Aká je súčasná kvalita kravského mäsa na Slovensku v porovnaní s mäsom býkov?

The present study aimed at comparison of chemical composition, meat quality and sensory parameters of cow’s meat and meat from bulls produced under Slovak conditions and sold in retail of Slovakia. The analysis was performed on 181 cows and 78 bulls. Cows were also divided in two groups according to age at slaughter – over (n = 135) and/or under 4 years (n = 46). The meat samples were taken in eight slaughter houses located in the western, central and eastern part of Slovakia. The age of cows slaughtered had significant effect (P < 0.05) on the most meat quality and sensory traits which were evaluated much more worse in older cows with comparison to bulls than in younger cows. Older cows had lower content of proteins and water in meat, lower pH7 and colour parameter “L” as well as worse evaluation of all sensory parameters in comparison to bulls (P < 0.05). On the other hand, intramuscular fat content, energetic value of meat, marbling, pH48, colour parameter “a” and cooking loss were higher in meat of older cows than bulls (P < 0.05). Differences in traits observed between younger cows and bulls were statistically significant (P < 0.05) only for content of proteins and water, pH48, colour parameter “a”, cooking loss and evaluation of odour. The hypothesis of significantly poorer meat and eating quality is justified in the case of cows over 4 years. The study did not confirm the decreasing age of cows at slaughter as suggested previous studies.Prezentovaná štúdia bola zameraná na porovnanie chemického zloženia, kvalitatívnych a senzorických parametrov mäsa kráv a býkov pochádzajúcich zo slovenských chovov a predávaných v maloobchodnej sieti Slovenska. Analýza bola vykonaná na 181 kravách a 78 býkoch. Kravy boli rozdelené do dvoch skupín podľa ich veku pri porážke: nad 4 roky (n = 135) a do 4 rokov (n = 46). Odbery boli vykonané na ôsmich bitúnkoch lokalizovaných na západnom, strednom a východnom Slovensku, aby poskytli čo najreprezentatívnejšiu vzorku. Vek porážaných kráv mal preukazný vplyv (P < 0,05) na chemické zloženie mäsa ako aj na väčšinu kvalitatívnych a senzorických ukazovateľov, ktoré boli výrazne horšie hodnotené v skupine starších kráv v porovnaní s býkmi než v skupine mladších kráv. Pre skupinu starších kráv bol charakteristický nižší obsah vody a bielkovín v mäse, nižšie pH7, hodnota farby „L“, ako aj nižšie hodnotenie senzorických parametrov mäsa v porovnaní s býkmi (P < 0,05). Naopak, obsah intramuskulárneho tuku, energetická hodnota mäsa, mramorovanie, pH48, hodnota farby „a“ a straty grilovaním boli vyššie v mäse starších kráv než v mäse býkov (P < 0,05). Rozdiely v chemickom zložení mäsa, v kvalitatívnych a senzorických parametroch medzi mäsom mladších kráv a mäsom býkov boli preukazné (P < 0,05) iba v obsahu bielkovín, vody, farby „a“, pH48, stratách grilovaním a vo vôni. Hypotéza o preukazne horšej kvalite mäsa a konzumnej kvalite je opodstatnená v prípade kráv starších ako 4 roky. Štúdia taktiež nepotvrdila znižujúci sa vek kráv pri porážke ako bolo zistené v predchádzajúcich štúdiách

Attitudes and beliefs of Eastern European consumers towards piglet castration and meat from castrated pigs

Castration of male piglets is a common practice to avoid boar taint but is being questioned. The present work has an exploratory character and aims to investigate the beliefs and attitudes of Eastern European consumers regarding boar taint, surgical castration immunocastration and perception of meat from castrated pigs and to find out possible segments of consumers regarding these attitudes and beliefs. For this purpose, a consumer study was carried out involving 5508 consumers from 13 Eastern European countries (Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Czech Republic, Croatia, North Macedonia, Hungary, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia and Ukraine). The questionnaire included statements related to beliefs about castration and perception of meat from castrated pigs, attitudes towards meat from castrated pigs. Results show that in general beliefs and attitudes of the consumers are not defined, probably because of the lack of knowledge (information was not provided to the consumers) towards these issues. Three different clusters of consumers were obtained with different beliefs towards castration.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Real-time ultrasound (RTU) imaging methods for quality control of meats

In this chapter the use of real-time ultrasonography to predict in vivo carcass composition and meat traits will be reviewed. The chapter begins by discussing background and principles of ultrasound. Then aspects affecting the suitability of realtime ultrasonography and image analysis for predicting carcass composition and meat traits of meat producing species and fish will be presented. This chapter also provides an overview of the present and future trends in the application of real-time ultrasonography in the meat industry. © 2012 Woodhead Publishing Limited All rights reserved.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

An Evaluation of the Ease of Understanding Directions on Non-Prescription Drugs

This study evaluated the ease of comprehension of non-prescription drug directions. Six product labels were chosen and revised to reduce the readability level and to minimize technically, medically, and chemically oriented words and phrases. Comprehension of the original directions and the revised directions was tested using 285 subjects. The subjects were placed into one of three reading ability groups: above average, average, and below average, based on their scores on the reading comprehension sub-test of the Nelson-Denny Reading Test. It was found that each of the three reading ability groups reading the revised directions comprehended the material significantly better than their counterparts who read the original directions. The below average reader did not comprehend the revised directions as well as the above average reader who read the revised directions, but did comprehend the revised material as well as the above average reader who read the original directions. The results suggest that by minimizing technically, medically, and chemically oriented words and phrases, comprehension is increased for all reading ability levels

Vplyv suplementácie betaínu a kreatínmonohydrátu na chemické zloženie, oxidačnú stabilitu a kvalitu mäsa ošípaných heterozygótnych v géne RYR1

