• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.151-161
• /
• 2019

The objective of this study was to investigate the correlations of marbling characteristics, including marbling score, intramuscular fat (IMF) content, and fleck traits, with meat quality traits and histochemical characteristics of the longissimus thoracis muscle from Hanwoo steers. Marbling fleck characteristics, especially area, number, and fineness (F) index, measured by computerized image analysis were strongly correlated with marbling score and IMF content (p<0.05). However, coarseness (C) index and F/C ratio were somewhat limited relationships with marbling score. In contrast, the IMF content and the number of smaller white flecks increased with increasing lightness value (p<0.05). Moreover, beef with higher marbling scores showed lower cooking loss and Warner-Bratzler shear force value compared to beef with lower marbling scores (p<0.05). Regarding the muscle bundle traits, as number of bundle increased, number of marbling flecks increased (p<0.05), although most marbling characteristics did not have significant correlation with muscle fiber or bundle characteristics.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.28 no.8
• /
• pp.1084-1089
• /
• 2015

Chemerin, highly expressed in adipose and liver tissues, regulates glucose and lipid metabolism and immunity in these tissues in ruminants and mice. Our previous reports showed that chemerin is involved in adipogenesis and lipid metabolism in adipose tissue as an adipokine. The aim of the present study was to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the coding region of the chemerin gene and to analyze their effects on carcass traits and intramuscular fatty acid compositions in Japanese Black cattle. The SNPs in the bovine chemerin gene were detected in 232 Japanese Black steers (n = 161) and heifers (n = 71) using DNA sequencing. The results revealed five novel silent mutations: NM_001046020: c.12A>G (4aa), c.165GT (92aa), c.321 A>G (107aa), and c.396C>T (132aa). There was no association between 4 of the SNPs (c.12A>G [4aa], c.165GG [107aa], and c.396C>T) and carcass traits or intramuscular fatty acid compositions. Regarding the remaining SNP, c.276C>T, we found that cattle with genotype CC had a higher beef marbling score than that of cattle with genotype CT, whereas cattle with genotype CT had a higher body condition score (p<0.10). Further, cattle with genotype CC had significantly higher C18:0 content in their intramuscular fat tissue than that of cattle with genotype CT (p<0.05). On the other hand, cattle with genotype CT had significantly higher C14:0 and C16:0 content in their intramuscular fat tissue (p<0.05). Moreover, the number of individuals carrying the minor allele of c.276C>T SNP is small. It is suggested that the c.276C>T SNP of the chemerin gene has potential in cattle breeding using modern methods, such as marker assisted selection. So, further functional and physiological research elucidating the impact of the chemerin gene on bovine lipid metabolism including fatty acid synthesis will help in understanding these results.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.27 no.3
• /
• pp.382-386
• /
• 2007

The association between the promoter region genotypes of the porcine adipocyte fatty acid binding protein (A-FABP) gene and carcass traits in commercial pigs was examined. Interestingly, only two different genotypes (-406T/T and T/C) for the A-FABP gene were detected using Hinf-RFLP for the substitution mutation T-406C in the A-FABP promoter in commercial pigs, and no -406C/C homozygotes were detected. The reason for the lack of the -406 C/C genotype is due to the breeding system in which only Duroc, which has a high frequency of -406C/- in this locus among the three breeds involved in commercial pig production, is typically used as a terminal sire. The pigs containing the genotype -406C/- were significantly associated with an increase in intramuscula. fat content and carcass weight (p<0.05), but there was no association with the other carcass traits tested (fat composition, color score, texture score, moisture, and separation score between muscles). This study suggests that the -406C/- genotype of the porcine A-FABP gene may not only be a useful molecular marker for intramuscular fat, but may also contribute to the improvement of meat quality by the production of well-marbled pigs by breeding animals containing this genotype, especially Duroc, as a terminal sire for commercial pigs.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.32 no.6
• /
• pp.776-782
• /
• 2012

