• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.662-669
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• 2011

An experiment was conducted with broiler (Cobb 400) male chicks (n = 480) to determine the effect of betaine (Bet) supplementation (0 and 800 mg/kg) to diets containing five concentrations (15, 18, 20, 22 and 24 g/kg crude protein, CP) of methionine (Met) in a $2{\times}5$ factorial study for performance, carcass traits, immune responses, and serum parameters. Each diet was fed ad libitum from 1 to 42 d of age to 8 replicates of 6 chicks. Birds were housed in battery brooders placed in an open-sided poultry shed. Body weight gain, feed intake, feed conversion efficiency and slaughter variables were recorded at 21 and 42 d of age. Serum biochemical profile, antibody production against Newcastle disease (ND) and lymphocyte proliferation ratio (LPR) were analysed at 42 d of age. Supplementing Bet to diets containing sub-optimal concentrations of Met (15 g/kg) improved weight gain and breast yield at 21 d of age (p<0.01), and feed conversion efficiency at 42 d of age (p<0.05). Feed efficiency at 21 d of age, body weight gain at 42 d of age, slaughter variables except breast yield at 21 d of age and ND antibody titres were not affected (p>0.05) by the interaction. LPR increased (p<0.05) with Bet supplementation at 20 g Met/kg CP equal to those broilers fed 24 g Met without Bet. Bet supplementation enhanced the concentrations of protein, globulin and cholesterol in serum of broilers fed sub-optimal concentrations of Met. Results suggested that Bet supplementation (800 mg/kg diet) enhanced growth (21 d), feed conversion efficiency (42 d), breast yield and lymphocyte proliferation in broilers fed a diet containing 15 g Met/kg CP.

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

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.55 no.2
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• pp.95-101
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• 2013

The present study was conducted to test a hypothesis that pork quality traits would be influenced by the systemic and/or local bioavailability of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I), transforming growth factor-${\beta}1$ (TGF-${\beta}1$), or epidermal growth factor (EGF) before or at slaughter. To this end, 60 cross-bred female market pigs weighing approximately 110 kg were slaughtered, after which Longissimus dorsi muscle (LM) samples taken at slaughter (D 0) and blood samples taken at D -7 and D 0 were analyzed. The 60 carcasses rendered 36 RFN (reddish-pink, firm, and non-exudative), 16 RSE (reddish-pink, soft, and exudative), and 6 PSE (pale, soft, and exudative); 2 DFD (dark, firm, and dry) also were found but were excluded in subsequent experiments. The $L^*$ and drip loss were greater in PSE vs. RFN and RSE and in PSE and RSE vs. RFN, respectively, as they should (P<0.05). The $pH_{45min}$ was less in PSE vs. RFN (P<0.05); $pH_{24h}$ tended to be less in the former (P=0.09). The LM IGF-I and TGF-${\beta}1$ as well as serum EGF concentrations were less in PSE than in RFN. None of the other LM and serum concentrations of the three growth factors differed across the three pork quality categories. The LM IGF-I and TGF-${\beta}1$ concentrations and serum EGF concentration at D 0 were negatively correlated with drip loss [r = -0.36(P<0.01), -0.44 (P<0.01), and -0.32 (P<0.05), respectively]. However, none of the serum and LM growth factor variables was correlated with $L^*$ or $a^*$ (redness) of LM. Taken together, results suggest that locally expressed IGF-I and TGF-${\beta}1$ and blood-borne EGF may have a beneficial effect on postmortem water holding capacity of the muscle and that pork quality traits could be predicted to some extent from concentrations of IGF-I and TGF-${\beta}1$ in muscle and EGF in serum at slaughter.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.341-347
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• 1996

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary levels of chromium in the form of chromium picolinate on growth performance, nutrient utilizability, carcass composition, serum traits, and in vitro lipolysis and lipogenesis in adipose tissues of Arbor Acre broiler chicks. Experimental diets containing six different levels of chromium (0, 100, 200, 400, 600 and 800 ppb) were fed for 6 weeks. Individual treatment had six replicates of eight birds each and their average initial weight was 59.2 g. Dietary addition of chromium did not affect growth performance and nutrient utilizability. However, mortality appeared to be reduced with addition of chromium to the diet. It was obvious that chromium supplementation significantly decreased serum cholesterol and increased serum HDL cholesterol (p < 0.05), but serum insulin, glucose, triglyceride and non-esterified fatty acid concentrations were inconsistent among dietary supplementation levels of chromium. The in vitro lipolysis and lipogenesis in adipose tissues were significantly influenced by dietary addition of chromium (p < 0.05). Chicks fed diets containing 200 or 400 ppb chromium showed the highest protein content and the lowest fat content in their carcass.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.418-424
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• 2006

