Study of meat enzimatic proteolisis of Nellore (Bos indicus) cattle finished at feedlot

• Grant number: 16/19134-5
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: March 01, 2017
• End date: February 28, 2018
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal Investigator: Luis Artur Loyola Chardulo
• Grantee: Jéssica Yumi Yamamoto Kita
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade Estadual Paulista (UNESP). Campus de Botucatu. Botucatu , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This project aims to conduct a more specifies approach on the characterization, expression and quantification of important proteins and gene related with the growth of the skeletal muscle tissue and meat tenderness in Nellore cattle. For that will be used data and samples from 90 male animals Nellore whole aged approximately 27 months undergoing growth management and finishing in feedlot for 95 days. During the feedlot were taken measurements of weight and calculated the live weight gains in the period. The animals were slaughtered at average live weight of 550 kg, when then were colleted samples for analysis of gene and protein expression. The carcasses were then cooled for 24 hours when they were collected samples of the Longissimus thoracis muscle to realization of the analyzes of production and of meat quality as: rib eye area, backfat thickness, meat instrumental color, shear force, cooking losses, determination of myofibrillar fragmentation index and intramuscular lipid content of the meat. The animal performance, carcass characteristic and meat quality will be related to the analytical studies of proteins. For this will be adopted specific methods the gene expression analysis (RT-PCR) and assays quantitation of proteins by Western Blot of the Calpain complex (calpain-I, calpain-II and calpastatin). (AU)