Effect of calcium chloride, zinc chloride, and water infusion on metmyoglobin reducing activity and fresh lamb color

Calcium chloride (CaCl2), zinc chloride (ZnCl2), or water infusions were used to investigate the biochemical factors that affect fresh lamb color, and to examine the role of metmyoglobin-reducing activity in regulating this important quality attribute. Immediately after exsanguination, lamb carcasses (n = 6 per treatment) were infused (10% of BW) with 0.3 M CaCl2, 0.05 M ZnCl2, or water via a catheter inserted into the left carotid artery. The right LM was excised at 24-h postmortem and divided into two halves. The caudal portion was cut into 2.5-cm-thick chops and displayed for 6 d under 1,076 lx of white fluorescent lighting at 2 degrees C, whereas the cranial half was vacuum-packaged and stored at 2 degrees C for 3 wk before retail display. Objective color measurements and samples for biochemical analysis were taken at 0, 1, 3, and 6 d of display. In infused carcasses, pH decline was more rapid (P < 0.05) than in untreated controls, and it was greatest for CaCl2-infused carcasses. Calcium chloride-infused carcasses had lower (P < 0.01) NAD and higher (P < 0.001) NADPH concentrations than water- and ZnCl2-infused or untreated control carcasses. The negative effects of calcium infusion on fresh lamb color, higher (P < 0.01) metmyoglobin accumulation rate, and lower (P < 0.01) L*, a*, and b* color measurements could be explained by the lower amounts of unbound water (P < 0.01), shorter sarcomere length (P < 0.01), lower NAD concentrations (P < 0.01), and higher lipid peroxidation (P < 0.01). Zinc and water-infusions produced less (P < 0.01) lipid oxidation and improved the color and color stability of fresh lamb (P < 0.001). Rate of lipid oxidation in LM chops was greater (P < 0.01) after 3 wk of vacuum-packaged storage than 24-h postmortem. Metmyoglobin-reducing activities (sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar) were decreased in response to infusion treatments (P < 0.001), and ZnCl2 infusion resulted in the lowest metmyoglobin-reducing activities (P < 0.001). A significant association between the myofibrillar metmyoglobin-reducing activity and lipid peroxidation was observed, but metmyoglobin-reducing activities were not associated with any improvement in lamb color. Strategies to increase the antioxidant levels in lamb are very important to improve lamb quality, especially during vacuum-packaging storage.     

两种中草药经组方对鲫鱼肝脏转氨酶的影响

在饲料中添加两种中草药组方对鲫鱼的自然鱼体和利用喹乙醇诱导其肝受损后的鱼体进行试验,并通过测定投喂前后血清生化指标中转氨酶浓度变化情况,表明该两种中草药组方对自然鱼体的肝脏具有保护作用,同时对喹乙醇诱导的肝损伤有一定的恢复和治疗作用.     

The effect of chlorocholine chloride (CCC) inclusion in the diets of growing hens on growth rate, oestrogen levels and the onset of lay

A study was conducted to test the effect of chlorocholine chloride (CCC) on growth performance and the onset of laying in hens. One hundred and fifteen 3-week-old chickens were divided into four treatment groups of 39, 33, 31 and 12 chickens. They were placed on four dietary treatments consisting of 0 p.p.m. CCC (control), 5 p.p.m. CCC from 14 weeks of age (5 p.p.m. A), 5 p.p.m. CCC from the beginning (5 p.p.m. B), and 50 p.p.m. CCC from the beginning (50 p.p.m. B). The basal diets were formulated according to the growing period and were iso-nitrogenous and iso-energetic. The crude protein content was 17.99% dry matter and 14.63% dry matter during the first 3–8 weeks and 9–20 weeks, respectively. The energy content was 12.7 and 12.75 MJ metabolisable energy (ME)/kg dry matter for the respective two growth phases. Feed intake, bodyweight changes and egg production were measured. Blood samples for oestrogen determination were collected weekly from the 15th week until the first egg was laid. Depressive effects of 50 p.p.m. CCC on bodyweight gain during weeks 3–8 and feed efficiency over the whole period were observed. There were no treatment differences (p > 0.05) on feed intake, bodyweight gain during weeks 9–20 and age at the point of lay. CCC inclusion at 50 p.p.m. significantly (p < 0.05) stimulated the oestrogen concentration at 17 and 18 weeks of age, and was 65% higher than the control at 18 weeks.     

The metabolite products of chlorocholine chloride (CCC) in eggs and meat of laying hens fed 15N-CCC containing diets

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the metabolic products of chlorocholine chloride (CCC) in eggs and meat of laying hens fed a diet containing (15)N-CCC. Ten brown laying hens were randomly divided into two groups of five each. One group was offered (15)N-CCC free diet while the other group received a diet with 100 ppm (15)N-CCC for 11 days. Samples of eggs and meat from the laying hens were collected. Egg yolks and albumen were separated. Meat was collected from the breast and femur. The metabolic products of CCC were measured using ion trap electrospray ionisation mass spectrometry (ion trap-ESI-MS/MS). Determination of CCC or its metabolites in eggs and meat showed that CCC was metabolised to choline. Corresponding MS/MS spectra were obtained for m/z 104 (choline) or 105 ((15)N-choline), whereas nothing was detected at m/z 122 (CCC) or 123 ((15)N-CCC). The results from this study indicate that CCC will be metabolised in tissues of laying hens.     

Influence of age, sex, and production class on liver zinc concentration in calves.

