Topic Editors

Department of Food and Drug, University of Parma, Strada del Taglio 10, 43126 Parma, Italy
Animal and Veterinary Research Centre (CECAV), University of Trás-os-Montes and Alto Douro (UTAD), 5000-801 Vila Real, Portugal
Department of Veterinary Medicine, University of Perugia, Via San Costanzo 4, 06126 Perugia, Italy

Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality in Farm Animals

Abstract submission deadline
30 May 2024
Manuscript submission deadline
30 July 2024
Viewed by
7348

Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Much can be learned about an animal from its carcass at the slaughterhouse, including information about its history, health status, and the level of welfare throughout its life. All the factors related to the genetics, breeding,  transport and finally, the stunning of the animals can affect the quality of meat and the carcass. In terms of meat quality, we can consider it as assessed by classical parameters such as pH, colour and tenderness. In alternative terms, we can adopt a holistic approach, by which quality is considered as the summation of the qualities enabling meat to be accepted, appreciated and finally, chosen by consumers. In such a view, some new factors must be taken into account. The market rewards meats that are labelled for their level of antibiotic consumption and sustainability, and the latter can be factorized in multiple components in which the environment plays a crucial role. In order to maximise the environmental acceptability, or to minimize the impact, it is crucial to reduce all losses throughout the meat chain. Again, reducing  the minimum production losses resulting from partial and total rejections associated with poor animal welfare and health conditions is necessary to achieve this result. Furthermore, it is necessary to minimise production losses resulting from the partial and total rejections associated with poor animal welfare and health conditions. Papers concerning these factors are welcome in this Topic.  

Dr. Sergio Ghidini
Dr. Madalena Vieira-Pinto
Dr. Raffaella Branciari
Topic Editors

Keywords

  • carcass characteristics
  • carcass composition
  • meat quality
  • pH
  • colour
  • tenderness
  • sensory quality
  • texture

Participating Journals

Journal Name Impact Factor CiteScore Launched Year First Decision (median) APC
Foods
foods
5.2 5.8 2012 13.1 Days CHF 2900 Submit
Poultry
poultry
- - 2022 25.1 Days CHF 1000 Submit
Ruminants
ruminants
- - 2021 20.9 Days CHF 1000 Submit

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Published Papers (6 papers)

