• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.214-220
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• 2014

We investigated nutritional characteristics and active components in the liver of Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle and Qinchuan cattle produced in Shaanxi (China). We observed significant differences (p<0.05) in the proximate composition of protein, fat, carbohydrate, total energy, and glycogen. Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver showed higher (p<0.05) sodium, iron, zinc, and selenium concentrations than Qinchuan cattle liver. The amino acid composition of Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver was richer (p<0.05) in 13 types of amino acids, with the exception of Asp (10.06%), Val (5.86%), and Met (1.72%). Total essential amino acids accounted for almost half the composition (39.69%) in Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver. Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver had lower (p<0.05) levels of monounsaturated fatty acids (18.2%), but higher (p<0.05) levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids (35.11%), compared with Qinchuan cattle liver (23.29% and 28.11%, respectively). The thrombogenic index was higher in Qinchuan cattle liver (0.86) than in Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver (0.70), and the glutathione (38.0 mg/100g) and L-carnitine (2.12 ${\mu}M/g$) content was higher (p<0.05) in Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle liver than in Qinchuan cattle liver (29.8 mg/100g and 1.41 ${\mu}M/g$, respectively). According to the results obtained, the liver of Wagyu${\times}$Qinchuan cattle, which is insufficiently used, should be increasingly utilized to improve its commercial value.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.709-718
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• 2016

This review addresses the characteristics and health benefit of highly marbled Wagyu and Hanwoo beef. Marbling of Wagyu and Hanwoo beef has been increased in Japan and Korea to meet domestic consumer preferences. Wagyu and Hanwoo cattle have high potential of accumulating intramuscular fat (IMF) and producing highly marbled beef. The IMF content varies depending on the feeding of time, finishing diet, and breed type. IMF increases when feeding time is increased. The rate of IMF increase in grain-fed cattle is faster than that in pasture-fed cattle. Fatty acid composition are also different depending on breeds. Highly marbled Wagyu and Hanwoo beef have higher proportions of monounsaturated fatty acid (MUFA) due to higher concentrations of oleic acid. MUFAs have little effect on total cholesterol. They are heart-healthy dietary fat because they can lower low-density lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol while increasing high-density lipoprotein (HDL)-cholesterol. Clinical trials have indicated that highly marbled beef does not increase LDL-cholesterol. This review also emphasizes that high oleic acid beef such as Wagyu and Hanwoo beef might be able to reduce risk factors for cardiovascular disease.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.7
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• pp.933-950
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• 2018

In Japan, Wagyu cattle include four Japanese breeds; Black, Brown, Shorthorn, and Polled. Today, the renowned brand name Wagyu includes not only cattle produced in Japan, but also cattle produced in countries such as Australia and the United States. In recent years, the intramuscular fat percentage in beef (longissimus muscle) from Japanese Black cattle has increased to be greater than 30%. The Japanese Black breed is genetically predisposed to producing carcass lipids containing higher concentrations of monounsaturated fatty acids than other breeds. However, there are numerous problems with the management of this breed including high production costs, disposal of untreated excrement, the requirement for imported feed, and food security risks resulting from various viral diseases introduced by imported feed. The feeding system needs to shift to one that is more efficient, and improves management for farmers, food security for consumers, and the health environment for residents of Japan. Currently, we are developing a metabolic programming and an information and communications technology (ICT, or Interne of Things) management system for Wagyu beef production as future systems. If successful, we will produce safe, high-quality Wagyu beef using domestic pasture resources while solving the problems of how to utilize increasing areas of abandoned agricultural land and to make use of the plant-based feed resources in Japan's mountainous areas.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.29 no.10
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• pp.1432-1442
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of palm and/or linseed oil (LSO) supplementation on carcass quality, sensory evaluation and fatty acid profile of beef from crossbred Wagyu beef steers. Twenty four fattening Wagyu crossbred beef steers (50% Wagyu), averaging $640{\pm}18kg$ live weight (LW) and approximately 30 mo old, were stratified and randomly assigned in completely randomized design into 3 treatment groups. All steers were fed approximately 7 kg/d of 14% crude protein concentrate with ad libitum rice straw and had free access to clean water and were individually housed in a free-stall unit. The treatments were i) control concentrate plus 200 g/d of palm oil; ii) control concentrate plus 100 g/d of palm oil and 100 g/d of LSO, iii) control concentrate plus 200 g/d of LSO. This present study demonstrated that supplementation of LSO rich in C18:3n-3 did not influence feed intakes, LW changes, carcass and muscle characteristics, sensory and physical properties. LSO increased C18:3n-3, C22:6n-3, and n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), however, it decreased C18:1t-11, C18:2n-6, cis-9, trans-11, and trans-10,cis-12 conjugated linoleic acids, n-6 PUFA and n-6:n-3 ratio in Longissimus dorsi and Semimembranosus muscles.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1286-1295
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• 2008

