Differential response of cull cow muscles to the hypertrophic actions of ractopamine-hydrogen chloride.
Ractopamine-HCl (RAC) is a beta-adrenergic agonist with variable effects on cattle performance and carcass variables. Cull cows fed RAC (200 mg . head(-1) . d(-1)) demonstrate an increased size of type I and II muscle fibers that does not translate into a larger ribeye area. The objective of this study was to examine the dose-dependent effects of RAC on cull cow muscle morphometrics. Eighty-eight cull beef cows representing 2 breed types (n = 44 each) were fed 0, 100, 200, and 300 mg . head(-1) . d(-1) of RAC for the last 28 d of a 54-d feeding period. On d 54, cows were slaughtered, and samples of the LM and semimembranosus muscle (SM) from 16 randomly selected carcasses (n = 4 per treatment) were taken for measurement of beta (2)-adrenergic receptors and type I, IIA, and IIX myosin heavy chain (MyHC) gene expression. Twenty-four hours postmortem, LM, SM, infraspinatus (INF), and vastus lateralis samples from 40 randomly selected carcasses (n = 10 per treatment) were obtained and frozen for immunohistochemical analysis. Muscle fiber cross-sectional area and diameter, MyHC isoform expression, and fiber-associated nuclei numbers were measured. Ractopamine dosage exhibited differential effects on muscle morphometrics and MyHC gene expression. Muscle fiber cross-sectional area and diameter were increased (P < 0.05) by RAC in INF type I and IIA fibers and SM type IIA fibers. Ractopamine increased (P < 0.05) MyHC type IIX mRNA and tended to increase (P < 0.10) beta(2)-adrenergic receptors in the SM; a change in mRNA abundance was not detected for either gene in the LM. Treatment with RAC decreased (P < 0.05) fiber-associated nuclei numbers in the INF, vastus lateralis, and LM but did not affect (P > 0.05) MyHC or beta-adrenergic receptor expression. These results indicate that cull cow feeding programs may consider supplementing RAC as a means of adding value to cuts within the chuck, such as the INF.
Gonzalez
J M
JM
Department of Animal Sciences, University of Florida, Gainesville 32611, USA.
Dijkhuis
R D
RD
Johnson
D D
DD
Carter
J N
JN
Johnson
S E
SE
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists / Q000494:pharmacology*; D000818:Animals; D002417:Cattle / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D005786:Gene Expression Regulation / Q000187:drug effects*; D018482:Muscle, Skeletal / Q000187:drug effects*; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics; D010627:Phenethylamines / Q000494:pharmacology*; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2 / Q000235:genetics
D000318:Adrenergic beta-Agonists; D010627:Phenethylamines; D018343:Receptors, Adrenergic, beta-2; C060897:ractopamine; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains