A genetic analysis of meat compositions in Japanese Black cattle: Genetic parameters and sex influence

Abstract

Meat composition in beef is related to eating quality and food functionality. Genetic parameters for several meat compositions including free amino acid, peptide and sugar, however, remain poorly described. In this study, we estimated genetic parameters for 51 meat components, including free amino acids, peptides, sugars and fatty acid compositions, and two carcase traits in 1,354 heifers and 1,797 steers of Japanese Black cattle. Heritability estimates were generally equivalent to or moderately greater than those in previous studies of this breed. Genetic correlations between free amino acids, peptides and sugars and carcase traits were often negative, suggesting a trade-off between traits. Using two-trait animal models that treat records from the two sexes as different traits, we estimated sex-specific heritabilities and cross-sex genetic correlations which indicate the sex differences in genetic architecture. In these analyses, 12 traits showed significant heritability differences between sexes and cross-sex genetic correlations occasionally deviated from unity. These results could be used to inform future breeding schemes and investigations of the genetic architecture of meat compositions in beef.

Genomic imprinting variances of beef carcass traits and physiochemical characteristics in Japanese Black cattle

“…High additive heritability estimates were found in glycogen (0.516), C18:1 (0.642), and MUFA (0.644). There have only been a few reports of heritability estimates for glycogen, and the estimates vary widely depending on the report [0.34 by Komatsu et al (2014) and 0.607 by Onogi et al (2017)]. The heritability of 0.516 for glycogen in the current study was within a range of the estimates of the previous studies.…”

“…In fatty acid traits, the means of C18:1 and MUFA were 52.0% and 57.9%, respectively. Many measurements of fatty acid composition have been reported in Japanese Black cattle, and the C18:1 and MUFA content range from 49.0% to 60.1% and 57.1% to 63.7%, respectively (Inoue et al., 2008, 2011, 2017; Nogi et al., 2011; Onogi et al., 2017; Sakuma et al., 2017; Suzuki et al., 2017), although fatty acid composition changes depending on the feed, and the fatty acids and muscles sampled. The measurements of C18:1 and MUFA in this study were within the range of the measurements in previous studies.…”

“…and MUFA content range from 49.0% to 60.1% and 57.1% to 63.7%, respectively (Inoue et al, 2008(Inoue et al, , 2011(Inoue et al, , 2017Nogi et al, 2011;Onogi et al, 2017;Sakuma et al, 2017;Suzuki et al, 2017), although fatty acid composition changes depending on the feed, the fatty acids and muscles sampled. The measurements of C18:1 and MUFA in this study were within the range of the measurements in previous studies.…”

Genome‐wide association studies identified variants for taurine concentration in Japanese Black beef

“…Onogi et al. () reported the moderate heritability estimates for taurine and β‐alanine (0.48 and 0.35, respectively) in trapezius muscles of 3,070 Japanese Black cattle. For β‐alanine, the heritability estimate in this population was low, but two significant regions (proportion = 0.05) were detected on chromosomes 22 and 29.…”

“…In addition, Onogi et al. () reported that heritability estimates for free amino acids and peptides in Japanese Black cattle were equivalent to or moderately greater than those found by Mateescu et al. () and Sakuma et al.…”