This study was conducted to investigate the carcass traits, meat quality, and volatile compounds of growing lambs under different restricted grazing time and indoor supplementary feeding systems. Fifty 3-month-old male Tan lambs (with similar body weight) were divided into five groups randomly according to grazing time 12 h/d (G12), 8 h/d(G8), 4 h/d(G4), 2 h/d (G2), and 0 h (G0, indoor supplementary feeding). Animals were slaughtered at the end of the experiment, and the longissimus thoracis (LT) samples were collected for further analysis. The results indicated that indoor supplementary feeding improved the percentages of carcass fat and non-carcass fat of pre-slaughter weight (PSW) and decreased the cooking loss of lamb meat. Grazing for 8 h/d or 2 h/d enhanced PSW, carcass, and meat percentages of PSW. Lambs grazing for 2 h/d with supplement and indoor supplementary feeding lambs had a higher level of intramuscular fat and lightness (L*) value and lower cooking loss in the LT muscle, but higher yellowness (b*) and fat content were found in indoor supplementary feeding lambs. More categories of volatile compounds were identified in meat from grazing lambs than from indoor supplementary feeding lambs, but lower content of aldehydes and total volatile flavor compounds was detected in grazing lambs. Overall, the results demonstrated that the feeding system is a main factor that affects lamb meat quality, and proper grazing time can improve the quantity and quality of lamb meat and provide meat with different flavors to the consumers.

Background: Increasing the polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content and decreasing the saturated fatty acid (SFA) content of mutton can help to improve its nutritional value for consumers. Several laboratories have evaluated the effects of vitamin E on the fatty acid (FA) composition of muscle in sheep. However, little information is available on wool sheep, even though wool sheep breeds are an important source of mutton, especially in northern China where sheep are extensively farmed. The present study was designed to address the effects of vitamin E on muscle FA composition in male Aohan fine-wool sheep. Methods: Forty-two male Aohan fine-wool lambs (5 mo old) with similar initial body weight were randomly divided into seven groups and fed diets supplemented with 0 (control group), 20, 100, 200, 1,000, 2,000, or 2,400 IU/sheep/d vitamin E for 12 mo. Three lambs from each group were slaughtered to measure vitamin E and FA content in the longissimus lumborum (LL) and gluteus medius (GM) muscles. Results: Vitamin E concentrations in the LL and GM increased significantly after 12 mo of vitamin E supplementation (P < 0.05). However, this increase did not occur in a dose-dependent manner because the muscle vitamin E concentration was highest in the 200 IU/sheep/d group. Dietary vitamin E supplementation also caused a significant reduction in SFA content and an increase in monounsaturated FA (MUFA) content in the LL and GM (P < 0.05). All six doses of vitamin E significantly increased cis 9 trans 11-conjugated linoleic acid (c 9t 11-CLA) content in the LL compared with the control group (P < 0.05). Conclusions: Dietary supplementation with vitamin E increased muscle vitamin E content and improved the nutritional value of mutton by decreasing SFA content and increasing MUFA and c 9t 11-CLA contents in Aohan fine-wool sheep. These effects were greatest in sheep fed a diet containing 200 IU/sheep/d vitamin E.

Aflatoxin B₁ (AFB₁) is a common mycotoxin contaminant in cereals that causes severe economic losses and serious risks to the health of humans and animals. In this paper, we investigated the characteristics of AFB₁ degradation by black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) combined with commensal intestinal microorganisms. Germ-free BSFL and non-sterile BSFL were reared on peanut meal spiked with AFB₁ for 10 days. The result showed that germ-free BSFL and non-sterile BSFL could achieve 31.71% and 88.72% AFB₁ degradation, respectively, which indicated the important role of larvae gut microbiota in AFB₁ degradation. Furthermore, twenty-five AFB₁-degrading bacteria were isolated from BSFL gut, and S. acidaminiphila A2 achieved the highest AFB₁ degradation, by 94%. When S. acidaminiphila A2 was re-inoculated to BSFL, the detrimental effect of AFB₁ on the growth performance of BSFL was alleviated, and complete AFB₁ degradation in peanut meal was obtained. In conclusion, the present study may provide a strategy to degrade AFB₁ in feedstuff through bioconversion with BSFL in combination with gut-originated AFB₁-degrading bacteria, while providing a sustainable insect protein and fat source to animals.

