• 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.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.127-133
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• 2021

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate the correlation between body size traits, carcass traits, and primal cuts in Hanwoo steers. Methods: Sixty-one beef carcasses were classified for conformation and primal cut weight. Additionally, carcass weight, fat thickness, carcass dimensions, and longissimus muscle area were determined to complement the grading. Results: The average live weight and cold carcass weight were 759 and 469 kg, respectively. The mean carcass meat, fat, and bone proportions were 551, 298, and 151 g/kg, respectively. Primal cuts weights showed significant positive correlations (p<0.001) of 0.42 to 0.82 with live weight, carcass weight, and longissimus muscle area and a significant negative correlation with carcass fat (without shank, -0.38 to -0.10). Primal cut weights were positively correlated (p<0.01) with carcass length (0.41 to 0.77), forequarter length (0.33 to 0.57), 6th lumbar vertebrae-heel length (0.33 to 0.59), 7th cervical vertebrae carcass breadth (0.35 to 0.58), 5th to 6th thoracic vertebrae breadth (0.36 to 0.65), 7th to 8th thoracic vertebrae girth (0.38 to 0.63), and coxae girth (0.34 to 0.56) and non-significantly related to cervical vertebrae length and coxae thickness. Conclusion: There was a high correlation among live weight, carcass weight, longissimus muscle area, carcass length, 7th cervical vertebrae carcass breadth, 5th to 6th thoracic vertebrae breadth, and 7th to 8th thoracic vertebrae girth of the primal cuts yield. The correlation between fat and primal cut yields was highly significant and negative. Carcass length and 7th to 8th thoracic vertebrae girth, appear to be the most important traits affecting primal cut yields.

• Journal of Animal Reproduction and Biotechnology
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.114-120
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• 2024

Background: The Hanwoo industry must develop technologies that can increase the production of preferred cuts to match changing consumer trends. In this study, we aimed to estimate the genetic parameters for carcass traits (carcass weight, eye muscle area, back fat thickness, and intramuscular fat) and primal cut traits (tenderloin, loin, strip loin, neck, clod, top round, bottom round, brisket, shank, and rib) in a Hanwoo population to obtain basic data for improving primal cut productivity. Methods: Data from 1,905 Hanwoo steers, including carcass traits and primal cut weights, were collected. Genetic parameters were estimated using REMLF90 in a multi-trait analysis. Results: High heritability was found for carcass weight (0.52) and strip loin yield (0.63). Genetic correlations between carcass weight and primal cut weights ranged from 0.52 to 0.93. Conclusions: This study demonstrates the significant potential for genetic improvement in Hanwoo cattle through selective breeding, particularly for traits with high heritability and genetic correlations. These findings provide crucial insights into optimizing breeding programs to improve Hanwoo cattle production efficiency.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.531-539
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• 2023

The objective of this study was to determine the effects of quality grade (QG), and back-fat thickness on the carcass traits and meat quality properties of Hanwoo steers. Fifty carcasses were sorted into two QG (QG 1+ and 1) and three back-fat thickness (<10 mm, 10 to 19 mm and ≥19 mm) groups. After investigating the carcass traits (rib eye, back-fat thickness, weight, color, yield index, maturity, marbling score, and texture), the longissimus lumborum muscles from the carcass groups were collected and analyzed for meat quality (pH, color, cooking loss, and moisture), texture profiles [Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF), and tensile tests], and fatty acid. Results showed that marbling score (p<0.001), moisture (p<0.05) and tensile tests values (p<0.05) had a significant differences between QG1+ and QG1. No differences in pH, color traits, cooking loss and WBSF values occurred between the QG groups. Regarding the back-fat thickness effect, we observed that the carcass weight, yield index (p<0.001), yield grade (p<0.001) and marbling score (p<0.05) had a significant differences among the back-fat thickness groups. Regarding the meat quality, moisture content and WBSF values (p<0.01) among the back-fat thickness groups. The back-fat thickness did not affect the pH, color, cooking loss and tensile tests. The QG and back-fat thickness did not affect the fatty acids contents (p>0.05). It may be concluded that the carcass traits and meat quality were significantly affected the QG and back-fat thickness.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.41 no.3
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• pp.229-236
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• 2014

This study presents the estimates of heritabilities of body measurement traits and carcass traits, and genetic and phenotypic correlations of those traits for crossbred pigs in Korea. Body and ultrasound (A mode: Piglog 105) measurements in 221 pigs including body weight, length, height and width, three back fat thickness at the points of 4th, 14th rib and chine bone, eye muscle area and lean meat percent were collected at the ages of 70, 145 and 180 days and then slaughtered to measure carcass weight, back fat, belly, collar butt, spare rib, picnic shoulder, hind leg, loin, tenderloin, lean meat yield and intramuscular rough fat content in loin. Genetic analysis was done using a multi-trait animal model. Heritabilties of the body measurements were ranged from 0.331 to 0.559 and three measurements of back fat thickness were also high as range varying from 0.402 to 0.475 for the ages of 145 and 180 days. However, eye muscle area was moderate (0.296) at the age of 180 days. Heritabilities of retail cut yields were also high as ranged from 0.387 to 0.474 and of IMF content in loin was 0.499. Heritabilities of the cut percent traits were ranged from 0.249 to 0.488. Important positive genetic and phenotypic correlations were noted for all carcass yield traits (0.298 to 0.875 and 0.432 to 0.922, respectively). IMF showed low negative genetic correlations with carcass yield traits, such as carcass weight, picnic shoulder, hind leg, loin, tenderloin and lean meat yield whereas low positive genetic correlations with back fat, belly, collar butt and spare rib. Loin, tenderloin and lean meat percent showed negative genetic correlations with carcass weight, back fat thickness, collar butt, spare rib and picnic shoulder percent. The four body measurements at the ages of 70, 145 and 180 days had positive genetic correlations with belly, shoulder butt, spare rib, picnic shoulder and hind leg percent, but negative genetic correlations were shown with loin and tenderloin percent except body measurements at 70 days. The results suggest that carcass yield are negatively correlated with intramuscular fat content, which is a major factor deciding pork quality and the yield of loin and tenderloin are not increased as much as increase in body size. However, the proportions of belly and collar butt are increased with the body size. In conclusion, selection strategy should be designed according to the preference on composition of carcass in each country.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1542-1547
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• 2005