Determination of zinc concentrations in the liver of calves and young stock is commonly requested by practitioners and nutritionists to assess whether they receive an appropriate amount of zinc in their diet. However, interpretation of liver zinc concentrations is currently based on information reported for adult cattle for which the health status was unknown and irrespective of production class, sex, and age. A retrospective study of necropsy reports was undertaken to assess the relationships between liver zinc concentrations and age, sex, and production class for calves that did not have a history compatible with zinc toxicosis or zinc deficiency. Results of a generalized least squares, polynomial regression analysis of 474 records found that zinc concentration was not affected by sex (P = 0.29) or production class (P = 0.50). Zinc concentration was significantly associated with linear (P < 0.00001) and nonlinear (quadratic, P = 0.0039) functions of age (r2 = 0.1503), where the concentration decreased from 93 mg/kg wet weight at 30 days of age to 57 mg/kg wet weight at 9 months of age, after which it began to increase. The age-specific 95% confidence limits of the mean concentration for a group of calves and the 95% prediction limits of a single concentration value for an individual animal estimated in this study suggest reconsideration of the recommended limits for liver zinc concentration in calves. As a consequence of the significant influence of age on liver zinc concentration of calves presumably not experiencing zinc toxicosis or deficiency, diagnosis of zinc imbalances based on liver zinc concentration needs to consider age as a diagnostic covariate.     

饲料蛋白质水平对大刺鳅幼鱼生长性能、消化酶和肝转氨酶活性的影响

采用60 d的单因素饲养试验,探讨饲料蛋白质水平分别为35%、38%、41%、44%、47%、50%、53%对体质量为(5.21±0.15)g的大刺鳅(Mastacembelus aculeatus)幼鱼生长性能、消化酶和肝转氨酶活性的影响,以探明大刺鳅幼鱼配合饲料适宜蛋白质水平。试验结果表明:饲料蛋白质水平对大刺鳅幼鱼存活率的影响不显著(P>0.05)。与35%~38%蛋白质组相比,当饲料蛋白质水平为50%时,大刺鳅幼鱼增重率、特定生长率和蛋白质效率获得最大值,饲料系数获得最小值,分别为116.7%、1.55%/d、203.29%和0.99,差异显著(P<0.05)。随蛋白质水平升高,大刺鳅幼鱼胃蛋白酶、肠道胰蛋白酶及淀粉酶呈先上升后平稳趋势,50%蛋白质组的酶活性最高,为14.49、4 374.67 U/mg prot.和1.02 U/mg prot.。肝脏胰蛋白酶及淀粉酶活性分别在50%、53%蛋白质组达到最高,与35%~41%蛋白质组显著差异(P<0.05),谷丙转氨酶及谷草转氨酶均随饲料蛋白质水平的增加而升高,表明大刺鳅幼鱼体内蛋白质代谢活力随饲料蛋白质水平升高而增强,鱼体对蛋白质及氨基酸的利用率有一定提高。通过饲料中蛋白质含量与生长速率指标的回归分析,大刺鳅幼鱼饲料蛋白质的适宜含量为50.7%~52.5%。     

Freezing and calcium chloride marination effects on beef tenderness and calpastatin activity.

Because freezing samples decreases calpastatin activity and the application of exogenous calcium activates the calpain proteolytic system, thereby improving tenderness, the objective of this study was to determine whether freezing would enhance the effects of CaCl2 marination on the tenderness of beef steaks. Longissimus steaks were obtained from 10 beef steers 6 d postmortem. One-half of the steaks were frozen at -30 degrees C for 6 wk. The remaining steaks were treated fresh; one-half were subjected to a 150 mM CaCl2 marinade for 48 h. Frozen steaks were thawed and subjected to the same treatment. Treatments consisted of 1) fresh control, 2) fresh marinated, 3) frozen control, and 4) frozen marinated. Samples were taken before and after treatment (6 and 8 d) for calpastatin activity determination and d 8 for SDS-PAGE. Warner-Bratzler shear force values were measured 8 d postmortem. Data were analyzed using a paired comparison t-test procedure. Results showed that freezing and marination significantly decreased calpastatin activity. A .35-kg improvement (P = .07) in Warner-Bratzler shear force was observed with freezing, whereas a .78-kg improvement (P less than .01) in tenderness was observed with marination. However, prior freezing enhanced the effects of marination. Therefore, the decrease in calpastatin activity seemed to allow greater proteolysis by the calpains with the application of Ca2+. The SDS-PAGE of myofibril preparations indicated that more small polypeptide fragments (28 to 32 kDa) appeared and a 95-kDa fragment was more intense in the marinated samples than in control samples, indicating that proteolysis was enhanced.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

A study of the effect of acute systemic anaphylaxis on blood coagulation and TAME esterase activity in calves.

Sensitized and control calves were challenged with an intravenous dose of 0.2 mL/kg horse serum. Changes in the blood pressure, blood cellular components, plasma kaolin activated p-tosyl-1-arginine methyl ester esterase activity, plasma antithrombin III levels and activated partial thromboplastin time were monitored. Anaphylaxis induced a severe drop in carotid arterial pressure and respiratory distress. There was a decrease in the total white blood cell count from a mean of 10,000 to a low of 1,900 per microL, a decrease in the percentage neutrophils and an increase in the percentage of lymphocytes from 57.4% to 94.8%. A drop was observed in the mean platelet count from 463 x 10(3)/microL. The time required for kaolin to produce maximum p-tosyl-1-arginine methyl ester esterase activation increased from two minutes in the controls to three minutes in calves undergoing anaphylaxis and was observed three to 90 minutes after the administration of horse serum. Antithrombin III levels in the plasma appeared to drop during anaphylaxis but were not significantly depressed (p greater than or equal to 0.5). A statistically significant (p < 0.5) drop in the rate of blood coagulation was observed by the activated partial thromboplastin time assay at 15 to 30 minutes after horse serum injection.