National Beef Quality Audit-2022: Harvest-floor assessments of hide defects, carcass defects, and offal condemnations that affect value of carcasses and by-products from market cows and bulls.

The National Beef Quality Audit ()-2022 serves as a benchmark of the current market cow and bull sectors of the U.S. beef industry and allows comparison to previous audits as a method of monitoring industry progress.

Dietary glycine supplementation enhances creatine availability in tissues of pigs with intrauterine growth restriction.

This study tested the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with glycine (Gly) enhances the synthesis and availability of creatine (Cr) in tissues of pigs with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). At weaning (21 d of age), IUGR pigs and litter mates with normal birth weights (NBW) were assigned randomly to 1 of the 2 groups, namely, supplementation with 1% Gly or 1.19% l-alanine (isonitrogenous control) to a corn- and soybean meal-based diet.

Fishy business in Seattle: Salmon mislabeling fraud in sushi restaurants vs grocery stores.

Salmon is the most commonly consumed finfish in the United States of America (USA), and the mislabeling of salmon is a widespread problem. Washington State is a global supplier of wild-caught Pacific salmon and local salmon mislabeling results in substantial economic, ecological, and cultural impacts. Previous studies in Washington State identified high levels of mislabeled salmon in both markets and restaurants, resulting in local legislation being passed that requires proper labeling of salmon products, including identifying it as wild-caught or farm-raised.

National Beef Quality Audit-2022: in-plant assessments of quality and yield determining carcass characteristics of fed steers and heifers.

The National Beef Quality Audit - 2022 serves as a benchmark of the current fed steer and heifer population of the U.S. beef industry and allows comparison to previous audits as a method of monitoring industry progress.

Dietary glycine supplementation activates mechanistic target of rapamycin signaling pathway in tissues of pigs with intrauterine growth restriction.

The mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) cell signaling pathway serves as the central mechanism for the regulation of tissue protein synthesis and growth. We recently reported that supplementing 1% glycine to corn- and soybean meal-based diets enhanced growth performance between weaning and market weights in pigs with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). Results of recent studies have revealed an important role for glycine in activating mTOR and protein synthesis in C2C12 muscle cells.

National Beef Quality Audit-2022: Transportation, mobility, live cattle, and hide assessments to determine producer-related defects that affect animal welfare and the value of market cows and bulls at processing facilities.

The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA)-2022 serves as a benchmark of the current market cow and bull sectors of the U.S. beef industry and allows comparison to previous audits as a method of monitoring industry progress.

National Beef Quality Audit-2022 Phase 1: face-to-face and digital interviews.

The National Beef Quality Audit () has been conducted regularly since 1991 to assess and benchmark quality in the U.S. beef industry, with the most recent iteration conducted in 2022.

Dietary glycine supplementation enhances glutathione availability in tissues of pigs with intrauterine growth restriction.

This study tested the hypothesis that dietary supplementation with glycine enhances the synthesis and concentrations of glutathione (GSH, a major antioxidant) in tissues of pigs with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). At weaning (21 d of age), IUGR pigs and litter mates with normal birth weights (NBW) were assigned randomly to one of two groups, representing supplementation with 1% glycine or 1.19% l-alanine (isonitrogenous control) to a corn- and soybean meal-based diet.

Dietary glycine supplementation enhances postweaning growth and meat quality of pigs with intrauterine growth restriction.

Pigs with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) have suboptimum growth performance and impaired synthesis of glycine (the most abundant amino acid in the body). Conventional corn- and soybean meal-based diets for postweaning pigs contain relatively low amounts of glycine and may not provide sufficient glycine to meet requirements for IUGR pigs. This hypothesis was tested using 52 IUGR pigs and 52 litter mates with normal birth weights (NBW).

Efficacy of antimicrobial interventions in reducing Salmonella enterica, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli, Campylobacter, and Escherichia coli biotype I surrogates on non-chilled and chilled, skin-on and skinless pork.

Effect of various antimicrobial interventions on pork carcass cuts - skin-on and skinless, non-chilled and chilled - was studied. Carcass pieces were inoculated with Salmonella enterica, Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC), Escherichia coli pathogen surrogates or Campylobacter spp. Inoculated pieces were assigned to one of the following antimicrobial treatments: 2.

Palatability assessments of beef strip loin steaks portioned by weight or by thickness sourced from various carcass weight/ribeye area size combinations.

Beef carcasses (n = 90; U.S. Choice) met a 3 ribeye area (REA - Small, Medium, Large) × 3 carcass weight (CW - Light, Intermediate, Heavy) scheme to assess palatability on steaks cut by portion thickness (PT- 3.

Sorting beef subprimals by ribeye area size at the packer level to optimize utility and product uniformity in foodservice and retail.

The objectives of the study were to evaluate if sorting beef carcasses at the packer level by loin muscle (LM) area, using instrument grading technology, would increase the consistency of three boxed beef products for the foodservice and retail sectors of the industry. U.S.

Assessment of Salmonella Prevalence in Lymph Nodes of U.S. and Mexican Cattle Presented for Slaughter in Texas.

Foodborne salmonellosis has been traced to undercooked ground beef and other beef products in the past, and peripheral lymph node (LN) presence in the fatty tissues of beef carcasses is one possible source of Salmonella contamination. Researchers have previously reported higher rates of Salmonella prevalence in LNs from cattle raised and harvested in Mexico compared with rates typically observed from cattle harvested in the United States. With cattle of Mexican origin comprising the majority of U.

Impact of elevated aging temperatures on retail display, tenderness, and consumer acceptability of beef.

