Back‐fat thickness as a primary index reflecting the yield and overall acceptance of pork meat

The modern state of social-economic processes development demands increasing the level of food safety of the state, especially providing population by the high quality foods of domestic production, specifically by pork. One of criteria for estimating pigs' meatness is determining the fat thickness in different points of a trunk. The informative content of measuring in different parts of a trunk is different and it needs detailed study. The fat thickness is the most common as trait for pigs' meatness in the practice of pig breeding because it has high correlation with meat yield in carcasses. The aim of our research was the comparative study of fat deposition regularities in different parts of a trunk of Large White and Mirgorod pigs in different age periods. For conducting researches 24 pigs of both breeds with average live weight about 40 kg and at age not more 4 months were selected. The fat thickness was measured at live animals using ultrasonic device Draminski in such points: on withers, the level of the 6-7th thoracic vertebra, the level of the 1st-2nd loins vertebra and sacrum. Measuring the fat thickness was carried out at the age of 4, 5, 6, 7 and 8 months. During researches it was carried out the statistical processing of obtained material. Reliability of obtained indexes of productivity was determined. Regularities of formatting fat thickness and fat deposition rate depending on the age were studied. For the results of researches it has been studied and compared economically valuable traits of the most spread domestic pigs of Large White and Mirgorod breeds. By comparative study of growth and development of young pigs of experimental and control groups it has been found that animals of Large White breed differed by lesser fat deposits in all points of measuring. Thus, at 6-months’ age they had lesser thickness of fat in all parts of a trunk. More expressed tendency was at withers and the level of the 6-7th thoracic vertebra, at that in the first case the difference between groups was reliable (p < 0.01). The fat deposition rate in young pigs of both breeds was not the same in different points of measuring along a trunk. Above mentioned tendencies were intensified with the age. Purebred animals of intrabreed type LW-1 at 7-months’ age had reliable less thickness of fat in comparison with the control group: on withers (p < 0.01), at the level of the 6-7th thoracic vertebra, the level of the 1st-2nd loins vertebra (p < 0.05) and on sacrum (p < 0.01). In future, according to economic and scientific expediency, the animals of Mirgorod breed were excluded from the experiment. Concerning Large White breed, the researches were finished when animals were at 8 months’ age. The process of fat deposition in Large White pigs was less intensive in comparison to Mirgorod breed. The highest relative rate of fat thickness increase in both breeds was observed at the level of the 1st-2nd loins vertebra. By statistical processing of the obtained materials it has been found that the difference of average arithmetical indexes (as absolute and relative) between the experimental and control groups during growth and development had distinct tendency to increasing in all points of measuring. The reliability of the difference between the averages in groups with the age of animals increased. A higher reliability of data was obtained at measuring of the front parts of a trunk of pigs at the level of the 6th-7th thoracic vertebra and on withers. The carried out researches at all points of measuring give the reason to confirm that the fat deposits of Large White pigs are less comparing to Mirgorod breed. Conclusions. 1. Carcasses of animals of intrabreed type ULW-1 are comparatively more technologically suitable and economically beneficial for agricultural proceeding industry. 2. Animals of intrabreed type ULW-1 at 7-months’ age had reliable less thickness of fat in comparison with the control group: on withers, at the level of the 6-7th thoracic vertebra, the level of the 1st-2nd loins vertebra and on sacrum. 3. The process of fat deposition in Large White pigs was less intensive in comparison to Mirgorod breed.

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Faculty Opinions recommendation of Effect of parathyroidectomy on epicardial fat thickness as a cardiovascular risk factor in patients with primary hyperparathyroidism

Faculty Opinions – Post-Publication Peer Review of the Biomedical Literature ◽

10.3410/f.737393378.793571275 ◽

2020 ◽

Author(s):

Frederick Singer

Keyword(s):

Risk Factor ◽

Cardiovascular Risk ◽

Primary Hyperparathyroidism ◽

Cardiovascular Risk Factor ◽

Epicardial Fat ◽

Epicardial Fat Thickness ◽

Fat Thickness

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PSIV-B-28 Late-Breaking: Performance and carcass quality of Nelore bull’s progenies with contrasting traits for precocity, growth and muscularity

Journal of Animal Science ◽

10.1093/jas/skz258.644 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 97 (Supplement_3) ◽

pp. 319-321

Author(s):

Taiane S Martins ◽

Juliana Silva ◽

Lenise Mueller ◽

Tamyres Amorim ◽

Annelise Aila G Lobo ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Feed Efficiency ◽