This experiment was conducted to explore the efficacy of lacquer (Rhus verniciflua) supplementation on growth performance, nutrient digestibility, carcass traits and serum biochemical values in commercial broilers. Eight hundred and forty Hubbard broiler chicks (1d old) were randomly distributed and allotted to four dietary treatments for five weeks. Each treatment had 5 replicates with 42 birds each. The dietary treatments were (1) control (2) 1% lacquer, (3) 2% lacquer and 4) 4% lacquer supplied as meal in the diet. Supplementation with lacquer improved weight gain (p = 0.0960) showing a linear trend during the starter phase (0-3 wk), but weight gain, feed intake and feed conversion ratio remained unaffected at the finisher phase (4-5 wk) and overall (0-5 wk). The nutrient digestibility studies conducted after 18 and 35 days of experimental feeding showed a linear (p<0.05) increase in digestibility of CP and ether extract at both measurement timess. The carcass studies were conducted on two birds per replicate (10 per treatment) at the end of both 3 and 5 wk. The dressing percentage, liver weight, heart weight, abdominal fat and the breast meat expressed as a percentage of live weight, did not differ significantly due to treatments at both phases. The serum cholesterol and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) showed a linear decrease (p = 0.0683 and p = 0.0322, respectively) as the level of supplementation increased at 3 wk; at 5 wk serum cholesterol, HDL and triglyceride levels decreased significantly showing a positive linear effect of lacquer on fat metabolism. The meat color values such as lightness, redness and yellowness did not reveal any significant trend. Overall, it could be concluded that lacquer supplementation at higher levels did not affect growth performance, but had a positive impact on fat metabolism by influencing fat digestibility and reducing serum cholesterol and triglyceride.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.34 no.9
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• pp.1569-1578
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• 2021

Objective: This study was conducted to investigate the potential effects of prolonged photoperiod on the serum lipids, carcass traits, and meat quality of Jinjiang cattle during winter. Methods: Thirty-four Jinjiang bulls aged between 14 and 16 months were randomly assigned to two groups that were alternatively subjected to either natural daylight +4 h supplemental light (long photoperiod, LP) or natural daylight (natural photoperiod, NP) for 96 days. The potential effects on the levels of serum lipids, carcass traits, meat quality, and genes regulating lipid metabolism in the intramuscular fat (IMF) of the cattle were evaluated. Results: Jinjiang cattle kept under LP showed significant increase in both dry matter intake and backfat thickness. the serum glucose and the plasma leptin levels were significantly reduced, while that of melatonin and insulin were observed to be increased. The crude fat contents of biceps femoris muscle and longissimus dorsi muscle were higher in LP than in NP group. In longissimus dorsi muscle, the proportions of C17:0 and C18:0 were significantly higher but that of the C16:1 was found to be significantly lower in LP group. The relative mRNA expressions in IMF of longissimus dorsi muscle, the lipid synthesis genes (proliferator-activated receptor gamma, fatty acid-binding protein) and the fatty acid synthesis genes (acetyl-coa carboxylase, fatty acid synthetase, 1-acylglycerol-3-phosphate acyltransferase) were significantly up-regulated in LP group (p<0.05); whereas the hormone-sensitive lipase and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 were significantly down-regulated in LP than in NP group. Conclusion: Prolonged photoperiod significantly altered the growth performance, hormonal levels, gene expression and fat deposition in Jinjiang cattle. It suggested that the LP improved the fat deposition by regulating the levels of different hormones and genes related to lipid metabolism, thereby improving the fattening of Jinjiang cattle during winter.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.463-470
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• 1995

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of chromium picolinate on growth performance, nutrient utilizability, carcass composition, serum traits and in vitro protein synthesis of 3 day old Arbor Acres broiler chickens when dietary crude protein levels were varying in diets. Six replicates of eight chicks each (average initial weitht = 59.4 g) were randomly assigned to three levels (low, medium, high) of dietary crude protein at two levels of chromium (0, 200 ppb Cr/kg diet) as chromium picolinate. Six chicks/treatment were randomly chosen for analyses of carcass composition, six additional chicks/treatment were randomly chosen for analyses of serum components, and a chick/treatment was chosen for in vitro culture of liver tissue. Chromium picolinate did not affect feed intake, protein and fat utilizability, regradless of dietary crude protein level. But feed/gain ratio were more improved in groups fed the low protein diets added with chromium picolinate compared with groups fed the medium and high protein diets with chromium picolinate. Carcass fat tended to decrease whereas carcass protein tended to increase when added with chromium picolinate. Broilers fed diets with chromium picolinate exhibited lower serum triglyceride and nonesterified fatty acid concentrations than those fed without chromium picolinate (p < 0.05). Both secreted and retained proteins in cultured acinar cell were higher in groups fed diets with chromium picolinate than those fed diets without chromium picolinate (p < 0.05). It could be suggested that chromium picolinate was effective in improving weight gain and nutrient utilizability when dietary crude protein was low (p < 0.05), and also effective in manipulating carcass fat when dietary crude protein level was high (p < 0.05).