Leptin is produced by adipocytes and its role in the regulation of lipid metabolism, feed intake, productive and reproductive performance of domestic animal species has been greatly stressed and extensively investigated in recent years. This study was conducted to develop a radioimmunoassay (RIA) for the estimation of plasma bovine leptin and to determine plasma leptin concentration in fattening Japanese Black cattle (Wagyu) and its crossbreds at commercial farms. Relationships of plasma leptin with plasma vitamin A and age of crossbred cattle were also determined. Recombinant bovine leptin (rbleptin) was produced by the E. coli overexpressed leptin as a GST (glutathione S-transferase)-fusion protein. Then antiserum against bovine leptin was obtained by its immunization in rabbits. Using this antiserum, a bovine specific RIA was developed and plasma leptin level was determined in 120 crossbred fattening cattle (WagyuHolstein, 50:50) at commercial farms. The plasma leptin level increased with the age of cattle and its level was greater in the crossbred heifers than in the steers. Plasma vitamin A level was negatively correlated with plasma leptin level in crossbred heifers and steers. This relationship was stronger in heifers than in steers. Plasma leptin was gradually increased with advancing age in fattening Wagyu cattle. In conclusion, development of a bovine specific RIA to estimate plasma leptin will contribute to better understanding of the role of leptin in cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.353-358
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• 2003

Regarding the fattening of younger cattle that the Ministry of Agriculture Forestry and Fisheries (MAFF) recommends in Japan, this study looked at vitamin A control in feed and blood and its effect on performance of production and carcass composition of Wagyu steers. Five sets from 10 Wagyu artificial identical twins were divided to into 2 groups, a restricted group (Test) and a supplied group (Control). The body weight at the finishing time of the Test was significantly lower than that of the Control (p<0.05). The daily gain from 13 to 21 months old, as the animals in the Test were fed the concentrated feed without Vitamin A, was significantly different (p<0.05) between the Test and the Control. The total daily gains for the Test and the Control for the fattening period were 0.82 kg/day and 0.93 kg/day, respectively, which showed a significant difference (p<0.01). Regarding the rib thickness, the Test was thinner than the Control. The Beef Marbling Scores of the Test and Control were 3.60 and 2.80, respectively. The muscle weight of the Test was significantly smaller than that of the Control (p<0.01). However, regarding the ratio to the carcass, the Test was significantly higher than the Control (p<0.05). For the fat weight, the Test was smaller by about 15 kg than the Control (p<0.01). Furthermore, for the fat ratio to the carcass, the Test was significantly lower than the Control (p<0.05). The bone weights of the two groups were approximately the same. Regarding the ratio of bone to carcass, the Test was higher than the Control (p<0.01). For the younger fattening method, the low level vitamin A in the serum had the effect that the muscle ratio to the carcass weight was greater and the fat was less, but the carcass and muscle weight were less.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2005

This study was carried out to get the informations on microbes and protein extractability through comparing the quality attributes of Hanwoo fed in Korea, Hanwoo fed in Japan and Japanese Wagyu. The fresh beefs were stored at 4±l℃ for 13 days. In microbiological test, the total plate counts were higher in rump than in other beef portion as loin, chuck (p<0.000l). The number of psychrotrobes in the rump were maintained high levels (p>0.0001) for storage period, whereas the loin from Hanwoo fed in Korea, Hanwoo fed in Japan and Wagyu were lowest levels. The number of E. coli were no significantly different among the samples. In lactic acid bacteria, the loin form 3 grade Hanwoo (K3) had highest levels (p<0.0001). Comparing to the protein extractability, water soluble proteins were high in chuck (p<0.001). In the case of loin, water soluble proteins of K3 (3 grade Hanwoo) and Wagyu were high as 3.010 mg/g and 2.977 mg/g, respectively (p<0.001). Salt soluble protein of K1 (1 grade Hanwoo) was high as 7.437 mg/g (p<0.0001).