Average Daily Gain ◽

Backfat Thickness ◽

Longissimus Muscle ◽

Muscle Area ◽

Final Body Weight ◽

Fat Thickness ◽

Nelore Cattle ◽

Daily Gain

Abstract The goal of this study was to evaluate the performance and the carcass traits of Nelore cattle progenies from bulls selected by contrasting traits for precocity, growth and muscularity, through the Expected Progeny Difference (EPD). One hundred and five Nelore bulls (initial weight of 350kg±15kg) and 20 months of age were confined and fed with same diet (73% of concentrate). Thirty-two animals were selected to create the contrasting groups for precocity, growth and muscularity (16 animals assigned as a low EPD group - LEPD and 16 animals assigned as a high EPD group - HEPD), based on the EPD of their parents. The ribeye area and backfat thickness were performed by ultrasonography of 12–13th rib fat thickness and longissimus muscle area (LMA), as well as rump fat thickness (RF) measurements. Animals were harvested after 100 days and during the deboning, meat cuts were weight for cutting yield. The animals selected for the HEPD group had greater average daily gain (P = 0.006), which can be explained by the higher feed intake (P = 0.006). However, there are no difference between groups for the final body weight (P = 0.254) and feed efficiency (P = 0.715). The LEPD group presented higher dressing percentage (P = 0.028). Although the groups evaluated did not presented difference in LMA (P = 0.329) and weight of longissimus muscle (P = 0.480), the weight of rump displayed heaviest in the HEPD (P = 0.037). There was no difference between groups for RF (P = 0.086). Nevertheless, backfat thickness was higher in HEPD group (P = 0.006). The present study indicates that Nelore cattle progenies, with parents displaying higher potential for precocity, growth, and muscularity, show greater backfat thickness and weightiest of rump than the other genetic backgrounds. Thanks to FAPESP for the scholarship (Grant # 2017/02349–1).

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Energy Balance Indicators during the Transition Period and Early Lactation of Purebred Holstein and Simmental Cows and Their Crosses

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11020309 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (2) ◽

pp. 309

Author(s):

Deise Aline Knob ◽

André Thaler Neto ◽

Helen Schweizer ◽

Anna C. Weigand ◽

Roberto Kappes ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Energy Balance ◽

Milk Yield ◽

Milk Composition ◽

Negative Energy ◽

The Other ◽

Negative Energy Balance ◽

Metabolic Energy ◽

Genetic Groups ◽

Significant Difference ◽

Fat Thickness

Crossbreeding in dairy cattle has been used to improve functional traits, milk composition, and efficiency of Holstein herds. The objective of the study was to compare indicators of the metabolic energy balance, nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA), beta-hydroxybutyrate (BHBA), glucose, body condition score (BCS) back fat thickness (BFT), as well as milk yield and milk composition of Holstein and Simmental cows, and their crosses from the prepartum period until the 100th day of lactation at the Livestock Center of the Ludwig Maximilians University (Munich, Germany). In total, 164 cows formed five genetic groups according to their theoretic proportion of Holstein and Simmental genes as follows: Holstein (100% Holstein; n = 9), R1-Hol (51–99% Holstein; n = 30), first generation (F1) crossbreds (50% Holstein, 50% Simmental; n = 17), R1-Sim (1–49% Holstein; n = 81) and Simmental (100% Simmental; n = 27). The study took place between April 2018 and August 2019. BCS, BFT blood parameters, such as BHBA, glucose, and NEFA were recorded weekly. A mixed model analysis with fixed effects breed, week (relative to calving), the interaction of breed and week, parity, calving year, calving season, milking season, and the repeated measure effect of cow was used. BCS increased with the Simmental proportion. All genetic groups lost BCS and BFT after calving. Simmental cows showed lower NEFA values. BHBA and glucose did not differ among genetic groups, but they differed depending on the week relative to calving. Simmental and R1-Sim cows showed a smaller effect than the other genetic groups regarding changes in body weight, BCS, or back fat thickness after a period of a negative energy balance after calving. There was no significant difference for milk yield among genetic groups, although Simmental cows showed a lower milk yield after the third week after calving. Generally, Simmental and R1-Simmental cows seemed to deal better with a negative energy balance after calving than purebred Holstein and the other crossbred lines. Based on a positive heterosis effect of 10.06% for energy corrected milk (ECM), the F1, however, was the most efficient crossbred line.

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Epicardial fat thickness as arterial hypertension predictor in normotensive patients with abdominal obesity

European Heart Journal ◽

10.1093/ehjci/ehaa946.2730 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 41 (Supplement_2) ◽

Author(s):

T Kuznetsova ◽

M Druzhilov

Keyword(s):

