Influence of age on the expression of genes related to adipogenesis in Wagyu Kuroge progenies

• Grant number: 24/16793-4
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: November 01, 2024
• End date: October 31, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Agronomical Sciences - Animal Husbandry - Animal Production
• Principal Investigator: Angélica Simone Cravo Pereira
• Grantee: Gabriela Sanches
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Medicina Veterinária e Zootecnia (FMVZ). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Brazilian beef production market stands out in the world beef production ranking, with the largest commercial herd in the world. Therefore, Brazil has a large market and the introduction of new beef breeds seeking to differentiate themselves in terms of meat quality attributes, with the aim of marketing in diversified niches, has become increasingly significant. In this scenario, the use of the Wagyu Kuroge breed, of Japanese origin, in the national cattle herd can contribute to obtaining superior products in terms of the main attributes of consumer interest related to meat quality, such as the deposition of intramuscular fat, which is a prominent characteristic of these animals. However, Wagyu Kuroge animals are slaughtered late and it is known that age influences meat quality, but studies on the use of this breed are limited. The aim of this study was to analyze the interference of age on the expression of genes related to intramuscular fat deposition in the Longissimus thoracis muscle in progenies of Wagyu Kuroge bulls bred in tropical conditions. Twenty progenies of Wagyu Kuroge cattle were confined. The animals were kept under the same management conditions and fed the same diet ad libitum. After the confinement period, the animals are being slaughtered, consisting of 10 progeny slaughtered at an average age of 43 months and 10 progeny slaughtered at an average age of 28 months. At the time of slaughter, samples are being taken from the Longissimus thoracis muscle for histological and gene expression analysis. During deboning, samples of the same muscle are being taken for analysis of the marbling score and quantification of total lipids. It is expected that there will be differences in the expression and interaction of genes related to adipogenesis, as well as histological changes in adipocytes in the meat of progenies of different ages from Wagyu Kuroge animals raised in tropical conditions.