title: Influence of rice whole-crop silage diet on growth performance, carcass and meat characteristics and muscle-related gene expression in Japanese Black steers.
abstract: The present study investigated the influence of a diet largely comprising rice whole-crop silage (rWCS) on growth performance, carcass and meat characteristics, and expression of genes involved in muscle growth of Japanese Black steers. Steers were randomly separated into rWCS-fed (rWCS ad libitum and restricted feeding of concentrate) and concentrate-fed groups. Total digestible nutrient intake and daily gain (DG) decreased in rWCS-fed steers in comparison with concentrate-fed steers, whereas dressed carcass weight and final body weight did not significantly differ between the groups. Decreases in drip loss in the muscle of rWCS-fed steers may be caused by α-tocopherol and β-carotene in muscle. Feeding large amounts of rWCS to steers may maintain quantitative productivity of beef steers equally to a concentrate-based diet, and improve the qualitative productivity. Results of gene expression suggest that activation of skeletal muscle growth in rWCS-fed steers may occur at the late fattening period owing to a decrease in myostatin and increase in myosin heavy chain gene expression. Preadipocyte factor-1 and myostatin genes may be strongly involved in the control of lipid accumulation. This rearing system would allow beef production to switch to rWCS-based diets from concentrate-based diets.
authors.affiliation: Livestock Production and Wildlife Management Research Division, NARO Western Region Agricultural Research Center, Oda.
authors.forename: Masahiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Shibata
authors.affiliation: Livestock Production and Wildlife Management Research Division, NARO Western Region Agricultural Research Center, Oda.
authors.forename: Yasuko
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Hikino
authors.affiliation: Livestock and Forage Research Division, NARO Tohoku Agricultural Research Center, Morioka, Japan.
authors.forename: Mai
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Imanari
authors.affiliation: Livestock Production and Wildlife Management Research Division, NARO Western Region Agricultural Research Center, Oda.
authors.forename: Kazunori
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Matsumoto
authors.affiliation: Livestock Production and Wildlife Management Research Division, NARO Western Region Agricultural Research Center, Oda.
authors.forename: Naoyuki
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Yamamoto
mesh_terms: D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena / Q000235:genetics* / Q000502:physiology*; D000818:Animals; D001835:Body Weight; D002417:Cattle / Q000235:genetics* / Q000254:growth & development*; D018556:Crops, Agricultural; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary*; D063427:Food Quality; D015870:Gene Expression; D050356:Lipid Metabolism; D008297:Male; D008460:Meat / Q000032:analysis; D024510:Muscle Development / Q000235:genetics*; D009132:Muscles / Q000378:metabolism; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism; D055435:Myostatin / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism / Q000502:physiology; D012820:Silage; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol / Q000378:metabolism; D019207:beta Carotene / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D055435:Myostatin; D019207:beta Carotene; D018995:Myosin Heavy Chains; D024502:alpha-Tocopherol
keywords: beef steer; gene expression; meat quality; myostatin; rice whole-crop silage