Double-Muscled Animals

Influence of the housing system on meat quality of double muscled Piemontese young bulls

“…This fact is ascribed to the thinner network of perimysial connective tissue (De Smet, 2004). On the contrary, there is little difference in the nature of collagen crosslinks and collagen solubility in meat from double muscled and normal animals (Ngapo et al, 2002a;De Smet, 2004). These findings are in agreement with earlier data of Destefanis et al (1997), who observed no differences in collagen solubility in hypertrophied and normal animals of Piemontese breed.…”

“…Ngapo et al (2002b) reported that the intramuscular collagen content in meat from double muscled animals was as much as 40% less than in normal animals. This fact is ascribed to the thinner network of perimysial connective tissue (De Smet, 2004). On the contrary, there is little difference in the nature of collagen crosslinks and collagen solubility in meat from double muscled and normal animals (Ngapo et al, 2002a;De Smet, 2004).…”

“…Breeds as Belgian Blue and Piemontese have been shown to have more type IIB fibres and less type I fibres, which partly explains the overall increase in whiteness of meat from hypertrophied animals (Cullen et al, 1999). Thus, the double muscled animals have a higher proportion of fibres adapted for glycolytic metabolism (Boccard, 1981), which results in a faster rate of glycolysis and earlier post mortem rigor development, whereas ultimate pH values are generally not different from those of normal animals (De Smet, 2004). Concerning meat quality, the double muscled Piemontese compared with normal animals have higher water and protein content (Barge et al 1993); the intramuscular fat content is usually about 1% or lower (Barge et al, 1993) and consequently the triacilglycerol content is greatly reduced, as a result of lower fat deposition, with a positive increase of the polyunsaturated/ saturated fatty acid ratio (Barge et al, 1993).…”

Effect of muscle and post-mortem rate of pH and temperature fall on antioxidant enzyme activities in beef

“…Double-muscled Belgian blue cattle have a more glycolytic muscle fibre type and heavier carcasses compared to conventional animals resulting in a faster pH decline and slower temperature fall post-mortem compared to carcasses of non double-muscled animals (Clinquart, Hornick, Van Eenaeme, & Istasse, 1998;De Smet, 2004). Particularly in the deeper laying muscles of the hindquarter, this may induce heat shortening and increase protein denaturation, resulting in aberrant meat quality (De Boever, Lescouhier, & De Smet, 2009;Sammel et al, 2002).…”

Reproduction traits of heterozygousmyostatinknockout sows crossbred with homozygousmyostatinknockout boars

“…The myostatin mutations are pleiotropic in their effects, meaning that they affect a number of different body systems (Bassett, 2009). Smet reported the skin is thinner in double‐muscled cattle, and the newborn calves frequently have an enlarged tongue which affects the calf's ability to suckle and hence its survival (Smet, 2014). This is consistent with the observations in homozygous MSTN −/− piglets.…”