Abstract

The aim of the present study was to determine the relationships between the blood metabolome and (1) carcass traits with a focus on intramuscular fat (marbling), and (2) the length of time cattle consumed a high-starch diet in feedlot cattle. Blood samples were obtained from 181 Wagyu-crossbred steers between 300–400 days before slaughter when carcass data was collected. 1H NMR spectroscopy identified 35 metabolites with 7 positively associated with marbling (3-hydroxybutyrate, propionate, acetate, creatine, histidine, valine, and isoleucine; P ≤ 0.05). Subcutaneous rump fat thickness was positively associated with glucose, leucine and lipids (P ≤ 0.05) and negatively associated with anserine and arabinose (P ≤ 0.05). Carcass weight and growth rate were negatively associated with 3-hydroxybutyrate (P < 0.05), and growth rate was negatively associated with creatine (P < 0.05) and positively associated with aspartate (P < 0.05). Glucose and arginine showed a significant interaction between marbling and number of days animals consumed a high-starch diet (P < 0.05). Sire was the single variable with the largest effect on the relative concentration of metabolites and carcass and production traits. Blood metabolomics helps understand fat and muscle metabolism, and is associated with genotype, and carcass and production traits in cattle offering potential biomarkers suitable to select animals for management and genetic improvement.

Details

Title
Relationship of the blood metabolome to subsequent carcass traits at slaughter in feedlot Wagyu crossbred steers
Author
Connolly, Samantha 1 ; Dona, Anthony 2   VIAFID ORCID Logo  ; Wilkinson-White, Lorna 3 ; Hamblin, Darren 4 ; Michael D’Occhio 5 ; González, Luciano A 5   VIAFID ORCID Logo 

1  Sydney Institute of Agriculture & School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia; Hamblin Pty Ltd, ‘Strathdale’, Blue Mountain, Sarina, Australia 
2  Kolling Institute of Medical Research, Northern Medical School, The University of Sydney, St Leonard’s, NSW, Australia 
3  Sydney Analytical Core Facility, The University of Sydney, Sydney, NSW, Australia 
4  Hamblin Pty Ltd, ‘Strathdale’, Blue Mountain, Sarina, Australia 
5  Sydney Institute of Agriculture & School of Life and Environmental Sciences, The University of Sydney, Camden, NSW, Australia 
Pages
1-11
Publication year
2019
Publication date
Oct 2019
Publisher
Nature Publishing Group
e-ISSN
20452322
Source type
Scholarly Journal
Language of publication
English
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-019-51655-2
ProQuest document ID
2309514607
Copyright
© 2019. This work is published under http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ (the “License”). Notwithstanding the ProQuest Terms and Conditions, you may use this content in accordance with the terms of the License.