Blood Pressure ◽

Regression Analysis ◽

Blood Glucose ◽

Waist Circumference ◽

Arterial Hypertension ◽

Multivariate Regression ◽

Fasting Blood Glucose ◽

Multivariate Regression Analysis ◽

Epicardial Fat Thickness ◽

Fat Thickness

Abstract Objective Arterial hypertension (HTN) is one of the most common diseases associated with obesity. Visceral obesity (VO) with dysfunctional visceral adipose tissue plays the main role in obesity induced HTN. Direct criteria of VO including echocardiographic epicardial fat thickness (EFT) may become an additional predictor of HTN. Purpose The aim was to assess the role of echocardiographic EFT (EEFT) as a predictor of HTN in normotensive patients with abdominal obesity (AO). Methods 526 normotensive men (according to ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) without therapy) with AO (waist circumference (WC) >94 cm) and SCORE <5%, without cardiovascular diseases and diabetes mellitus were examined (age 45.1±5.0 years). The lipid and glucose profiles, creatinine, uric acid and C-reactive protein blood levels, albuminuria evaluation, echocardiography, carotid ultrasound, bifunctional ABPM were performed. The values of EEFT ≥75 percentile for persons 35–45 years and 46–55 years were 4.8 mm and 5.8 mm respectively. These values used as epicardial VO criteria. Patients with subclinical carotid atherosclerosis due to the lipid-lowering therapy administration (n=98) were excluded from the follow-up. Re-examination with ABPM was conducted on average through 46.3±5.1 months. Data were summarized as mean ± standard error, statistical analysis conducted with paired two-tailed t-tests, Pearson χ2 criterion and multivariate regression analysis. Results Data of 406 persons were available for analysis. HTN as average daily blood pressure ≥130/80 mm Hg was detected in 157 (38.7%) patients. These patients were characterized by initially higher values of age (45.9±4.6 years vs 44.3±4.9 years, p<0.001), waist circumference (106.9±7.3 cm vs 104.2±7.3 cm, p<0.001), body mass index (BMI) (32.0±3.3 kg/m2 vs 30.9±3.2 kg/m2, p<0.001), average daily systolic and diastolic blood pressure (120.7/74.5±4.6/3.4 mm Hg vs 118.2/73.2±5.5/3.9 mm Hg, p<0.001), EEFT (5.2±0.7 mm vs 4.4±1.0 mm, p<0.001). The epicardial VO was initially detected in 95 (23.3%) patients. In patients with HTN the initial prevalence of epicardial VO was greater (58.0% vs 23.3%, p<0.001). As predictors for the multivariate regression analysis the clinical and laboratory examinations data and EEFT were evaluated. According to the results a mathematical model for estimating the probability HTN was obtained: 0.696*fasting blood glucose + 0.198*systolic BP + 2.844*EFT – 40.166 (constant). Among these predictors EEFT was characterized by the highest standardized regression coefficient (0.302, p<0.001) (0.295, p<0.01 for fasting blood glucose, 0.035, p<0.001 for systolic BP). The Hosmer-Lemeshow test value was 0.863, the total percentage of correct classifications was 86%, the area under the ROC-curve was 0.913. Conclusions EEFT (4.8 mm for persons 35–45 years and 5.8 mm for persons 46–55 years) may be an additional predictor of HTN in normotensive patients with AO. Funding Acknowledgement Type of funding source: None

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Isoquinoline Alkaloids in Sows’ Diet Reduces Body Weight Loss during Lactation and Increases IgG in Colostrum

Animals ◽

10.3390/ani11082195 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (8) ◽

pp. 2195

Author(s):

Ester Arévalo Sureda ◽

Xuemei Zhao ◽

Valeria Artuso-Ponte ◽

Sophie-Charlotte Wall ◽

Bing Li ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Gene Expression ◽

Weight Loss ◽

Body Weight ◽

Body Weight Loss ◽

Muscle Thickness ◽

Passive Immunity ◽

Isoquinoline Alkaloids ◽

Back Muscle ◽

Fat Thickness ◽

And Performance

Isoquinoline alkaloids (IQ) exert beneficial antimicrobial and anti-inflammatory effects in livestock. Therefore, we hypothesized that supplementing sows’ diets with IQ during gestation would decrease farrowing stress, affecting the piglets’ development and performance. Sows were divided into: IQ1, supplemented with IQ from gestation day 80 (G80) to weaning; IQ2, supplemented from gestation day 110 (G110) to weaning, and a non-supplemented (NC) group. Sow body weight (BW), feed intake, back-fat thickness and back-muscle thickness were monitored. Cortisol, glucose and insulin were measured in sows’ blood collected 5 d before, during, and after 7 d farrowing. Protein, fat, IgA and IgG were analyzed in the colostrum and milk. Piglets were monitored for weight and diarrhea score, and for ileum histology and gene expression 5 d post-weaning. IQ-supplemented sows lost less BW during lactation. Glucose and insulin levels were lower in the IQ groups compared to NC-sows 5 d before farrowing and had higher levels of protein and IgG in their colostrum. No other differences were observed in sows, nor in the measured parameters in piglets. In conclusion, IQ supplementation affected sows’ metabolism, reducing body weight loss during lactation. Providing IQ to sows from their entrance into the maternity barn might be sufficient to induce these effects. IQ improved colostrum quality, increasing the protein and IgG content, improving passive immunity for piglets.

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