title: Zilpaterol hydrochloride improves beef yield, changes palatability traits, and increases calpain-calpastatin gene expression in Nellore heifers.
abstract: This research aimed to evaluate the effects of the beta-agonist zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) on carcass traits, subprimal yield, meat quality, palatability traits, and gene expression in Nellore heifers. Zilpaterol increased Longissimus lumborum area and did not change back fat thickness, meat color, and cooking loss. Heifers fed ZH had greater hindquarter weight and carcass percentage. Muscles from hindquarter were heavier for animals fed ZH. Forequarter (% of carcass) decreased and brisket did not change with ZH supplementation. There were no differences between treatments for steak aroma, beef flavor, and off-flavor. However, tenderness and juiciness were reduced by ZH, depending on postmortem aging. Zilpaterol increased Calpain-1, Calpain-2, and calpastatin mRNA expression, with no effect of day of slaughter or ZH×Day interaction. In conclusion, ZH supplementation improved hypertrophy, meat production, and debone yield in Nellore heifers, which led to decreased tenderness and to increased mRNA expression in the calpain-calpastatin system.
authors.affiliation: Duque de Caxias Norte 225, Pirassununga, SP 13635-900, Department of Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: nara.consolo@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Nara Regina Brandão
authors.initials: NRB
authors.lastname: Cônsolo
authors.affiliation: Duque de Caxias Norte 225, Pirassununga, SP 13635-900, Department of Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: vivianebferrari@usp.br.
authors.forename: Viviane Borba
authors.initials: VB
authors.lastname: Ferrari
authors.affiliation: Duque de Caxias Norte 225, Pirassununga, SP 13635-900, Department of Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: ligiagm@usp.br.
authors.forename: Ligia Garcia
authors.initials: LG
authors.lastname: Mesquita
authors.affiliation: MSD Animal Health, São Paulo, São Paulo 04794-000, Brazil. Electronic address: rodrigo.goulart@merck.com.
authors.forename: Rodrigo Silva
authors.initials: RS
authors.lastname: Goulart
authors.affiliation: Duque de Caxias Norte 225, Pirassununga, SP 13635-900, Department of Animal Science, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Electronic address: lfpsilva@usp.br.
authors.forename: Luis Felipe Prada E
authors.initials: LFPE
authors.lastname: Silva
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002154:Calpain / Q000235:genetics / Q000378:metabolism*; D002417:Cattle; D003116:Color; D003258:Consumer Behavior; D003296:Cooking; D005503:Food Additives / Q000494:pharmacology; D063427:Food Quality; D015870:Gene Expression; D006801:Humans; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D000069466:Red Meat; D013649:Taste; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds / Q000494:pharmacology*
chemical_list: D002135:Calcium-Binding Proteins; D005503:Food Additives; D012333:RNA, Messenger; D014297:Trimethylsilyl Compounds; C475840:Zilpaterol; C033668:calpastatin; D002154:Calpain
keywords: Beta-adrenergic agonist; Bos indicus; Heifers; Meat quality; Sensory panel; Zilpaterol; Zilpaterol hydrochloride (PubChem CID: 3086576)