Variation of carnitine concentrations in Angus beef

The objective was to quantify the naturally occurring free L-Carnitine (FC), acylated (AC), and total carnitine (TC) in skeletal muscle of Angus beef cattle. These data then were correlated to the yield grade (YG) and marbling scores (MS) of the same samples of longissmus dorsi muscles at 12th rib were collected from 1085 purebred Angus bulls, steers, and heifers from Iowa and California and used to quantify different the forms of carnitine. The spectrophotometric and enzymatic quantification of the different carnitines demonstrated that concentration of FC ranged from 2.12 to 6.32 ymol/g of beef and averaged 3.77 y 0.80 ymol/g of beef. Also, the AC concentration ranged from 0.05 to 1.61ymol/g and averaged at 0.71 y 0.17 ymol/g of beef. Similarly, the TC ranged from 2.60 to 7.28 ymol/g of beef and averaged at 4.48 y 0.88 ymole/g of beef. Overall beef from male Angus beef contained higher FC (P = 0.01) and tended to have higher TC (P = 0.09) than that of beef from female. The AC, however, tended to be higher (P = 0.08) in beef from female Angus beef cattle. Additionally, the yield grade (YG) was greater in female Angus beef cattle. The marbling score (MS), however, tended to greater (P = 0.06) in beef from male Angus beef cattle compared with that of beef from the female. These data suggest that increased carnitine concentration in beef is associated with increase YG and MS of beef from Angus cattle

Genetic parameters for carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, and anserine concentration in longissimus muscle and their association with palatability traits in Angus cattle

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, and anserine concentration in LM and to evaluate their associations with Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and beef palatability traits. Longissimus muscle samples from 2,285 Angus cattle were obtained and fabricated into steaks for analysis of carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, anserine, and other nutrients, and for trained sensory panel and WBSF assessments. Restricted maximum likelihood procedures were used to obtain estimates of variance and covariance components under a multiple-trait animal model. Estimates of heritability for carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, and anserine concentrations in LM from Angus cattle were 0.015, 0.434, 0.070, 0.383, and 0.531, respectively. Creatine, carnosine, and anserine were found to be moderately heritable, whereas almost no genetic variation was observed in carnitine and creatinine. Moderate positive genetic (0.25, P \u3c 0.05) and phenotypic correlations (0.25, P \u3c 0.05) were identified between carnosine and anserine. Medium negative genetic correlations were identified between creatine and both carnosine (-0.53, P\u3c 0.05) and anserine (-0.46, P \u3c 0.05). Beef and livery/metallic flavor were not associated with any of the 5 compounds analyzed (P \u3e 0.10), and carnitine concentrations were not associated (P \u3e 0.10) with any of the meat palatability traits analyzed. Carnosine was negatively associated with overall tenderness as assessed by trained sensory panelists. Similar negative associations with overall tenderness were identified for creatinine and anserine. Painty/fishy was the only flavor significantly and negatively associated with creatinine and carnosine. These results provide information regarding the concentration of these compounds, the amount of genetic variation, and evidence for negligible associations with beef palatability traits in LM of beef cattle

Genetic parameters for carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, and anserine concentration in longissimus muscle and their association with palatability traits in Angus cattle

The objective of this study was to estimate genetic parameters for carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, and anserine concentration in LM and to evaluate their associations with Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) and beef palatability traits. Longissimus muscle samples from 2,285 Angus cattle were obtained and fabricated into steaks for analysis of carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, anserine, and other nutrients, and for trained sensory panel and WBSF assessments. Restricted maximum likelihood procedures were used to obtain estimates of variance and covariance components under a multiple-trait animal model. Estimates of heritability for carnitine, creatine, creatinine, carnosine, and anserine concentrations in LM from Angus cattle were 0.015, 0.434, 0.070, 0.383, and 0.531, respectively. Creatine, carnosine, and anserine were found to be moderately heritable, whereas almost no genetic variation was observed in carnitine and creatinine. Moderate positive genetic (0.25, P P PP P > 0.10), and carnitine concentrations were not associated (P > 0.10) with any of the meat palatability traits analyzed. Carnosine was negatively associated with overall tenderness as assessed by trained sensory panelists. Similar negative associations with overall tenderness were identified for creatinine and anserine. Painty/fishy was the only flavor significantly and negatively associated with creatinine and carnosine. These results provide information regarding the concentration of these compounds, the amount of genetic variation, and evidence for negligible associations with beef palatability traits in LM of beef cattle.This article is from Journal of Animal Science 90, no. 12 (December 2012): 4248–4255, doi:10.2527/jas.2011-5077.</p