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14 pages, 276 KiB  
Article
Impact of Various Ration Energy Levels on the Slaughtering Performance, Carcass Characteristics, and Meat Qualities of Honghe Yellow Cattle
by Lin Han, Ye Yu, Runqi Fu, Binlong Fu, Huan Gao, Zhe Li, Daihua Liu and Jing Leng
Foods 2024, 13(9), 1316; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods13091316 - 25 Apr 2024
Viewed by 328
Abstract
Consumers are increasing their daily demand for beef and are becoming more discerning about its nutritional quality and flavor. The present objective was to evaluate how the ration energy content (combined net energy, Nemf) impacts the slaughter performance, carcass characteristics, and meat qualities [...] Read more.
Consumers are increasing their daily demand for beef and are becoming more discerning about its nutritional quality and flavor. The present objective was to evaluate how the ration energy content (combined net energy, Nemf) impacts the slaughter performance, carcass characteristics, and meat qualities of Honghe yellow cattle raised in confinement. Fifteen male Honghe yellow cattle were divided into three groups based on a one-way design: a low-energy group (LEG, 3.72 MJ/kg), a medium-energy group (MEG, 4.52 MJ/kg), and a high-energy group (HEG, 5.32 MJ/kg). After a period of 70 days on these treatments, the animals were slaughtered and their slaughter performance was determined, and the longissimus dorsi muscle (LD) and biceps femoris (BF) muscles were gathered to evaluate meat quality and composition. Increasing the dietary energy concentration led to marked improvements (p < 0.05) in the live weight before slaughter (LWBS), weight of carcass, backfat thickness, and loin muscle area. HEG also improved the yield of high-grade commercial cuts (13.47% vs. 10.39%) (p < 0.05). However, meat quality traits were not affected by treatment except for shear force, which was affected by dietary energy. A significant improvement (p < 0.05) in the intramuscular fat (IMF) content was observed in the HEG. Little effect on the amino acid profile was observed (p > 0.05), except for a tendency (p = 0.06) to increase the histidine concentration in the BF muscle. Increasing dietary energy also reduced C22:6n-3 and saturated fatty acids (SFAs) and enhanced C18:1 cis-9 and monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFAs, p < 0.05). Those results revealed that increasing energy levels of diets could enhance slaughter traits and affect the meat quality and fatty acid composition of different muscle tissues of Honghe yellow cattle. These results contribute to the theoretical foundation to formulate nutritional standards and design feed formulas for the Honghe yellow cattle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality in Farm Animals)
19 pages, 1062 KiB  
Review
A Role of Multi-Omics Technologies in Sheep and Goat Meats: Progress and Way Ahead
by Jin Wang, Yu Fu, Tianyu Su, Yupeng Wang, Olugbenga P. Soladoye, Yongfu Huang, Zhongquan Zhao, Yongju Zhao and Wei Wu
Foods 2023, 12(22), 4069; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12224069 - 09 Nov 2023
Viewed by 1208
Abstract
Sheep and goat meats are increasingly popular worldwide due to their superior nutritional properties and distinctive flavor profiles. In recent decades, substantial progress in meat science has facilitated in-depth examinations of ovine and caprine muscle development during the antemortem phase, as well as [...] Read more.
Sheep and goat meats are increasingly popular worldwide due to their superior nutritional properties and distinctive flavor profiles. In recent decades, substantial progress in meat science has facilitated in-depth examinations of ovine and caprine muscle development during the antemortem phase, as well as post-mortem changes influencing meat attributes. To elucidate the intrinsic molecular mechanisms and identify potential biomarkers associated with meat quality, the methodologies employed have evolved from traditional physicochemical parameters (such as color, tenderness, water holding capacity, flavor, and pH) to some cutting-edge omics technologies, including transcriptomics, proteomics, and metabolomics approaches. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of multi-omics techniques and their applications in unraveling sheep and goat meat quality attributes. In addition, the challenges and future perspectives associated with implementing multi-omics technologies in this area of study are discussed. Multi-omics tools can contribute to deciphering the molecular mechanism responsible for the altered the meat quality of sheep and goats across transcriptomic, proteomic, and metabolomic dimensions. The application of multi-omics technologies holds great potential in exploring and identifying biomarkers for meat quality and quality control, thereby promoting the optimization of production processes in the sheep and goat meat industry. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality in Farm Animals)
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15 pages, 498 KiB  
Article
Effect of Different Roughage Sources in Fermented Total Mixed Ration and Energy Intake on Meat Quality, Collagen Solubility, Troponin T Degradation, and Fatty Acids of Native Thai Cattle Longissimus Muscle
by Achara Lukkananukool, Sineenart Polyorach, Kritapon Sommart and Chanporn Chaosap
Foods 2023, 12(18), 3402; https://doi.org/10.3390/foods12183402 - 12 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1195
Abstract
The effects of roughage sources in the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) and the level of energy intake on meat quality, collagen solubility, and troponin T degradation in longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of native Thai cattle (NTC) were investigated. Results showed that roughage [...] Read more.
The effects of roughage sources in the fermented total mixed ration (FTMR) and the level of energy intake on meat quality, collagen solubility, and troponin T degradation in longissimus thoracis (LT) muscle of native Thai cattle (NTC) were investigated. Results showed that roughage source affected fatty acid composition in the LT muscle (p < 0.05), as NTC fed Pakchong 1-Napier-based FTMR had higher monounsaturated fatty acid content and ω 6:ω 3 ratio. The high-energy ad libitum group had lower drip loss, lower shear force, and higher percent collagen solubility (p < 0.05). However, energy intake had no effect on troponin T degradation and fatty acid composition (p > 0.05). Longer aging of 14 days showed lower shear force values, higher collagen solubility, and troponin T degradation rate but higher cooking loss (p < 0.01). In conclusion, the meat quality of NTC could be improved by ad libitum feeding with NG-FTMR, as their meat had higher MUFA content, lower drip loss, lower shear force, and higher collagen solubility. In addition, the tenderness of NTC meat could be further improved by longer aging of 14 days post-mortem. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality in Farm Animals)
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6 pages, 242 KiB  
Article
Evaluation of Growth Performance, Efficiency of Dietary Net Energy Utilization, and Carcass Trait Responses of Heavy Finishing Lambs Administered 12 mg of Zeranol Subcutaneously in the Ear 59 d before Harvest
