Oxygen concentration in MAP can be reduced with minimal impact on eating quality of lamb.

This study evaluated the impact of high oxygen modified atmosphere packaging (MAP) in four different combinations, 80 % oxygen and 20 % carbon dioxide (MAP80), 40 % oxygen, 20 % carbon dioxide and 40 % nitrogen (MAP40(20CO)), 40 % oxygen, 60 % carbon dioxide (MAP40(60CO)), and vacuum skin packaging (VSP) under different retail display times (3 or 8 days) on the sensory scores of lamb meat. Untrained consumer sensory scores for overall liking, tenderness, juiciness and liking of flavour were assessed on the M. longissimus lumborum (loin) and M.

The construction of a sheepmeat eating quality prediction model for Australian lamb.

The current sheep Meat Standards Australia (MSA) model is a pathways system designed to improve the overall eating quality of Australian lamb, yet it is unable to predict individual consumer-based eating quality scores for specific cuts. This paper describes the methodology of using consumer sensory scores to create an objective composite eating quality prediction score linked to individual quality grades for different cuts. This methodology accounts for objective carcass measures that are being commercialised within the industry, such as intramuscular fat percentage and a measure of lean meat yield percentage.

Welfare and performance benefits of shade provision during summer for feedlot cattle in a temperate climatic zone.

There is increasing interest from cattle lot-feeders in the use of shade to mitigate the effects of a potential heat-stress event, though it is unclear whether the reported benefits of shade in previous studies conducted in more high-risk heat-stress zones are pertinent in cooler temperate zones. The objectives of this study were to measure the welfare and performance benefits of shade provision for lot-fed cattle at a commercial feedlot located in a mild heat-stress risk zone in Western Australia. Six blocks of black Angus (Bos taurus) steers were inducted into the feedlot over 6 time windows across a southern hemisphere summer, with 80 cattle per block housed in a partially shaded pen (providing 3.

Ageing of Australian lamb beyond 14 days does not further improve eating quality.

Limited studies are available assessing the impact of extended ageing on lamb eating quality of a wide range of cuts. From lamb (n = 153) and young mutton (n = 40) carcasses, seven cuts (eye of rack, eye of shoulder, knuckle, loin, outside, rump and topside) were collected and aged based on three ageing times (5, 14 or 21 days). Additionally, residual glycogen was determined from the loin at the corresponding ageing time.

Eating Quality of Australian Grass and Grain-Fed Lamb Equally Rated by US Consumers.

Anecdotal suggestions that US consumers perceive Australian sheepmeat as more "gamey" or "stale" compared to US sheepmeat are potentially attributable to the extended chilled shipping times contributing to longer-aged meat and predominately pasture-fed grazing systems. This study evaluated the impact of diet and extended storage times on Australian sheepmeat using sensory scores as assessed by US consumers. Meat samples from Australian sheep ( = 80) fed a grass or grain diet were aged in a vacuum at 1-2 °C for 5, 21 or 45 days.

Quantifying the Effect of Grilling and Roasting on the Eating Quality of Lamb Leg Muscles.

Lamb eating quality was measured using untrained consumer sensory panels to determine the difference in intrinsic eating quality scores of grilled and roasted leg cut muscles. The Knuckle, Outside flat, and Topside from both legs of 65 mixed-sex lambs from diverse genetic backgrounds were prepared using alternative grill and roast cook methods. Each sample was eaten by 10 consumers and scored for tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and overall liking.

Adding value to beef portion steaks through measuring individual marbling.

The current Meat Standards Australia (MSA) and AUS-MEAT grading system assumes that marbling through the M. longissmus thoracis et lumborum (loin) is represented by the score of the grading site. However, studies have indicated marbling varies within the beef loin, but commercially individual portion steaks are not graded for marbling.

Chinese Consumer Assessment of Australian Sheep Meat Using a Traditional Hotpot Cooking Method.

Hotpot is a widely popular cooking method for sheepmeat in China. This study measured the sensory responses of 720 untrained Chinese consumers to Australian sheepmeat cooked using a hotpot technique with methods based on Meat Standards Australia protocols. Shoulder and leg cuts of 108 lambs and 109 yearlings were scored on tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall liking with linear mixed effects models used to analyse the influence of muscle type and animal factors on these scores.

Prediction of chemical intramuscular fat and visual marbling scores with a conveyor vision scanner system on beef portion steaks.

This study describes the performance of a Marel conveyer vision scanner, across beef carcases (n = 102) from a wide visual marbling score range, in its ability to predict chemical intramuscular fat (IMF%), Meat Standards Australia (MSA) and AUS-MEAT marbling scores of portion steaks. Vision scanner marbling scores were acquired on fresh-cut steaks, with its predictions tested using a leave-one-out cross validation method, which demonstrated precise and accurate predictions of IMF% (R = 0.87; RMSEP = 1.

French consumer evaluation of eating quality of Angus x Salers beef: Effects of muscle cut, muscle slicing and ageing.

Based on the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) methodology, the objectives of this study were to evaluate the eating quality of grass-fed Angus x Salers beef by French consumers, across different muscle cuts (m. triceps brachii caput longum, m. longissimus dorsi et thoracis and m.

Carcass Characteristics and Beef Quality of Young Grass-Fed Angus x Salers Bovines.

To characterize carcass and meat attributes, such as beef eating quality in specific farming conditions, 31 young grass-fed crossbred Angus x Salers cattle in two farming systems (a mono-cattle system versus a mixed system with beef cattle and sheep) were used in this study. Three muscle cuts (striploin-; bolar blade-; internal flank plate-) were used for consumer eating quality testing and striploin was used for panelist eating quality assessment, and objective measurements [Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and fatty acid (FA) and antioxidant contents]. Results indicated that the farming system had no impact on carcass characteristics or meat quality, but it tended to affect FA content, which is likely explained by between-system differences in animal maturity (assessed by ossification score).

