Twenty indigenous Cika and 20 young Simmental bulls (slaughtered at 560–718 days) were finished on two diets (extensive vs semi-intensive). When fed similar rations, Cika bulls at a ‘suitable’ finished level, had a significantly higher dressing percentage (+2.5%), more total fat (+13.7%), a lower percentage of tendons (–22.7%) and bones (–7.7%), a higher lean meat to bones ratio (+8.1%) and a greater percentage of intramuscular fat(+45.9%) than the Simmental bulls. Their meat also had a significantly lower pH (–4.0%), higher redness (+13.74%), yellowness (+15.0%) and drip loss (after 2 days, +28.3%) and a more intense flavour (+6.1%). Cika fat contained higher proportions of saturated fatty acids (+6.86%) and less polyunsaturated fatty acids (–30.8%) than Simmental fat. However, it appears that the main difference between these two breeds were the slower growth rate of the Cika and their lower weight but greater age when a finished state was reached relative to the Simmental.
COBISS.SI-ID: 3839368
For all crop species, an accurate, quick, and simple method for determination of mean development stage of plants has a key role for scientific and practical use. The investigation was performed to validate a modified methodology for determination of mean stage of development in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.). The modified methodology, mean stage by fresh weight (MSFW), assumes that mean stage by weight (MSW) could be determined by fresh, and not only by dry weight, as was required by the original methodology. A total of 198 alfalfa samples were collected in 2010 and 2011. Sampling completely covered three growth cycles: spring growth and first and second regrowths. The correlation (r) between MSW and MSFW was )0.99. In 92% of samples, absolute deviation between MSW and MSFW was (0.15 on a scale between 0 and 9. The equation for prediction of MSFW based on measured MSW, MSFWpredicted = 0.9808 × MSW, was developed with the data from the first year (n = 141) and tested with second-year samples (n = 57). Prediction error, expressed by root mean squared deviation (RMSD), was 0.045, while components of mean squared deviation (MSD), such as squared bias (SB), nonunity slope (NU), and lack of correlation (LC), were 8.12 × 10−4, 5.45 × 10−4, and 6.67 × 10−4, respectively. Values close to zero in all three MSD components show that validation line had a ≈ 0, b ≈ 1, and r2 ≈ 1. As a simpler methodology, MSFW gives an opportunity to be more applicable in practice with all of the benefits of the MSW methodology.
COBISS.SI-ID: 4936040
In the present study genotype frequencies of selected polymorphisms at candidate genes CAST, LEP, SCD1, DGAT1 and CAPN1 and their association with beef quality traits was evaluated. Meat samples from 116 Slovenian Simmental bulls involved in the offspring test were analyzed. Meat quality traits were evaluated (including colour, tenderness, drip loss, pH ...) and genotyping was performed. The effect of genes on meat quality was statistically evaluated. Regarding genotype frequencies, the genotype KK at DGAT1 locus was not present, while the frequency of the AA and KA genotypes were 94% and 6%, respectively. The frequencies of LEP genotypes were 62%, 35% and 3% for AA, AB and BB, respectively. The genotype frequencies of CAPN1 were similarly distributed, i.e. 6%, 36% and 58% for CC, CT and TT, respectively. CAST genotype was associated with marbling and water content, LEP impacted fatness, drip loss and meat color, SCD1 and DGAT1 influenced fat content, marbling and meat color, whereas CAPN1 affected the thickness of muscle. Based on our results we can confirm that investigated polymorphisms, especially those in LEP and SCD1 genes could be implemented in selection schemes, due to their strong influence on specific meat quality traits.
COBISS.SI-ID: 5128296