Genetic parameters associated with meat quality of Nellore cattle at different anatomical points of longissimus: Brazilian standards

Marina de Nadai Bonin; Victor Breno Pedrosa; Saulo da Luz E Silva; Lutz Bünger; Dave Ross; Rodrigo da Costa Gomes; Miguel Henrique de Almeida Santana; Diego de Córdova Cucco; Fernanda Marcondes de Rezende; Luís Carlos Vinhas Ítavo; Francisco José de Novais; Marília Williani Filgueira Pereira; Elisângela Chicaroni de Mattos Oliveira; José Bento Sterman Ferraz

doi:10.1016/j.meatsci.2020.108281

Genetic parameters associated with meat quality of Nellore cattle at different anatomical points of longissimus: Brazilian standards

Meat Sci. 2021 Jan:171:108281. doi: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2020.108281. Epub 2020 Aug 18.

Authors

Marina de Nadai Bonin¹, Victor Breno Pedrosa², Saulo da Luz E Silva³, Lutz Bünger⁴, Dave Ross⁵, Rodrigo da Costa Gomes⁶, Miguel Henrique de Almeida Santana⁷, Diego de Córdova Cucco⁸, Fernanda Marcondes de Rezende⁹, Luís Carlos Vinhas Ítavo¹⁰, Francisco José de Novais¹¹, Marília Williani Filgueira Pereira¹², Elisângela Chicaroni de Mattos Oliveira¹³, José Bento Sterman Ferraz¹⁴

Affiliations

¹ Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Av. Senador Filinto Muller, 2443, Postal Code: 79074-460 Campo Grande, Brazil. Electronic address: marina.bonin@ufms.br.
² State University of Ponta Grossa, Department of Animal Science, Av. General Carlos Cavalcanti, 4748, Postal Code: 84030-000 Ponta Grossa, Brazil. Electronic address: vbpedrosa@uepg.br.
³ University of São Paulo, College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Postal Code: 13635-900 Pirassununga, Brazil. Electronic address: sauloluz@usp.br.
⁴ Animal Genetics Consultancy (http://www.lubu-angeco.co.uk./index.htm), Edinburgh, Scotland, UK. Electronic address: lutz.bunger@sruc.ac.uk.
⁵ Scottish Rural College, Easter Bush, Midlothian EH25 9RG, Edinburgh, UK. Electronic address: dave.ross@agri-epicentre.com.
⁶ Embrapa Beef Cattle, Av. Radio Maia, 830, Postal Code: 79106-550 Campo Grande, Brazil. Electronic address: rodrigo.gomes@embrapa.br.
⁷ University of São Paulo, College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Postal Code: 13635-900 Pirassununga, Brazil. Electronic address: mhasantana@usp.br.
⁸ State University of Santa Catarina, Department of Animal Science, Av. Beloni Trombeta Zanin, 68E, Postal Code: 89815-630 Chapeco, Brazil. Electronic address: diego.cucco@udesc.br.
⁹ Federal University of Uberlândia, College of Veterinary Medicine, BR-050, KM 78, 28, Postal Code: 38410-337 Uberlândia, Brazil. Electronic address: frezende@ufu.br.
¹⁰ Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Av. Senador Filinto Muller, 2443, Postal Code: 79074-460 Campo Grande, Brazil. Electronic address: luis.itavo@ufms.br.
¹¹ University of São Paulo, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Postal Code: 13635-900 Pirassununga, Brazil. Electronic address: francisco.novais@usp.br.
¹² Federal University of Mato Grosso do Sul, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Av. Senador Filinto Muller, 2443, Postal Code: 79074-460 Campo Grande, Brazil.
¹³ University of São Paulo, College of Animal Science and Food Engineering, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Postal Code: 13635-900 Pirassununga, Brazil. Electronic address: limattos@usp.br.
¹⁴ University of São Paulo, College of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science, Av. Duque de Caxias Norte, 225, Postal Code: 13635-900 Pirassununga, Brazil. Electronic address: jbferraz@usp.br.

PMID: 32892086
DOI: 10.1016/j.meatsci.2020.108281

Abstract

The present study estimated genetic parameters and evaluated the genetic and phenotypic correlations between meat quality characteristics of Nellore cattle evaluated at different anatomical points of the longissimus. Data from 1329 Nellore young bulls were used to evaluate, in the 5th and 12th ribs, marbling score (MAR), shear force (SF), cooking weight losses (CWL) and intramuscular fat (IMF). In addition, the subcutaneous fat thickness was measured at the 12th rib (SFT₁₂) and between the last lumbar and the first sacral vertebrae (SFT_LR), in the separation of loin and round. Results yielded moderate heritability coefficients for evaluated characteristics, except CWL. High genetic correlations (0.61) were found between measurements of SFT₁₂ and SFT_LR. MAR, IMF and SF were evaluated at the 5th and 12th rib. Meat quality and subcutaneous fat thickness measured at different anatomical points of the longissimus are genetically correlated and can be used in genetic selection programs to improve meat quality characteristics in Nellore cattle.

Keywords: Alternative subcutaneous fat measure; Bos taurus indicus; Brazilian industry; Fifth rib; Genetic parameters; Meat quality.

MeSH terms

Adipose Tissue
Animals
Body Composition / genetics
Brazil
Cattle / genetics*
Cooking
Male
Paraspinal Muscles / anatomy & histology
Red Meat / analysis*
Red Meat / standards*
Shear Strength
Subcutaneous Fat / anatomy & histology