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.592-596
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• 2012

The simple method of evaluating highly marbled beef was examined by image analysis. The images of the cross section at the 6 to 7th rib were obtained from 82 carcasses of Wagyu cattle. By using an overall trace method, the surrounding edges of the longissimus thoracis and three muscles were traced automatically and manually with image analysis. In a spot method, 3 to 5 locations (2.5 or 3.0 cm in diameter) for each muscle were rapidly selected with no manual trace. The images were flattened, binarized, and the ratio of fat area to muscle area was determined. The correlation coefficients for marbling between different muscles, and between the overall trace and the spot methods were 0.55 to 0.81 between different muscles and 0.89 to 0.97, respectively. These results suggested that the simple spot method is speedy and almost as useful as the overall trace method as a measuring technique for beef marbling in loin muscles, especially for highly marbled beef.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.563-577
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• 2020

This study assessed breed differences in fatty acid composition and meat quality of Longissimus thoracis et lumborum (LTL) and semitendinosus (SE) of Angus×Chinese Simmental (AS), Wagyu×Chinese Simmental (WS), and Chinese Simmental (CS). CS (n=9), AS (n=9) and WS (n=9) were randomly selected from a herd of 80 bulls which were fed and managed under similar conditions. Fatty acid profile and meat quality parameters were analyzed in duplicate. Significant breed difference was observed in fatty acid and meat quality profiles. AS exhibited significantly (p<0.05) lower C16:0 and higher C18:1n9c compared with CS. AS breed also had a tendency (p<0.10) to lower total saturated fatty acid (SFA), improve C18:3n3 and total unsaturated fatty acid (UFA) compared with CS. Crossbreed of AS and WS had significantly (p<0.05) improved the lightness, redness, and yellowness of muscles, and lowered cooking loss, pressing loss, and shear force compared with CS. These results indicated that fatty acid composition and meat quality generally differed among breeds, although the differences were not always similar in different tissues. Fatty acid composition, meat color, water holding capacity, and tenderness favored AS over CS. Thus, Angus cattle might be used to improve fatty acid and meat quality profiles of CS, and AS might contain better nutritive value, organoleptic properties, and flavor, and could be potentially developed as an ideal commercial crossbreed.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.904-913
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• 2021

Objective: Marbling or intramuscular fat (IMF) has been widely reported to directly impact the sensory acceptance of meat. This study was carried out to determine the physical and sensory characteristics of ribeye, Longissimus dorsi steaks obtained from four different cattle breeds namely Wagyu, Angus, Brahman, and Malaysian local beef, the Kedah-Kelantan (KK). Methods: The degree of marbling was determined by using an established combined camera-image analysis technique while instrumental texture determination was carried out by using Warner-Bratzler shear force analysis. Sensory evaluation of the beef steaks was performed following a quantitative descriptive analysis incorporating 10 trained consumer panelists. Results: Wagyu was found to possess the highest (p<0.05) percentage of IMF at 33.90% and the lowest shear force (raw = 5.61 N/㎟; cooked = 14.72 N/㎟) followed by Angus (20.87%), Brahman (12.17%), and KK (p<0.05, 6.86%). The difference in sensory properties of the four steaks was evident, with Wagyu appearing to be highly correlated with most sensory attributes measured namely sustained buttery, tooth-packing, chewiness, juiciness, tenderness, mouthfeel, oiliness, and overall acceptability. The Malaysian local beef, KK was found to be less acceptable (p<0.05), although most of its sensory attributes were found similar (p>0.05) in appearance, aroma, texture, juiciness, and flavour to the cooked steak from Angus and Brahman. Conclusion: This present study demonstrated the role of IMF in determining the quality and sensory acceptance of beef from different cattle breeds. These data have provided new information and further understanding on the physical and sensory quality of Malaysian local beef.