by Emily R. Nold, Thomas C. Norman, Warren C. Rusche, Rosemarie A. Nold and Zachary K. Smith
Ruminants 2023, 3(3), 240-245; https://doi.org/10.3390/ruminants3030022 - 07 Sep 2023
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 699
Abstract
The objective of this research was to determine the influence of implanting heavy wether lambs with 12 mg of zeranol (1 pellet Ralgro, Merck Animal Health. Madison, NJ, USA) 59 d before harvest. Average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency, and carcass merit were [...] Read more.
The objective of this research was to determine the influence of implanting heavy wether lambs with 12 mg of zeranol (1 pellet Ralgro, Merck Animal Health. Madison, NJ, USA) 59 d before harvest. Average daily gain (ADG), feed efficiency, and carcass merit were evaluated. Polypay and crossbred wethers (n = 32) were equally divided into two treatment groups: non-implanted; (CON) or implanted with 12 mg of zeranol (IMP) in a randomized complete block design. Sixteen pens were used, resulting in eight replicate pens per treatment. Wethers were fed a finishing diet consisting of cracked corn, soybean meal, and soybean hulls ad libitum for 59 d. Lambs had access to clean water at all times from water fountains. Lambs were weighed on d -1, 1, 14, and 59. On d 59, 16 lambs (8 lambs/treatment) were harvested in the South Dakota State University Meat Lab. Hot carcass weight (HCW), dressing percent (DP), rib fat, body wall thickness, loin eye area, boneless closely trimmed retail cut percentages, and yield grades were recorded. Final body weight (BW), cumulative ADG, and gain efficiency were greater (p ≤ 0.01) for implanted lambs by 2.9%, 25.0%, and 35.2%, respectively, while dry matter intake (DMI) was unaffected by implant treatment (p = 0.18); thus, the efficiency of dietary net energy utilization was increased for IMP (p ≤ 0.01). No appreciable differences were noted (p ≥ 0.17) between treatments for any carcass traits measured. These results indicate that zeranol improves growth performance in heavy finishing lambs without detriment to carcass quality, which implies that producers can improve profitability due to increased gains and efficiency. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality in Farm Animals)
10 pages, 664 KiB  
Article
Influence of Wet Ageing on Beef Quality Traits
by Francesco Sirtori, Silvia Parrini, Maria Chiara Fabbri, Chiara Aquilani, Aldo Dal Prà, Alessandro Crovetti, Giovanni Brajon and Riccardo Bozzi
Animals 2023, 13(1), 58; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13010058 - 23 Dec 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1211
Abstract
Fresh samples of Longissimus thoracis of Charolais (n = 12), Romagnola (n = 15), Limousine (n = 77), and crossbreed (n = 62) animals were evaluated with different storage periods (0, 4, 9, and 14 days). Proximate analysis (i.e., [...] Read more.
Fresh samples of Longissimus thoracis of Charolais (n = 12), Romagnola (n = 15), Limousine (n = 77), and crossbreed (n = 62) animals were evaluated with different storage periods (0, 4, 9, and 14 days). Proximate analysis (i.e., pH, humidity, color, free water content, and physical parameters) was performed for each sample. The data obtained were evaluated with a mixed model, setting 5 fixed effects (breed, storage time, animals age, EUROP conformation, number of animal transports) and the animal as random. The results demonstrated that meat quality was affected mainly by the wet ageing period and that the visual and tactile parameters were also found to be susceptible to the storage time. The conservation entailed a decrease in meat humidity and an increase in L* and b* traits; it also led to a decrease in the hardness of the sample, in turn affecting the other texture profile analysis parameters considered. Fixed effects affected in different ways the traits analyzed i.e., pH and humidity changed with breed, as well as with EUROP classification, animals’ age for some TPA parameters, and the number of animal transports for both visual and tactile parameters. Wet ageing influenced the meat quality, often improving it, confirming how important further research would be to identify precise storage times in relation to the parameters studied. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality in Farm Animals)
(This article belongs to the Section Animal Products)
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20 pages, 1878 KiB  
Review
Bibliometric Analysis of Research on the Main Genes Involved in Meat Tenderness
by Jhony Alberto Gonzales-Malca, Vicente Amirpasha Tirado-Kulieva, María Santos Abanto-López, William Lorenzo Aldana-Juárez and Claudia Mabel Palacios-Zapata
Animals 2022, 12(21), 2976; https://doi.org/10.3390/ani12212976 - 29 Oct 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2084
Abstract
Tenderness is one of the main characteristics of meat because it determines its price and acceptability. This is the first bibliometric study on the trend of research on the role of genes in meat tenderness. A total of 175 original and English-language articles [...] Read more.
Tenderness is one of the main characteristics of meat because it determines its price and acceptability. This is the first bibliometric study on the trend of research on the role of genes in meat tenderness. A total of 175 original and English-language articles published up to 2021 were retrieved from Scopus. The bibliometric analysis was carried out with VOSviewer (version 1.6.18, Eck and Waltman, Leiden, Netherlands) and complemented with the Analyze search results service from Scopus. Erroneous and duplicate data were eliminated, and incomplete information was added to standardize the results. Scientific production was evaluated by means of quantity, quality and structure indicators. As a first glance, 8.816% of authors have published more than 50% of papers mainly related to genes encoding the calpain (CAPN)-calpastatin (CAST) system and single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Among other findings, a strong link was found between the contribution of the main countries (led by the United States with) and their institutions (led by the USDA Agricultural Research Service with) to their gross domestic product. Most studies on the topic are published in the Journal of Animal Science, and other journals with high impact according to the number of citations and different metrics. Finally, when evaluating the most cited articles, the occurrence and association of the main keywords, it was confirmed that research is focused on the role of CAPN and CAST genes and of SNPs in beef tenderness. The change in science was emphasized; although marker-assisted selection is still used, genes have an infinitesimal effect on complex traits. Therefore, since about 2010, new research groups adopted genomic selection to evaluate dense panels of SNPs and better explain genetic variation in meat tenderness. Full article
(This article belongs to the Topic Carcass Characteristics and Meat Quality in Farm Animals)
(This article belongs to the Section Animal Products)
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