The aim of this study was to evaluate an effect of betaine and creatine monohydrate supplementation on chemical composition, meat quality, and oxidative stability of pork in pigs genotyped on mutation in RYR1 gene. Totally, sixty pigs – crosses of Lx(HAxPN) were involved in the experiment. Pigs were divided to one homozygous (NN) – control (C1), and three heterozygous (Nn) groups, each group including 15 animals. One group of Nn pigs was the control (C2) and two Nn groups were experimental. Control groups received a standard diet without supplement. Experimental groups were fed the same composition as controls but with supplement of betaine – BET (1.25 g/kg of feed) or creatine monohydrate - CMH (2.0 g/kg of feed) for thirty days prior to slaughter. Pigs C2 had worse meat quality, especially pH45, colour L* and drip loss (P<0.05), than homozygous C1 pigs. Dietary supplementation with betaine increased initial pH and decreased drip loss in Nn group (P<0.05) compared to C2 group. Supplementary CMH also increased pH45 and had a tendency to lowering the drip loss (P=0.058). Both feed additives substantially improved oxidative stability of pork, especially after 120 min incubation (P<0.01), compared to control C2 pigs.Cieľom štúdie bolo zhodnotiť vplyv suplementácie kŕmnej dávky betaínom a kreatínmonohydrátom na chemické zloženie, kvalitu a oxidačnú stabilitu mäsa ošípaných genotypovaných na mutáciu v géne RYR1. Do pokusu bolo zaradených 60 ošípaných – hybridov Lx(HAxPN). Ošípané boli rozdelené do jednej homozygótnej (NN) kontrolnej skupiny (C1), a troch heterozygótnych (Nn), pričom v každej bolo po 15 jedincov. Jedna skupina heterozygótov bola kontrolná (C2) a dve Nn skupiny boli experimentálne. Kontrolné skupiny (C1, C2) boli kŕmené štandardnou zmesou bez akéhokoľvek prídavku. Pokusné skupiny boli kŕmené tou istou zmesou ako kontrolné, avšak s prídavkom betaínu – BET (1,25 g/kg krmiva) alebo kreatínmonohydrátu – CMH (2,0 g/kg krmiva) po dobu 30 dní pred porážkou. Ošípané C2 mali horšiu kvalitu mäsa, najmä pH45, farbu L* a straty odkvapom (P<0,05) než skupina C1. Suplementácia betaínom zvýšila počiatočné pH a znížila straty odkvapom (P<0,05) v porovnaní s C2 skupinou. Prídavok CMH taktiež zvýšil pH45 a mal tendenciu znížiť straty odkvapom (P=0,058) oproti C2 skupine. Obe kŕmne aditíva výrazne zlepšili oxidačnú stabilitu mäsa, obzvlášť po 120 min inkubácii (P<0,01), v porovnaní s kontrolnou C2 skupinou

THE EFFECTS OF PROBE TYPE AND INTENSITY OF ULTRASOUND ON ACCURACY OF INTRAMUSCULAR FAT PREDICTION IN Longissimus dorsi MUSCLE OF PIGS**

**Plenary invited paper Abstract: This study evaluates the possibility of intramuscular fat prediction in live pigs using two different ultrasound probes (3.5 and/or 5.0 MHz) at three various levels of total ultrasound intensity. One hundred and forty-five hybrid pigs were weighed and scanned one to three days before slaughter by device ALOKA SSD 500. Each pig was scanned by both probes but at different levels of intensity. Cross-sectional images of longissimus dorsi muscle were processed by video image analysis for prediction of intramuscular fat content. Day after slaughter a sample of longissimus dorsi muscle was taken for laboratory analysis of true content of intramuscular fat. Correlation coefficients between predicted and true IMF content were calculated. Better results were achieved by probe 3.5 MHz than 5.0 MHz. Statistically significant correlation was found between analysed IMF and estimated one at intensity of 80 % (r = 0.31), less significant at intensity of 75 % (r = 0.20). After the improvement of accuracy of data proccessing and evaluation of sonographic images the ultrasound prediction of intramuscular fat in live pigs is feasible. Key words: pigs, intramuscular fat prediction, ultrasound probes, intensity level Introduction and literature review The trend in modern pig production has lead in the last decades towards to leaner pork. Increased selection for lean meat content has caused considerable decrease in subcutaneous fat, even possibly the reduction of88 I. Bahelka, J. Tomka, E. Hanusov

Estimation of heritability of feeding behaviour traits and their correlation with production traits in Finnish Yorkshire pigs

Abstract A major proportion of the costs of pork production is related to feed. The feed conversion rate (FCR) or residual feed intake (RFI) is thus commonly included in breeding programmes. Feeding behaviour traits do not directly have economic value but, if correlated with production traits, can be used as auxiliary traits. The aim of this study was to estimate the heritability of feeding behaviour traits and their genetic correlations with production traits in the Finnish Yorkshire pig population. The data were available from 3,235 pigs. Feeding behaviour was measured as the number of visits per day (NVD), time spent in feeding per day (TPD), daily feed intake (DFI), time spent feeding per visit (TPV), feed intake per visit (FPV) and feed intake rate (FR). The test station phase was divided into five periods. Estimates of heritabilities of feeding behaviour traits varied from 0.17 to 0.47. Strong genetic correlations were obtained between behaviour traits in all periods. However, only DFI was strongly correlated with the production traits. Interestingly, a moderate positive genetic correlation was obtained between FR and backfat thickness (0.1?0.5) and between FR and average daily gain (0.3?0.4), depending on the period. Based on the results, there is no additional benefit from including feeding-related traits other than those commonly used (FCR and RFI) in the breeding programme. However, if correlated with animal welfare, the feeding behaviour traits could be valuable in the breeding programme.Peer reviewe