The Melanocortin-4 Receptor (MC4R) and Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) are two important candidate genes related to fat deposition and carcass traits. MC4R was found on study on human obesity and then was studied as candidate gene affecting food intake and fat deposition traits in mice and pigs. Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) gene plays an important role on tumor cell proliferation and muscle growth. It also affects fat traits and live weight in pigs. In this paper, MC4R and IGF2 were studied as two candidate genes associated with important economic traits such as fat deposition and carcass traits in five different pig populations. Taq I-PCR-RFLP and Bcn I-PCR-RFLP were respectively used to detect the polymorphism of genotypes of MC4R and IGF2 genes. Different MC4R genotype frequencies were observed in four populations. IGF2 genotype frequencies were also different in two populations. The results of association analysis show both MC4R and IGF2 genes were significantly associated with fat deposition and carcass traits in about 300 pigs. This work will add new evidence of MC4R and IGF2 affecting fat deposition and carcass traits in pigs and show that two genes can be used as important candidate genes for marker assistant selection (MAS) of growth and lean meat percentage in pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2007

Leptin is the hormone product of the obese gene and is synthesized and secreted predominantly by white adipocytes and relates to the feedback system that regulates long-term body fat weight and composition. Therefore, the leptin gene could be an excellent candidate gene controlling fat deposition, carcass traits and meat quality in beef cattle. The objective of this study was to evaluate the association of 3 SNPs (A1127T and C1180T in exon 2 and C3100T in exon 3) in the bovine leptin gene with carcass and meat quality traits in Korean cattle. The C1180T SNP was associated with backfat thickness (BF) and marbling score (MS) (p<0.05). Animals with the genotype CC had higher BF than animals with TT genotype and higher MS compared with CT and TT genotypes. No significant associations were observed between the C3100T SNP and any carcass and meat quality traits analyzed. The effect of the A1127T SNP was not analyzed because the TT genotype was not detected and the AT genotype showed only 1.0% frequency. These results suggest that the C1180T SNP of the leptin gene may be useful as a genetic marker for carcass and meat quality traits in Korean cattle.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.259-266
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• 2005

Steers (n=335) of known genetic backgrounds from four fundamentally different growth types were subjected to two production systems to study differences in carcass traits. Growth types were animals with genetic potential for large mature weight-late maturing, intermediate mature weight-late maturing, intermediate mature weight-early maturing and small mature weight-early maturing. Each year, in a nine-year study, calves of each growth type were weaned and five steers of each growth type were developed on pasture or feedlot and slaughtered at approximately 20 and 14 months of age, respectively. Data collected were pre-slaughter shrunk body weight (SBW); hot carcass weight (HCW); dressing percentage (DRESS); fat thickness at the $12^{th}$ and $13^{th}$ rib interface (FAT); percentage kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (KPH); longissimus muscle area (LMA); marbling score (MARB); quality grade (QG); and yield grade (YG). Year and growth type were significant for all carcass traits. The growth type${\times}$production system interaction was an important source of variation in SBW, HCW; FAT, YG and MARB. The same interaction was non-significant for DRESS, KPH, LMA and QG. Carcass differences in measures of fatness were greater in the feedlot system than in the pasture system. These data could aid producers in matching beef growth type to the production system most suitable for efficient use of resources.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.796-802
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• 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
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.59-65
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• 2012

The present study was conducted to determine the best level of substitution of soybean meal by sunflower cake in diets for kids through the evaluation of quantitative carcass traits. Thirty-two Boer kids X 1/2 NDB (no defined breed), males, non-castrated, with 4 months of age and initial body weight of $15{\pm}3.2$ kg, were randomly assigned to individual pens. The treatments contained four substitution levels of soybean meal by sunflower cake (0, 33, 66 and 100% DM). At the end of the experimental period, the animals were slaughtered. There was no influence of the treatments on any of the mean values of the evaluated measures (p>0.05): 21.78 kg (body weight at slaughter), 8.65 kg (hot carcass weight), 8.59 kg (cold carcass weight), 40.27% (hot carcass yield), 39.20% (cold carcass yield), 7.73 $cm^2$ (rib eye area), 46.74 cm (carcass outer length), 45.68 cm (carcass internal length), 36.92 cm (leg length), 26.04 cm (leg perimeter), 48.66 cm (hind perimeter), 58.62 cm (thoracic perimeter), 0.20 (carcass compactness index), 68.48% (total muscle of the leg), 2.79% (total leg fat), 55.19% (subcutaneous leg fat), 28.82% (total bone), 81.66 g (femur weight), 14.88 cm (femur length), 0.38 (leg muscularity index), 2.53 (muscle:bone ratio) and 33.42 (muscle:fat ratio). The substitution of soybean meal by sunflower cake may be recommended up to a level of 100% without alterations to quantitative carcass traits.