Bone mineral concentration predicted by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry and its relationship with lamb eating quality.

Lumbar bone mineral concentration, as predicted by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA), may reflect changes in lamb maturity and eating quality. New season (n = 60) and old season (n = 60) lambs were slaughtered and DEXA scanned at a commercial abattoir across 2 kill groups. The second lumbar vertebra was isolated from the spine for determination of calcium, phosphorus, and magnesium concentration (mg/g).

The potential for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry to predict lamb eating quality.

Data were obtained from 120 lambs which were slaughtered, scanned using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) and underwent eating quality assessment. DEXA images were used to determine R values, reflecting atomic mass, to predict carcass lean %. Additionally, bone regions (humerus, lumbar, femur and "all carcass bone") were isolated from images to determine bone specific R values (DEXA R Mean and SDev).

Influence of Demographic Factors on Sheepmeat Sensory Scores of American, Australian and Chinese Consumers.

Along with animal production factors, it is important to understand whether demographic factors influence untrained consumer perceptions of eating quality. This study examined the impact of demographic factors and sheepmeat consumption preferences on eating quality scores of American, Australian and Chinese untrained consumers. M.

Minor differences in perceived sheepmeat eating quality scores of Australian, Chinese and American consumers.

Understanding consumer sensory perceptions of sheepmeat is essential for consumer satisfaction post-purchase. Meat Standards Australia (MSA) sensory protocols have been effectively utilised in beef for international consumers however, to date sheepmeat testing is largely limited to Australian consumers. This study measured the sensory responses (liking of odour, tenderness, juiciness, liking of flavour, and overall liking) of 2160 untrained American, Australian and Chinese consumers to grilled longissimus lumborum (LL) and semimembranosus (SM) muscles from 164 lambs and 168 yearlings.

Lamb Age has Little Impact on Eating Quality.

There is an industry wide perception that new season lamb has better eating quality than old season lamb. This study aims to identify differences in consumer eating quality scores between two age classes in lamb. Consumer eating quality scores from eight cuts across the carcass were evaluated from new season (NS; = 120; average age = 240 days) and old season lambs (OS; = 121; average age = 328 days), sourced from four different flocks.

Factors affecting lamb eating quality and the potential for their integration into an MSA sheepmeat grading model.

Major efforts in the sheep industry to control eating quality have resulted in reduced product variability. Yet inconsistent eating quality for consumers remains, due to a degree of inaccurate representation of cut quality. Eating quality defined through a complex interplay of different factors can be predicted for individual cuts, and Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grading schemes have been developed to achieve these defined quality outcomes.

Effect of genomic distance on coexpression of coregulated genes in E. coli.

In prokaryotes, genomic distance is a feature that in addition to coregulation affects coexpression. Several observations, such as genomic clustering of highly coexpressed small regulons, support the idea that coexpression behavior of coregulated genes is affected by the distance between the coregulated genes. However, the specific contribution of distance in addition to coregulation in determining the degree of coexpression has not yet been studied systematically.

Sire carcass breeding values affect body composition in lambs--2. Effects on fat and bone weight and their distribution within the carcass as measured by computed tomography.

This study assessed the effect of paternal Australian Sheep Breeding Values for post weaning c-site eye muscle depth (PEMD) and fat depth (PFAT), and post weaning weight (PWWT) on the composition of lamb carcasses. Composition was measured using computed tomography scans of 1665 lambs which were progeny of 85 Maternal, 115 Merino and 155 Terminal sires. Reducing sire PFAT decreased carcass fat weight by 4.

RegulonDB version 9.0: high-level integration of gene regulation, coexpression, motif clustering and beyond.

RegulonDB (http://regulondb.ccg.unam.

Sire carcass breeding values affect body composition in lambs - 1. Effects on lean weight and its distribution within the carcass as measured by computed tomography.

Data are obtained from computed tomography scanning of 1665 lambs at locations around Australia. Lambs were progeny of Terminal, Maternal and Merino sires with known Australian Sheep Breeding Values for post weaning c-site eye muscle depth (mm; PEMD) and fat depth (mm; PFAT), and post weaning weight (kg; PWWT). Across the 7.

Intramuscular fat in lamb muscle and the impact of selection for improved carcass lean meat yield.

Intramuscular fat percentage (IMF%) has been shown to have a positive influence on the eating quality of red meat. Selection of Australian lambs for increased lean tissue and reduced carcass fatness using Australian Sheep Breeding Values has been shown to decrease IMF% of the Muscularis longissimus lumborum. The impact this selection has on the IMF% of other muscle depots is unknown.

Genetic parameters for meat quality traits of Australian lamb meat.

Genetic parameters were estimated for a range of meat quality traits recorded on Australian lamb meat. Data were collected from Merino and crossbred progeny of Merino, terminal and maternal meat breed sires of the Information Nucleus programme. Lambs born between 2007 and 2010 (n=8968) were slaughtered, these being the progeny of 372 sires and 5309 dams.

Selection for lean meat yield in lambs reduces indicators of oxidative metabolism in the longissimus muscle.

Selection for increased lean meat yield using Australian Sheep Breeding Values for reduced post-weaning c-site fat depth (PFAT) and increased post-weaning eye muscle depth (PEMD) reduces the oxidative capacity of muscle. Isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICDH) activity and myoglobin concentration were measured in 3178 and 5580 lambs, respectively, to indicate oxidative capacity. In the progeny of sires with a reduced PFAT, ICDH activity and myoglobin concentration were reduced by 0.