Marbling (intramuscular fat) is the most economically important meat quality trait in Hanwoo (Korean cattle). The endothelial differentiation G-protein coupled receptor 1 (EDG1) gene, involved in blood vessel formation, is located within the genomic region of a quantitative trait locus (QTL) for marbling on bovine chromosome 3. Thus, the EDG1 gene can be considered as a positional and functional candidate gene for meat quality in beef cattle. This study aimed to identify single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the EDG1 gene and to evaluate their associations with carcass traits in Hanwoo population. We have sequenced a fragment of 5'-UTR of the EDG1 gene and identified one SNP. Genotyping of the g.166A>G SNP marker was carried out using PCR-RFLP analysis in 309 Hanwoo steers in order to evaluate their association with carcass traits. The g.166A>G SNP marker showed a significant effect on the marbling score. Animals with the GG genotype had higher marbling score compared with AA and AG genotypes (p<0.05). This SNP marker also showed a significant additive effects for the marbling score (p<0.05). These results suggest that the EDG1 gene can be used as a molecular marker for DNA marker-assisted selection in order to increase the levels of the marbling score in Hanwoo.

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

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.27 no.4
• /
• pp.424-431
• /
• 2007

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of intramuscular fat scores on pork quality assurance. Pork loins were collected from animals (110-120 kg body weight) slaughtered in a commercial slaughterhouse, assigned an IMF score (1-3) from and stored for 24 hrs at $-3^{\circ}C$. Samples were analyzed for chemical composition, pH, cooking and drip loss, shear force, meat color, and texture characteristics. The moisture, crude protein and crude ash content were not significantly different among the various IMF score groups. The crude fat content of the IMF score 3 group was significantly higher than the IMF score 1 and 2 groups (p<0.05). The pH values of the IMF score 2 and 3 groups was significantly higher than the IMF score 1 group (p<0.05). There was a no significant difference in shear force value and cooking loss among the IMF score groups. The purge loss content of the IMF 3 group was significantly lower than that of the IMF score 1 group (p<0.05). The increase in IMF score resulted in lower hardness, gumminess, and brittleness values. The hardness and gumminess of the IMF score 3 group were significantly lower than those of the IMF 1 score group. The adhesiveness, cohesiveness, and springiness were not significantly different among the IMF score groups. With regard to meat color traits, lightness ($CIE\;L^*$) was not significantly different among the IMF score groups. The $a^*\;and\;b^*$ values correlated positively with the IMF score. In general, the results of this study show that the CIE color values and drip loss had a positive correlation, while only redness was positively correlated with shear force and hardness. pH was negatively correlated with CIE color values and drip loss, while positively correlated with moisture content.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.44 no.5
• /
• pp.599-606
• /
• 2002

This study was carried out to determine the physico-chemical components and to examine it the consumers can tell the difference in eating quality of loins of Hanwoo with grade and sex. Loins of 36 carcasses were selected and their intramuscular fat, color, pH, water holding capacity, shear force, the amount of myoglobin and moisture content were measured. The result was that only intramuscular fat was significantly different with grades. In Pearson correlation coefficients among quality factors, moisture content increased significantly with the amount of myoglobin(0.514) and shear force(0.503) and decreased as intramuscular fat(－0.957) and water holding capacity(－0.491) increased. Also, content of intramuscular fat decreased as shear force(－0.565) increased. According to descriptive analysis, aroma and acceptability in the 2nd grade steer showed the highest score. Aroma, juiciness and tenderness may affect acceptability of cooked meat. Also, juiciness, tenderness and acceptability had a negative correlation with moisture content and the intramuscular fat did not affect tenderness directly.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.50 no.5
• /
• pp.695-704
• /
• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate effects of dietary crude protein(CP) level and supplementation of conjugated linoleic acid(CLA) on growth performances and meat quality parameters in finishing pigs. The experiment was designed using protein levels(11.3%, 16.0%) and CLA levels(0%, 2.5%) according to 2×2 factorial design. A total of forty-eight pigs [(Landrace×Yorkshire)×Duroc] with an average initial weight of 79±1kg were allotted to one of four dietary treatments. Each treatment had four replications of three pigs per replicate. Final body weight(P<0.05) and average daily gain(P<0.01) were lower in 11.3% CP treatments than in 16.0% CP treatments, while feed/gain was high(P<0.01) in 11.3% CP treatments compared with 16.0% CP treatments. Carcass weight was lighter in 11.3% CP treatments(P<0.001) and CLA 2.5% treatments(P<0.01) than in 16.0% CP and CLA 0% treatments, respectively. A significant interaction between CP and CLA on carcass weight was observed(P<0.01), where supplementation of 2.5% CLA to finishing diets decreased carcass weight in 16.0% CP treatments, while no difference was found in 11.3% CP treatments. Backfat thickness was thinner in 11.3% CP treatments and CLA 2.5% treatments than in 16.0% CP and CLA 0% treatments, respectively(P<0.05). A significant interaction between CP and CLA on backfat thickness was observed(P<0.001), where supplementation of 2.5% CLA to finishing diets decreased backfat thickness in 16.0% CP treatments, while no difference was found in 11.3% CP treatments. Marbling score and intramuscular fat contents were higher in 11.3% CP treatments than in 16.0% CP treatments(P<0.01). In conclusion, feeding of protein-deficient diets in finishing pigs could produce favorable pork with high marbling score and thinner backfat. On the other hand, supplementation of CLA was considered to decrease backfat thickness when diets with optimal level of crude protein were fed to finishing pigs.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.33 no.12
• /
• pp.987-994
• /
• 2023

