Vitamin A administration at birth promotes calf growth and intramuscular fat development in Angus beef cattle
Abstract Background Marbling, or intramuscular fat, is an important factor contributing to the palatability of beef. Vitamin A, through its active metabolite, retinoic acid, promotes the formation of new fat cells (adipogenesis). As intramuscular adipogenesis is active during the neonatal stage, we...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2018-07-01
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| Series: | Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology |
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| Online Access: | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40104-018-0268-7 |
| _version_ | 1818947024646569984 |
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| author | Corrine L. Harris Bo Wang Jeneane M. Deavila Jan R. Busboom Martin Maquivar Steven M. Parish Brent McCann Mark L. Nelson Min Du |
| author_facet | Corrine L. Harris Bo Wang Jeneane M. Deavila Jan R. Busboom Martin Maquivar Steven M. Parish Brent McCann Mark L. Nelson Min Du |
| author_sort | Corrine L. Harris |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background Marbling, or intramuscular fat, is an important factor contributing to the palatability of beef. Vitamin A, through its active metabolite, retinoic acid, promotes the formation of new fat cells (adipogenesis). As intramuscular adipogenesis is active during the neonatal stage, we hypothesized that vitamin A administration during the neonatal stage would enhance intramuscular adipogenesis and marbling. Methods Angus steer calves (n = 30), in a completely randomized design, were randomly allotted to three treatment groups at birth, receiving 0, 150,000, or 300,000 IU of vitamin A at both birth and one month of age. A biopsy of the biceps femoris muscle was collected at two months of age. After weaning at 210 d of age, steers were fed a backgrounding diet in a feedlot until 308 d of age, when they were transitioned to a high concentrate finishing diet and implanted with trenbolone/estradiol/tylosin mixture. Steers were harvested at an average of 438 d of age. All diets were formulated to meet nutrient requirements. Results Weaning weight and weight during the backgrounding phase were linearly increased (P < 0.05) by vitamin A level, though no difference in body weight was observed at harvest. Intramuscular fat of steers at 308 d of age, measured by ultrasound, quadratically increased (P < 0.05) with vitamin A level from 4.0±0.26 % to 4.9±0.26 %. Similarly, carcass marbling score in the ribeye quadratically increased (P < 0.05). Conclusion Administration of vitamin A at birth increased weaning weight and enhanced marbling fat development. Thus, vitamin A administration provides a practical method for increasing marbling and early growth of beef cattle. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-20T08:24:20Z |
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| id | doaj.art-9faa61ae862a40bb9b8b371f5b5d8f10 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2049-1891 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-20T08:24:20Z |
| publishDate | 2018-07-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology |
| spelling | doaj.art-9faa61ae862a40bb9b8b371f5b5d8f102022-12-21T19:46:54ZengBMCJournal of Animal Science and Biotechnology2049-18912018-07-01911910.1186/s40104-018-0268-7Vitamin A administration at birth promotes calf growth and intramuscular fat development in Angus beef cattleCorrine L. Harris0Bo Wang1Jeneane M. Deavila2Jan R. Busboom3Martin Maquivar4Steven M. Parish5Brent McCann6Mark L. Nelson7Min Du8Department of Animal Sciences, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Animal Sciences, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Animal Sciences, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Animal Sciences, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Animal Sciences, Washington State UniversityCollege of Veterinary Medicine, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Animal Sciences, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Animal Sciences, Washington State UniversityDepartment of Animal Sciences, Washington State UniversityAbstract Background Marbling, or intramuscular fat, is an important factor contributing to the palatability of beef. Vitamin A, through its active metabolite, retinoic acid, promotes the formation of new fat cells (adipogenesis). As intramuscular adipogenesis is active during the neonatal stage, we hypothesized that vitamin A administration during the neonatal stage would enhance intramuscular adipogenesis and marbling. Methods Angus steer calves (n = 30), in a completely randomized design, were randomly allotted to three treatment groups at birth, receiving 0, 150,000, or 300,000 IU of vitamin A at both birth and one month of age. A biopsy of the biceps femoris muscle was collected at two months of age. After weaning at 210 d of age, steers were fed a backgrounding diet in a feedlot until 308 d of age, when they were transitioned to a high concentrate finishing diet and implanted with trenbolone/estradiol/tylosin mixture. Steers were harvested at an average of 438 d of age. All diets were formulated to meet nutrient requirements. Results Weaning weight and weight during the backgrounding phase were linearly increased (P < 0.05) by vitamin A level, though no difference in body weight was observed at harvest. Intramuscular fat of steers at 308 d of age, measured by ultrasound, quadratically increased (P < 0.05) with vitamin A level from 4.0±0.26 % to 4.9±0.26 %. Similarly, carcass marbling score in the ribeye quadratically increased (P < 0.05). Conclusion Administration of vitamin A at birth increased weaning weight and enhanced marbling fat development. Thus, vitamin A administration provides a practical method for increasing marbling and early growth of beef cattle.http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40104-018-0268-7BeefCalfCattleMarbling fatQualityVitamin A |
| spellingShingle | Corrine L. Harris Bo Wang Jeneane M. Deavila Jan R. Busboom Martin Maquivar Steven M. Parish Brent McCann Mark L. Nelson Min Du Vitamin A administration at birth promotes calf growth and intramuscular fat development in Angus beef cattle Journal of Animal Science and Biotechnology Beef Calf Cattle Marbling fat Quality Vitamin A |
| title | Vitamin A administration at birth promotes calf growth and intramuscular fat development in Angus beef cattle |
| title_full | Vitamin A administration at birth promotes calf growth and intramuscular fat development in Angus beef cattle |
| title_fullStr | Vitamin A administration at birth promotes calf growth and intramuscular fat development in Angus beef cattle |
| title_full_unstemmed | Vitamin A administration at birth promotes calf growth and intramuscular fat development in Angus beef cattle |
| title_short | Vitamin A administration at birth promotes calf growth and intramuscular fat development in Angus beef cattle |
| title_sort | vitamin a administration at birth promotes calf growth and intramuscular fat development in angus beef cattle |
| topic | Beef Calf Cattle Marbling fat Quality Vitamin A |
| url | http://link.springer.com/article/10.1186/s40104-018-0268-7 |
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