Abstracted/indexed

We investigated stress parameters and behaviours of goat kids from dairy type (Saanen and Maltese) and indigenous (Hair and Gokceada) breeds during 10-week fattening. Dairy kids did not express behavioural or biochemical stress responses during the study. Especially in the last 2 weeks of fattening, Gokceada kids were less successful in coping with a confined environment. It is concluded that indigenous breeds, especially Gokceada kids, are not appropriate for intensive fattening in a pen.

Recently, consumers have been seeking natural and healthy products such as meat rich in polyunsaturated fatty acids, beneficial for health with decreasing the saturated fatty acids. Then, to enhance the meat quality, some nutritional strategies were considered such as using the residues of aromatic and medicinal plants. Then, the use of rosemary residues in lamb feeding increased the polyunsaturated fatty acid, n-6 and n-3 contents and reduced the saturation index in muscles and adipose tissues.

In an experiment the longissimus lumborum and gluteus medius muscles were collected from lambs of two genotypes to analyse physico-chemical traits, fatty acid profile, taurine, carnosine, and L-carnitine. Results showed a greater impact of the lamb’s genotype on physical traits of meat than on its chemical composition and content of bioactive components. Muscle type had an effect on meat colour; collagen content; fatty acid profile; and the amount of taurine, carnosine, and L-carnitine.

The relationship between HSPB1 expression and muscle growth in beef cattle has previously been reported, but there have been no reports of DNA markers related to meat quantity in Korean native steers. Therefore, the aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship of SNPs within HSPB1 in terms of the carcass traits related to muscle growth in Korean native steers.

This F94L MSTN polymorphism study demonstrates the high genetic potential of Aberdeen Angus and Belgian Blue cattle. The Aberdeen Angus populations have animal carriers of the AM, OS, DD and M1 genetic defects points. Animal carriers of HY and MSUD genetic defects were absent in the Hereford herds. These facts allow us to conclude that the breeding of the above breeds has great potential for improving meat cattle industry profitability under genetic defect control.