This study examined the associations between the genotypes of the galactose mutarotase (GALM) gene and carcass traits in the Hanwoo population of Jeju Island, South Korea. The GALM genotypes were determined by the 14-bp (5'-GGTCTAATGACCAG-3') insertion/deletion (InDel) polymorphisms of the 3'-untranslated region (UTR). All three genotypes (LL, LS, and SS) were found in the Hanwoo steer population. The association analysis showed significant associations between genotypes and several carcass traits, including traits related to intramuscular fat content, such as meat quality, marbling score, and backfat thickness (p<0.05). Animals harboring the SS genotype showed not only higher levels of intramuscular fat content but also lower levels of backfat thickness than animals harboring the LL and LS genotypes. On the other hand, no significant associations were found between the GALM genotypes and carcass weight, eye muscle area, meat color, or fat color (p>0.05). Deleting the 14-bp segment in the 3'-UTR resulted in the modification of the secondary structure of RNA and appeared to affect gene expression by interfering with the binding ability of GALM mRNA with RNA-binding proteins and microRNAs. These results suggest that the 14-bp InDel polymorphism in the 3'-UTR region of the GALM gene affects cattle growth traits and carcass quality through galactose metabolism-mediated fat accumulation in muscle and backfat tissues.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.109-114
• /
• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the effect of sarcomere length, carcass and quality traits on tenderness of Hanwoo beef at 24 hr postmortem. Immediately after slaughter, a total number of 30 carcasses(Hanwoo bull) selected, and sarcomere length was determined during rigor development(1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 hr). Tenderness group of longissimus dorsi muscle classified into tender group($\leq$7.5 kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$, n=9), or tough group($\geq$9.0 kg/$\textrm{cm}^2$, n=9) by shear force value at 24 hr postmortem, and estimated carcass traits, meat color, connective tissue and sensory property at 24 hr postmortem. Results showed that tender group had heavier carcass weight, thicker back fat, higher marbling score, lighter meat color, more white fat color and lower texture score(p<0.05). The change of sarcomere length was linearly decreased(p<0.05) from 3 hr postmortem, and the sarcomere length of tender group was significantly(p<0.05) longer than that of tough group at 3, 6 and 24 hr postmortem. The tender group showed significantly lower(p<0.05) shear force value of intramuscular connective tissue(IMCT), better(p<0.05) tenderness and overall acceptability compared to the tough group. Results indicated that tenderness of beef longissimus dorsi muscle could be improved by thicker back fat, higher marbling score and lower texture score, and predicted by sarcomere length of pre-rigor(3 and 6 hr postmortem). Also, the tenderness of beef longissimus dorsi muscle could be closely related to shear force value of IMCT, compared to total collagen and soluble collagen content in the same age.