title: Effects of clay on fat necrosis and carcass characteristics in Japanese Black steers.
abstract: Twenty 10-month-old Japanese Black steers were used to evaluate the effects of clay on fat necrosis and carcass characteristics. Ten steers (Clay group) were fed the clay (50 g/day) during 10-30 months of age. The other 10 steers (Control group) were not fed it. There was no significant difference in body weight or average daily gain between the two groups (P > 0.05). The occurrence of fat necrotic mass in the Clay group (30%) was lower (P < 0.05) than that in the Control group (90%) at slaughter. The size of necrotic masses in the Clay group was smaller (P < 0.05) than that in the Control group. There was no significant difference in the marbling score, beef color, Longissimus muscle area or subcutaneous fat thickness between the two groups. These results suggest that the clay prevented the occurrence of fat necrosis and did not affect the carcass characteristics in Japanese Black steers.
authors.affiliation: Hyogo Prefectural Technology Center of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Kasai, Japan.
authors.forename: Akio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Oka
authors.affiliation: Hyogo Prefectural Technology Center of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Kasai, Japan.
authors.forename: Eiji
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Iwamoto
authors.affiliation: Hyogo Prefectural Technology Center of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, Kasai, Japan.
authors.forename: Ken
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Tatsuda
mesh_terms: D000538:Aluminum Silicates / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D001835:Body Weight; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D000077215:Clay; D005218:Fat Necrosis / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000662:veterinary*; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat
chemical_list: D000538:Aluminum Silicates; D000077215:Clay
keywords: Japanese Black steer; carcass characteristics; clay; fat necrosis