Palatability, color, and aroma of steaks derived from subprimals aged for 14 d at conventional temperatures (0.0 to 1.1 °C) versus those aged for 7 d at conventional temperatures followed by 7 d at elevated temperatures (3.

National survey of prevalence in lymph nodes of sows and market hogs.

Livestock are known to harbor in their gastrointestinal () tract and lymphatic tissues. Pathogens may be transferred from the GI tract to external carcass surfaces during normal harvest procedures but can be mitigated by antimicrobial carcass interventions. Lymph nodes () are typically encased in fat and are protected from antimicrobial carcass surface treatments, thus serving as a possible root cause of foodborne illnesses attributed to in meat products.

Comparison of Salmonella Prevalence Rates in Bovine Lymph Nodes across Feeding Stages.

Peripheral lymph nodes (LNs) located in the fatty tissues of beef carcasses have been shown to harbor Salmonella and, thus, potentially contaminate ground beef. Salmonella prevalence within LNs is known to differ among feedlots. Two South Texas feeding operations (identified as locations A and B) known to harbor salmonellae in the feedlot environment, while historically producing cattle with opposing rates (one "high" and one "low") of Salmonella prevalence in LNs, were used in this study.

National Beef Quality Audit-2016: assessment of cattle hide characteristics, offal condemnations, and carcass traits to determine the quality status of the market cow and bull beef industry.

To continue the series that began in 1994, the National Beef Quality Audit () - 2016 was conducted to quantify the quality status of the market cow and bull beef sector, as well as determine improvements made in the beef and dairy industry since 2007. The NBQA-2016 was conducted from March through December of 2016, and assessed hide-on carcasses ( = 5,278), chilled carcasses ( = 4,285), heads ( = 5,720), and offal items ( = 4,800) in 18 commercial processing facilities throughout the United States. Beef cattle were predominantly black-hided; 68.

National Beef Quality Audit-2016: Transportation, mobility, live cattle, and carcass assessments of targeted producer-related characteristics that affect value of market cows and bulls, their carcasses, and associated by-products.

The National Beef Quality Audit-2016 marks the fourth iteration in a series assessing the quality of live beef and dairy cows and bulls and their carcass counterparts. The objective was to determine the incidence of producer-related defects, and report cattle and carcass traits associated with producer management. Conducted from March through December of 2016, trailers ( = 154), live animals ( = 5,470), hide-on carcasses ( = 5,278), and hide-off hot carcasses ( = 5,510) were surveyed in 18 commercial packing facilities throughout the United States.

National Beef Quality Audit-2016: Phase 1, Face-to-face interviews.

The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) is conducted every 5 yr and was most recently again conducted in 2016. Face-to-face interviews gauged progress in quality associated with live cattle production using procedures first utilized in NBQA 2011. The 2016 NBQA was the first in which interviews concerning fed steers and heifers were combined with an audit of market cow and bull beef.

A Research Communication Brief: Gluten Analysis in Beef Samples Collected Using a Rigorous, Nationally Representative Sampling Protocol Confirms That Grain-Finished Beef Is Naturally Gluten-Free.

Knowing whether or not a food contains gluten is vital for the growing number of individuals with celiac disease and non-celiac gluten sensitivity. Questions have recently been raised about whether beef from conventionally-raised, grain-finished cattle may contain gluten. To date, basic principles of ruminant digestion have been cited in support of the prevailing expert opinion that beef is inherently gluten-free.

National Beef Quality Audit-2016: In-plant survey of carcass characteristics related to quality, quantity, and value of fed steers and heifers.

The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA)-2016 used in-plant cooler assessments to benchmark the current status of the fed steer and heifer beef industry in the United States. In-plant cooler assessments ( = 9,106 carcasses) were conducted at 30 facilities, where approximately 10% of a single day's production were evaluated for USDA quality grade (QG) and yield grade (YG) factors. Frequencies of evaluated traits were 66.

National Beef Quality Audit - 2016: Survey of carcass characteristics through instrument grading assessments.

The instrument grading assessment portion of the National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) - 2016 allows the unique opportunity to evaluate beef carcass traits over the course of a year. One week of instrument grading data was collected each month from 5 beef processing corporations encompassing 18 facilities from January 2016 through December 2016 ( = 4,544,635 carcasses). Mean USDA yield grade (YG) was 3.

National Beef Quality Audit-2016: Transportation, mobility, and harvest-floor assessments of targeted characteristics that affect quality and value of cattle, carcasses, and by-products.

The National Beef Quality Audit-2016 (NBQA-2016) was conducted to assess current transportation, mobility, and quality characteristics of U.S. fed steers and heifers.

Tracing Surrogates for Enteric Pathogens Inoculated on Hide through the Beef Harvesting Process.

Multiple antimicrobial interventions have been validated for use during the beef postharvesting process. However, little has been done to determine the impact of the postharvest environment on pathogen contamination. In this study, surrogate microorganisms were used to simulate pathogen cross-contamination through the postharvest environment at three different abattoirs.

Prevalence and Characterization of Salmonella enterica and Salmonella Bacteriophages Recovered from Beef Cattle Feedlots in South Texas.

Asymptomatic Salmonella carriage in beef cattle is a food safety concern, and the beef feedlot environment may function as a reservoir of this pathogen. The goal of this study was to identify and isolate Salmonella and Salmonella bacteriophages from beef cattle feedlot environments in order to better understand the microbial ecology of Salmonella and identify phages that might be useful as anti-Salmonella beef safety interventions. Three feedlots in south Texas were visited, and 27 distinct samples from each source were collected from dropped feces, feed from feed bunks, drinking water from troughs, and soil in cattle pens (n = 108 samples).