The present study focused on evaluating the effects of beef marination on quality traits and consumer acceptability. In this context, m. longissimus thoracis et lumborum and m. semimembranosus samples (n = 192) were obtained from Aberdeen Angus, Hereford, Charolais, and Limousine bulls and were marinated with milk (pasteurized, 100%), garlic and olive oil (2.35 g/500 mL), and lemon (citrus) juice (31% orange juice, 31% lemon juice, 38% distilled water) for 12, 24, and 72 h. Marinade components were selected based on traditional culinary practices and their scientifically proven effects on meat quality. Beef samples on day 0 and non-marinated samples were used as control groups. Beef color, water holding capacity, pH, cooking loss, and Warner–Bratzler shear force were measured three times for each sample. A taste panel assessment was performed to determine the sensory characteristics. Statistical analysis was performed using general linear model (GLM) procedures followed by Tukey’s post-hoc comparison. Results revealed that marination time, as well as its two- and three-way interactions, significantly influenced beef quality parameters. These results indicate that the cattle breed is an important factor in evaluating the effectiveness of beef marination applications. The olive oil−garlic marinade was the most preferred by the panel across both types of muscle, as indicated by sensory evaluation results. The findings will not only enrich the scientific literature but also have practical implications for the beef industry.

Leptin (LEP), alternatively recognized as the obesity gene, influences food consumption, energy balance, and lipid metabolism. Additionally, it plays a crucial role in energy metabolism, and variations in the LEP gene have been studied extensively among various livestock species. These investigations have unveiled correlations with traits such as meat quality, milk yield and composition, and growth characteristics. Nevertheless, the existing knowledge regarding its correlation with growth and reproductive traits in goats is comparatively limited, particularly when juxtaposed with studies of cattle. Hence, the objective of the current study was to investigate the relationship between polymorphisms in the intron 2 (Sau3AI) and exon 2 (HinfI) regions of the LEP gene and growth and reproductive traits in Saanen goats. The study comprised 185 Saanen goats in total. The PCR-RFLP (polymerase chain reaction restriction fragment length polymorphism) technique was employed to genotype these polymorphisms. Population genetic analysis included the number of effective alleles, heterozygosity, polymorphism information content, and compatibility with the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium. The general linear model procedure's least-squares methods were used for the statistical analysis. The SNP (single-nucleotide polymorphism) located in exon 2 (LEP-HinfI) was monomorphic. Remarkably, the SNP located in intron 2 (LEP-Sau3AI) was associated with birth weight (p<0.05) and average daily weight gain (p<0.05). In this context, the AA genotype demonstrated higher birth weight and daily live weight gain means compared to other genotypes. No significant differences were observed in litter size, total weight gain, or morphometric measurements. The caprine LEP-Sau3AI polymorphism situated within intron 2 proved influential in traits critical for the profitability and sustainability of goat breeding. The findings of this study provide novel and valuable information for future research on the LEP gene in goats.

The present study aimed to investigate the effect of psyllium husk powder, as a dietary fiber and carbohydrate substitute, on the physicochemical, colorimetric, structural quality, and consumer preference of sausages during storage. The potato starch was replaced by psyllium husk powder in 20%–40%–60%–80%–100% to improve the technological and sensory properties of the new product. Physicochemical analyses revealed that fiber substitution did not affect protein or fat values but reduced carbohydrate and moisture values. Carbohydrate decrease in psyllium husk samples varied between 39.29% and 71.42% and was detected the most in T5 sample. Moisture reduction varied between 2.46% and 6.01% and decreased as the addition rate increased. Cooking loss and total expressible fluid (TEF) during storage increased with the addition of psyllium husk (especially T2). Cooking loss increased the most in the control sample (4.8%) at the end of storage, while the least loss was in the T3 (3.4%) and T1 (3.5%) samples. Furthermore, during storage, there was a slight decrease in brightness in parallel with the psyllium husk replacement rate, but yellowing indexes increased. Instrumental textural analyses showed that 20%–40% of substituted samples (T1, T2) had similar properties to the control. Changes generally occurred in springiness, stickiness, and chewiness properties when substituting up to 60% psyllium husk. In psyllium husk–substituted samples, adhesiveness, resilience, and hardness decreased during storage, while chewiness increased. Consumer acceptance tests showed that panelists preferred sausages produced from white meat more than others, and sensory acceptability was rated above general liking on a hedonic scale of 6–8. When the technological and sensory properties of the products were evaluated together, it was determined that the acceptability of the 40% substituted (T2) sausage sample showed similar characteristics to the control sample, while the 100% substituted (T5) sample had low acceptance. Overall, the findings indicate that psyllium husk substitution has provided functional properties such as low carbohydrate and fibrousness to chicken sausages without affecting the sensory and textural properties. Psyllium husk powder–contained sausage has the potential to be an alternative meat product for individuals who need particular nutritional purposes.

Context: Sheep are seasonal breeding animals. Different reproduction systems exist to enhance productivity in non-breeding season. One of the methods used in enhancing reproductive performance in sheep breeding is melatonin administration. Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the impact of melatonin application on reproductive performance in sheep by meta-analysis according to different factors. Methods: To find eligible studies, PubMed and Web of Science databases were searched. Twenty studies published between 1991 and 2021 were included in the meta-analysis. The effect sizes of pregnancy rate, lambing rate and litter size were calculated according to breeds, production characteristics (dairy-meat breeds) and season (breeding–non-breeding). The study estimated the risk ratio for pregnancy and lambing rates, and standardized mean difference for litter size as effect size. Key results: The melatonin hormone increases the pregnancy rate by 1.07 times and the lambing rate by 1.36 times. The effect size (risk ratio) of the Rasa Aragonesa breed (1.15) for pregnancy rate and the Merino breed (1.65) for lambing rate was higher than the Sarda breed. Conclusions: The positive effect of melatonin was found to be higher in the non-breeding season than in the breeding season for the three reproductive performance traits examined. Implications: This study is a comprehensive research study examining the effect of melatonin application in sheep according to different factors.

The study aimed to determine the genotypic distribution of the c.328 G>A (rs110652478) polymorphism in the bovine fatty acid-binding protein 4 (FABP4) gene and to determine its effect on slaughter weight in Aberdeen Angus and Hereford bulls imported into Turkey. A total of randomly selected 95 bulls were used in this study. Bulls were housed for fattening in semi-open pens for approximately nine months with the same management procedures. Genotyping of the FABP4 c.328 G>A (rs110652478) polymorphism, located in exon 3, was performed by the PCR-RFLP method. Allele and genotype frequencies were calculated by the standard procedures and the Hardy-Weinberg equilibrium was tested by comparing expected and observed genotype frequencies using chi-square and Fisher’s exact tests. Indices of genetic diversity were calculated based on the allelic frequencies. The least-squares method as applied in a GLM procedure was used to test the association between FABP4 c.328 G>A and phenotypic traits including slaughter weight, hot and cold carcass weight, chilling loss, dressing percentage, and carcass pH. Results revealed that the most frequent genotype was GG (49.18% and 52.94% for Angus and Herefords, respectively) and the minor allele frequency (A allele) was 0.32 in the total population. The genotype distribution was in agreement with Hardy Weinberg equilibrium (P>0.05). The moderately low levels of genetic variability observed in this study may be caused as a result of eventual inbreeding. PIC levels suggest that FABP4 c.328 G>A can be a mildly informative genetic marker for the tested population. Association analysis indicated that the effect of the FABP4 on slaughter weight was statistically significant (PA may provide valuable, but limited, information on imported beef cattle raised in Turkey conditions.