Thailand is a country of native beef cattle resource farming. It has undergone rapid social and economic change in the past decade. Agricultural growth has been maintained by increasing the production of rice and cassava. Changing economic status also provides opportunities for beef cattle producers to meet increasing consumer demand for beef. Finishing beef cattle numbers in Thailand were about 1.0 M head in 2015. Beef produced in Thailand has exclusively been for domestic consumption. Only 1% of Thailand's beef cattle are for the premium market which is based on marbling score, 40% are sold into modern markets that consider muscling of cattle, and the remainder enter traditional markets. Cross-bred cattle for the premium market are raised within intensive systems. Most producers of premium beef are members of beef cooperatives, or have invested in their enterprises at high levels. Culled cow (native or cross-bred cattle) are mainly for small holder farm production. Malaysia, Indonesia, and other members of the Asian Economic Community (AEC) are set to become the largest beef market, which has been confirmed by 2015 through 2020 forecasts for consumption of beef that must increasingly be halal. These circumstances are likely to be challenging for beef producers in Thailand to gain a share of this market. Integration across all sectors involved in beef production in Thailand will be required.

Food Science of Animal Resources (Food Sci. Anim. Resour.) is an international, peer-reviewed bimonthly journal publishing original research and reviews on basic and applied aspects of the use of animal resources including the meat, egg, dairy, and edible insect/worm products. Food Sci. Anim. Resour. is published and distributed by the Korean Society for Food Science of Animal Resources.

The objective of this study was to determine the effect of perilla cake (PC) supplementation in a growing pig diet on overall growing performance, meat quality, and fatty acid profile. A total of 24 barrow grower crossbred pigs (Large White × Landrace) × Duroc with an initial average body weight of 26.33 kg were fed with a basal diet supplemented with PC at 0%, 5%, and 10% in (PC0, PC5, and PC10, respectively) for 12 weeks. At the end of the experimental period, pigs were slaughtered to determine carcass traits and meat quality. Back fat, abdominal fat, and longissimus dorsi (LD) muscle were collected to investigate fatty acid composition. The results show that the average daily gain (ADG) in the PC10 significantly increased. However, PC supplementation did not influence carcass traits and meat quality except the color as described by lightness (L*). Dietary PC supplementation significantly increased the α-linolenic acid (ALA, C18:3 cis-9, 12, 15), whereas n6/n3 ratio decreased significantly in all tissues investigated. Thus, it can be concluded that the supplementation of PC in growing pig diet is a potential way to increase the fatty acid composition to that required for healthier meat.

This study determined the effects of deep bedding floor and fermented feed supplement on the growth performance, carcase, meat quality, and fatty acid profile of crossbred pigs. Thirty-two ((Thai native × Meishan) × Duroc) crossbreds were organised in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement in a completely randomised design. Factor A was a deep bedding floor (DB) or solid bedding of concrete floor (SB). Factor B was a feed type of concentrate feed supplemented with a fresh banana stem (BF + CON) or fermented banana stem (FF + CON). Growth performance, carcase traits, chemical composition, meat quality, and fatty acid profile were determined. The final weight, average daily gain, and feed conversion ratio of pigs reared on SB were significantly higher than those of pigs raised on DB. The backfat thickness and loin eye area of SB pork were also higher than those of DB pork (p < .05). Feed type had an effect on the percentage of rib, fat content, and TBARS on days 0, 1, and 3. FF + CON feed were lower, but shear force value and a grilling loss percentage of FF + CON were higher than those of BF + CON. The effect of the interaction between floor and feed types was found in the belly of four lean cut and rib percentage, fat content, and pH value in the longissimus dorsi muscle at 24 h and TBARS on Days 0, 1, 3, and 7 (p < .05). Pigs on the DB floor showed inferior carcase composition but slightly better meat quality than pigs raised on SB.

This study examines the implications of PEF as an alternative fat replacer on nutritional composition, display storage stability, product quality, and its practical application for beef patties. Four different beef patties were formulated with 0, 2.5, 5.0, and 7.5% PEF. Addition of the PEF in beef patties resulted in a significant increase in moisture, ash, and total dietary fiber while decreasing protein and fat contents. The cooking yield, moisture, and fat retention of the PEF beef patties were significantly higher than the control patty. The tenderness and juiciness scores of the PEF beef patties were significantly increased compared to the control. The lightness and redness values of raw patties were superior to the control during storage time. The amounts of thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances (TBARS) were lower in PEF beef patties than the control patties during 7 days of storage at 4°C. These results suggested that PEF could be used as a natural antioxidant fat replacer in beef patties without losing sensory and visual quality. In addition, the utilization of PEF may improve nutritional values including dietary fiber and display storage stability in beef patties.

This study was conducted to find out the effects of perilla cake (PC) supplementation in a low-lysine diet on Thai crossbred finishing pigs’ productivity, carcass and meat quality, and fatty acid composition. For six weeks, a total of 21 barrows of finishing pigs were fed with three dietary treatments (T1: basal diet, T2: 2.5 percent PC supplementation in a low-lysine diet, and T3: 4.5 percent PC supplementation in a low-lysine diet). The results show that the intramuscular fat and marbling score was significantly increased by T2 and T3. On the other hand, it was found that the boiling loss and shear force value were significantly decreased by T2 and T3 (p < 0.05). In a low-lysine diet, dietary PC supplementation caused a significant increase in malondialdehyde levels in meat (p < 0.05) compared with the basal diet. It was also shown that alpha-linolenic acid level in backfat and the longissimus thoracis et lumborum muscle was increased considerably by T2 and T3. Therefore, supplementing PC in a low-lysine diet may be an alternative strategy for improving the meat quality of late-phase pigs.