Influence of ferulic acid and clinoptilolite supplementation on growth performance, carcass, meat quality, and fatty acid profile of finished lambs

Study on the current research trends and future agenda in animal products: an Asian perspective

This study aimed to analyze the leading research materials and research trends related to livestock food in Asia in recent years and propose future research agendas to ultimately contribute to the development of related livestock species. On analyzing more than 200 relevant articles, a high frequency of studies on livestock species and products with large breeding scales and vast markets was observed. Asia possesses the largest pig population and most extensive pork market, followed by that of beef, chicken, and milk; moreover, blood and egg markets have also been studied. Regarding research keywords, "meat quality" and "probiotics" were the most common, followed by "antioxidants", which have been extensively studied in the past, and "cultured meat", which has recently gained traction. The future research agenda for meat products is expected to be dominated by alternative livestock products, such as cultured and plant-derived meats; improved meat product functionality and safety; the environmental impacts of livestock farming; and animal welfare research. The future research agenda for dairy products is anticipated to include animal welfare, dairy production, probiotic-based development of high-quality functional dairy products, the development of alternative dairy products, and the advancement of lactose-free or personalized dairy products. However, determining the extent to which the various research articles' findings have been applied in real-world industry proved challenging, and research related to animal food laws and policies and consumer surveys was lacking. In addition, studies on alternatives for sustainable livestock development could not be identified. Therefore, future research may augment industrial application, and multidisciplinary research related to animal food laws and policies as well as eco-friendly livestock production should be strengthened.

Probiotics Increase Intramuscular Fat and Improve the Composition of Fatty Acids in Sunit Sheep through the Adenosine 5'-Monophosphate-Activated Protein Kinase (AMPK) Signaling Pathway

This experiment aims to investigate the impact of probiotic feed on growth performance, carcass traits, plasma lipid biochemical parameters, intramuscular fat and triglyceride content, fatty acid composition, mRNA expression levels of genes related to lipid metabolism, and the activity of the enzyme in Sunit sheep. In this experiment, 12 of 96 randomly selected Sunit sheep were assigned to receive the basic diet or the basic diet supplemented with probiotics. The results showed that supplementation with probiotics significantly increased the loin eye area, and decreased plasma triglycerides and free fatty acids, increasing the content of intramuscular fat and triglycerides in the muscle and improving the composition of the fatty acids. The inclusion of probiotics in the diet reduced the expression of adenosine 5'-monophosphate-activated protein kinase alpha 2 (AMPKα2) mRNA and carnitine palmitoyltransferase 1B (CPT1B) mRNA, while increasing the expression of acetyl-CoA carboxylase alpha (ACCα) mRNA, sterol regulatory element-binding protein-1c (SREBP-1c) mRNA, fatty acid synthase mRNA, and stearoyl-CoA desaturase 1 mRNA. The results of this study indicate that supplementation with probiotics can regulate fat deposition and improves the composition of fatty acids in Sunit sheep through the signaling pathways AMPK-ACC-CPT1B and AMPK-SREBP-1c. This regulatory mechanism leads to an increase in intramuscular fat content, a restructuring of muscle composition of the fatty acids, and an enhancement of the nutritional value of meat. These findings contribute to a better understanding of the food science of animal resources and provide valuable references for the production of meat of higher nutritional value.