced (14.7%) liver/spleen weight (as g/kg EBW). Likewise, ZH supplementation tended (p = 0.08) to lower (8.9%) visceral fat. Growth performance, energetic efficiency, hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, LM area and whole cuts were not different across supplemental ZH sources. However, compared with non-supplemented controls, only ZIL appreciably decreased carcass fat distribution, including fat thickness, percentage kidney pelvic and heart fat, shoulder fat, and visceral fat. Conclusion: Supplemental ZH increases ADG, gain efficiency, carcass dressing percentage, and LM area. The magnitude of these responses was similar among ZH sources. Nevertheless, compared with non-supplemented controls, only ZIL appreciably decreases carcass fat. The basis for this is uncertain, but indicative that some practical differences in zilpaterol bio-equivalency may exist across commercial sources tested.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 1998

Thirty two Omani sheep with eight animals each of; intact males (INT), males castrated with rubber rings immediately after birth (RR), males castrated with a burdizzo at 8 weeks of age (BC) and intact females (IF) were fed ad libitum a concentrate diet (CP 16%) plus chopped Rhodesgrass hay (8% CP) from weaning until slaughter at 28 kg. INT lambs grew faster from 9 to 20 weeks of age (p < 0.05) thus they were significantly heavier at 20 weeks of age than BC and IF, but not RR lambs. INT consumed more total feed than other sex groups over the period from 9 to 20 weeks of age. There were no significant differences between lambs of all experimental groups in feed per gain ratio. INT lambs had lower (p < 0.01) dressing percentage (DP) than RR, BC and IF. As a percentage in the empty body weight (EBW), INT had higher proportions of head, feet, empty gut (p < 0.001), liver (p < 0.05) and genitals (p < 0.05) but lower proportions of lungs and trachea (p < 0.05) than BC and IF lambs. INT males had a significantly higher (p < 0.05) proportion of bone than RR and IF lambs but lower (p < 0.05) proportion of fat than RR and IF. As a percentage in EBW, IF had the highest protortion (p < 0.001) of total body fat (TBF) followed by BC and RR whereas INT males had the lowest proportion. There was a general trend of IF having the highest proportion of individual and total non-carcass fat (TNCF) and total carcass fat (TCF) followed by BC and RR lambs whereas INT lambs had the lowest protortions of individual carcass and non-carcass fat depots. There were only few sex or castration effects on carcass tissue distribution. IF had higher proportions of intermuscular fat in the chuck, plate, leg and flank than INT and BC. The current study demonstrated that castration of intensively-raised male Omani native sheep especially at weaning using a burdizzo retarded growth rate and reduced carcass quality by increasing fat content.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.715-720
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• 2015

This study was conducted to determine the effects of beak trimming, stocking density (D) and sex (S) on live weight (LW), carcass yield and its component, and plasma glucose (PG) and triglyceride levels in Large White turkeys. To accomplish this aims, totally 288 d old large white turkey chicks (144 in each sex) were used. Beaks of 77 male and female poults were trimmed when 8 d old with an electrical beak trimmer. The birds were fed by commercial turkey rasion. Experiment was designed as 2 × 2 × 2 factorial arrangement with 3 replications in each group. Beak trimming and stocking density did not affect live weight, carcass composition and its components. The higher LW and carcass weight observed in trimmed groups. As expected, male birds are heavier than female, and carcass percentage (CP) would be adverse. However, in this study, CP of male was higher in trimmed, in 0.25 m²/bird. (D) × sex (S) interaction had an effect on both CP and thigh weights (p<0.05). Significantly D × S was observed in LW, CP and PG. The weight of carcass and its some components were higher in male. S × D interaction had an effect on plasma glucose level (p<0.05). Triglyceride level was affected (p<0.05) by sex. Significant relationships were found between percentage of thighs (r=0.447, p<0.01) and percentage of breast (r=0.400, p<0.01). According to this study, it can be said that trimming is useful with density of 0.25 m²/bird in turkey fattening.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.914-921
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• 2021

Objective: The objective of this study was to compare growth performance, carcass traits and meat quality in young bulls, steers and heifers produced by crossing Limousin bulls with Holstein-Friesian cows, fattened semi-intensively and slaughtered at 18 months of age. Methods: Thirty-one young calves were reared in a conventional production system, and were fed milk replacer, hay and concentrate. At 6 months of age, the animals were divided into groups based on gender, and were fed a total mixed ration composed of grass silage, concentrates I and II in a semi-intensive production system. At the end of the fattening period (18 months), the animals were slaughtered, carcass quality was evaluated, and samples of musculus longissimus thoracis were collected to determine the proximate composition and quality of meat. Results: Bulls were characterized by the highest percentage share of the most valuable cuts in the carcass, and three-rib sections from bull carcasses had the highest lean meat content with low intramuscular fat content (0.93%). No significant differences in carcass conformation, dressing percentage or the percentage share of round in the right half-carcass were found between bulls vs. steers and heifers. Heifers and steers had higher carcass fat content than bulls, which had a positive influence on the sensory properties of beef. In comparison with the meat of bulls, the meat of steers and heifers was characterized by more desirable physical properties and sensory attributes (water-holding capacity, shear force, color lightness, aroma, juiciness, tenderness, flavor). Conclusion: Under the semi-intensive production system, heifers and steers had higher carcass fat content than bulls, which had a positive effect on the sensory properties of beef. Bulls are better suited for intensive systems, which contribute to improving the quality of their meat. The results of this study may encourage producers to breed steers and heifers for beef.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.8
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• pp.1212-1216
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• 2006

This experiment was conducted to determine and compare some characteristics of the meat and carcass of rabbits aged 11 weeks according to sex. In the experiment thirty male and thirty female New Zealand White rabbits were slaughtered. The weights and percentages of cold carcasses, skin with head and limbs, liver, kidney, heart, lung, fore legs, hind legs, breast and ribs, loin and abdominal wall were recorded. The values for carcass length, lumbar circumference, pH in the muscles of Biceps femoris and Longissimus dorsi, meat to bone ratio and cooking loss were also determined. The mean values for cold carcass weight and cold dressing percentage were 832 g and 48.77% in male and 849 g and 48.69% in female, respectively. In this study no significant differences were shown between male and female rabbits in the characteristics of carcass and meat except the value of pH of Longissimus dorsi muscle which was markedly higher in males than that in females meat. Slaughter weight was positively correlated with the weights of carcass, skin with head and limbs, lung, liver, kidney, heart and weights of joints (p<0.01) and dressing percentage (p<0.05).