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.279-282
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• 2012

Clinical-chemical traits are commonly used biomarkers to examine the health status of individuals. There is an appreciable range of normal variation in most clinical-chemical traits and the determining factors of this variation have been relatively uninvestigated in chickens. The aim of this study was to estimate the genetic parameters (i.e., heritability, genetic correlation) for 8 clinical-chemical traits (glucose, total protein, creatinine, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, total cholesterol, glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase and amylase) in an $F_1$ intercross established by purebred breeding among the 5 lines of Korean native chickens. Phenotypic data were collected from approximately 600 $F_1$ animals. The genetic parameters for the clinical-chemical traits estimated by a mixed animal model using the restricted maximum likelihood method were presented. Estimated heritabilities ranged from 8.9% (glucose) to 39.6% (high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Interestingly, both the sign and the size of the genetic and phenotypic correlations were largely different between the same several pair of clinical-chemical traits. The findings in this study will provide useful information to address issues in both quantitative trait locus study and genetic management in Korean native chickens.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.1659-1664
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• 2001

Several studies have been done regarding carcass traits and growth in pigs. Recently, these have progressed to examine increases in economic traits, including meat quality and meat quantity, by using candidate genes. One of them is the pituitary-specific protein PIT-1, a member of the POU (Pit-Oct-Unc) family of transcription factors playing an important regulatory role in developmental processes. In addition, muscle development is known to be regulated in part by growth factors and cytokines locally produced. Therefore, studies were performed to analyze PIT-1 genotypes and serum cytokines (IGF-I, IGF-II, TGF-${\beta}1$, EGF, cortisol, DHEA-S, IL-2, and IL-6) in castrated male pigs for their possible involvement in the development of carcass traits. The genotypes of PIT-1 gene were analyzed by PCR-RFLP with MspI restriction enzyme. But, only CD and DD genotypes, not CC genotype, have been detected. Based on PIT-1 genotyping, a significant difference in EGF expression beween CD type (78.8 ng/ml) and DD type (46.0 ng/ml) was detected (p<0.05), whereas other cytokines did not show any statistical significance depending on PIT-1 genotypes. Collectively, these results suggest the possibility that EGF could affect the formation of carcass traits.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.239-253
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• 2005

Serum concentrations of Hanwoo steers and bulls as possible indicators of beef quality were analyzed to estimate their correlations with carcass traits. Blood samples were taken 2 months and right before shipping to abattoir and at the time of slaughter. And phenotypic correlation coefficients between serum concentrations and carcass traits were estimated. Beef yield index of steers was positively correlated with serum concentrations of total Protein (0.23), albumin (0.26), and calcium (0.31). But it was negatively co..elated with BUN (-0.30). Loin eye area was positively correlated with BUN (0.17) or with globulin (0.16). Back fat thickness was positively correlated with BUN (0.42) and inorganic phosphorus (0.20) being negatively correlated with total protein (-0.23), albumin (-0.33) and calcium (-0.33). Marbling score in the scale of 1 (scarcely marbled) through 9 (extremely marbled) was positively correlated with BUN (0.28) and negatively with IGF-I and calcium concentrations. Phenotype correlation coefficient of loin eye area with total protein concentration in the serum taken from steers right before shipment was estimated to be -0.16 and that with BUN was estimated to be -0.15. Serum concentrations of IGF, glucose, creatinine and on organic phosphorus from steers measured right before shipment were negatively correlated with respective correlation coefficient estimates as -0.21, -0.21, -0.19 and -0.18. Marbling score was negatively co..elated with serum creatinine (-0.16) measured at that time. Beef yield index of steers was positively correlated (0.31) with age adjusted calcium concentration in the serum taken at the time of slaughter. Correlation between body weight and BUN at slaughter was 0.17 At slaughter, loin eye area was negatively correlated with albumin (-0.19) and back fat thickness was also negatively correlated with age adjusted calcium concentration (-0.38). Marbling was negatively correlated with age adjusted calcium concentration(-0.17). Serum concentrations of testosterone, calcium and inorganic phosphorus taken in 2 months before slaughter were negatively but highly correlated with yield index(0.71, 0.67 and -0.71), respectively. Body weight at slaughter was positively was negatively correlated (0.67) with calcium level while dressing percentage was negatively (-0.69) correlated with serum glucose concentration, 2 months prior to slaughter. Correlation coefficients between back fat thickness and cortisol, between back fat thickness and inorganic phosphate were both positive (0.29 and 0.69). Marbling score was negatively correlated with creatinine (-0.81) and positively with BUN (0.87). Body weight loss during shipping was positively correlated with albumin and inorganic phosphate (0.77, 0.83). Yield index of bulls was positively correlated with serum testosterone concentration (0.66). Dressing percentage was positively and highly correlated with globulin (0.73). Back fat thickness of bulls, however, was negatively correlated with testosterone (-0.60). Loin eye area of bull carcasses was positively correlated with testosterone (0.40). Mar-blaine was negatively co..elated with creatinine (-0.55). Yield index of bulls and age adjusted HDLC concentration at slaughter was negatively correlated (-0.71). Dressing percentage of bulls was positively and highly correlated with globulin concentration (0.70). Back fat thickness was also positively correlated with HDLC (0.69) in the serum taken at slaughter. Correlation coefficients between carcass weight and triglyceride, between loin eye are and testosterone and between marbling score and creatinine or glucose were 0.51, -0.91 and -0.58, respectively.