To address the bottleneck in meat production efficiency within China’s mutton sheep industry, this study established a two-generation crossbreeding program between WHS rams and STH ewes. Hybrid offspring (F1 and BC1) were evaluated for growth performance, slaughter traits, meat quality, and reproductive performance. The F1 generation exhibited significant improvements over STH in 6-month body weight (52.3 kg, +27.3%), dressing percentage (56.1%, +6.3%), and feed efficiency ratio (FER) of 4.6 (p < 0.05). The BC1 generation shows a mixed state of paternal and maternal characteristics and further enhanced these traits, achieving a 6-month body weight of 55.2 kg (+5.4% vs. F1), a dressing percentage of 58.3%, and an optimized gain-to-feed ratio (G:F) of 4.2 (−8.7%). Meat quality parameters, including shear force (32.5 N vs. 41.6 N in F1 vs. STH) and intramuscular fat content (4.5% vs. 3.8% in F1 vs. STH), demonstrated superior tenderness and marbling. Despite a decline in lambing rate (F1: 178%; BC1: 142%), the hybrids combined the dam’s adaptability with the sire’s meat traits, forming a novel germplasm for sustainable mutton production. This study provides a replicable model for balancing genetic improvement and ecological sustainability in central China.

To address the global shortage of feed protein, black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) have garnered significant attention as a sustainable alternative protein source. Feeding whole BSFL represents an innovative approach that effectively reduces the high processing costs of dried BSFL powder and prevents nutrient loss during thermal treatment. However, limited research has been conducted on the application of whole BSFL in quail diets. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of incorporating whole BSFL into quail diets on production performance, serum biochemical parameters, immune and antioxidant responses, egg quality, intestinal microbiome and metabolome patterns. In this experiment, 180 quails aged 30-35 days were randomly assigned to four groups, each with three replicates of 15 quails. The experimental diets included 0 %, 10 %, 20 %, and 30 % unprocessed whole BSFL (con, L10, L20, L30), with a 14-day pre-experimental period followed by a 90-day main trial. Results indicated that the inclusion of BSFL significantly reduced the feed-to-egg ratio and enhanced quail production performance. Notably, the L20 group demonstrated significant improvements in liver and kidney function, metabolic levels, antioxidant capacity, and immune performance. Additionally, BSFL positively influenced the amino acid and fatty acid profiles of quail eggs, thereby improving egg quality. While BSFL did not significantly alter the diversity of intestinal microbiota or metabolites, it had a significant impact on protein digestion and absorption as well as mineral uptake. Therefore, we conclude that whole BSFL can serve as a high-quality ingredient in quails feed, with optimal results observed at a 20 % inclusion rate.

α-Tocopherol transfer protein (α-TTP) is a ~32 kDa protein expressed mainly in hepatocytes. The major function of the protein is to bind specifically to α-tocopherol and, together, the complex transfers from late lysosomes to the cell membrane. A previous study indicated that some factors might be required in the transferring process. However, there is little information available about the potential transferring factors. In addition, there remains much to learn about other physiological processes which α-TTP might participate in. Thus, in this study a human α-TTP eukaryotic expression vector was successfully constructed and expressed in human hepatoma cells (HepG2). The sensitive genes related to α-TTP were then screened by microarray technology. Results showed that expression of the vector in HepG2 cells led to the identification of 323 genes showing differential expression. The differentially expressed transcripts were divided into four main categories, including (1) cell inflammation; (2) cell cycle and cell apoptosis; (3) cell signaling and gene regulation; and (4) cellular movement. A few cellular movement related transcripts were selected and verified by quantitative real-time PCR. Expressions of some were significantly increased in α-TTP-expressed group, which indicated that these factors were likely to play a role in the transferring process.