Context: Oil palm frond (OPF) is abundantly available throughout Southeast Asia and is a good source of forage for feedlot cattle, particularly during the dry and monsoon seasons when other forage options are limited. However, the use of OPF in ruminants feed is constrained by its complex fibrous structure and low digestibility. Aims: The aim of this study was to investigate the impact of supplementation with bypass fat on growth, meat quality and economic returns in smallholder feedlot systems where Napier grass is replaced with OPF. Methods: Sixteen Brahman × Charolais crossbred steers, 23 ± 2.0 months old and with initial bodyweight of 425 ± 59.9 kg (mean ± s.e.), were randomly allocated in a 2 × 2 factorial randomised complete-block design experiment with the following dietary treatments: (i) fresh chopped Napier grass-based total mixed ration (TMR; Napier grass–fat), (ii) Napier grass-based TMR + 5% bypass fat (Napier grass+fat), (iii) OPF-based TMR (OPF–fat) and (iv) OPF-based TMR + 5% bypass fat (OPF+fat). Feed intake, digestibility of the diets and average daily gain were measured. The cattle were slaughtered to determine carcass dressing percentage and meat quality. Costs and return of fattening cattle were estimated. Key results: Despite higher intake, cattle fed OPF–fat had a lower bodyweight gain than did cattle fed grass-based diets due to lower digestibility. Bypass-fat supplementation increased the bodyweigh of cattle fed OPF but not of cattle fed Napier grass. Fat supplementation enhanced colour, backfat thickness, and fat content of meat in both the Napier grass- and OPF-based diets. However, replacing Napier grass with OPF reduced the net profit of smallholder feedlot systems, even with fat supplementation. Conclusion: While fat supplementation increased liveweight gain and enhanced some aspects of meat quality, the increased feeding cost reduced net profit. Therefore, supplementation of OPF with bypass fat is not recommended for smallholder feedlots in developing countries. Implications: Appropriate technology to reduce the feeding cost of OPF needs to be developed to make it an economically viable option for smallholder farmers.

A feeding trial was conducted to investigate the effects of Piper sarmentosum leaves (PSL) on meat quality of broilers. The 144 commercial broiler chicks, one day old, were randomly assigned to 5 groups with three replicate cages. The five treatments were: 1) basal feed (8 chicks/cage), 2) basal feed (10 chicks/cage), 3) basal feed supplemented with 1% of PSL (10 chicks/cage), 4) basal feed supplemented with 2% of PSL (10 chicks/cage) and 5) basal feed supplemented with 3% of PSL (10 chicks/cage). The duration of dietary treatments was 42 days. The results showed that the group supplemented with 3% PSL had higher redness, yellowness and cooking loss than the control group with 10 chickens/cage (P < 0.05). It was also observed that the 3% PSL treatment gave significantly lower lightness than the 0% and 1% PSL treatments with 10 chickens/cage (P < 0.05). Overall, the study indicated that PSL might improve chicken meat colour and protect against protein oxidation, but it has no potential in protecting against lipid oxidation in broiler filet.

Background: Extracts of mangosteen (Garcinia mangostana) peels possess various biological activities such as antioxidants and anti-bacteria. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of mangosteen peel extract (MPE) on growth performance, meat quality, oxidation of meat and bacterial contents in the small intestine of broilers. Methods: The 192, 7-day-old, chicks were allocated to 4 treatments with 3 replicates per treatment, each replicate containing 16 chicks. Birds were fed diets supplemented with 0, 0.2, 0.4 or 0.8% of MPE for a period of 5 weeks ad libitum. Growth performance was evaluated weekly. At 42 days old, the birds were slaughtered and the breast muscles were sampled from 4 birds per replicate for determining meat quality and oxidation. To determine bacterial quantities, the residue of feed in the small intestine (ilium and ceca) was sampled from one bird per replicate. Result: The results revealed that MPE had no significant effect on growth performance and intestinal bacterial contents. However, it was found that 0.4 to 0.8% of MPE could improve the meat quality by decreasing drip loss and total water loss in muscles. Moreover, 0.8% MPE group tended to be lower in lipid oxidation. This suggests that 0.8% MPE might protect the broiler breast meat against oxidation.

This study aimed to elucidate the effects of supplementation of Capsicum frutescens L. or chili pepper (ChP) and Curcuma longa L. or turmeric (T) powders combination in total mixed ration (TMR) on texture profile, water holding capacity (WHC) and oxidative stability of beef during days 0, 5 and 10 of retail display. The experiment was carried out on 16 crossbred bulls (Brahman and Charolais) of about 2 years in age. The bulls were randomly assigned to 4 dietary treatment groups as follows: 1) TMR as control, 2) TMR + 1%ChP powder, 3) TMR + 1%T powder, and 4) TMR supplemented with a mixed powder of 1%ChP + 1%T, over a 6 months feeding period. The results revealed that the hardness and gumminess of control beef were higher than other groups, and the cohesiveness of beef from cattle fed a mixed powder of 1%ChP + 1%T was lower than other groups (P<0.05). Regarding WHC, the results showed that, on days 0 and 5 of storage, the control group meat had higher cooking losses than either the 1%T or a mixture of 1%ChP + 1%T groups (P<0.05). Also, on 0 and 5 days of retail display, the 1%ChP + 1%T group showed the highest antioxidant activity when compared to other groups (P<0.05). As for the lipid oxidation in beef, on day 5 of storage MDA level in control beef was higher than the 1%T or a mixture of 1%ChP + 1%T groups (P<0.05). It can be concluded that the combination of chili pepper and turmeric powder in TMR can improve texture, water holding capacity, and oxidative stability of beef during refrigerated storage. Keywords: Beef, Chili pepper, Cooking loss, Oxidative stability, Texture profile, Turmeric powder.

This study aimed to determine the effects of roasting temperature (60°C and 80°C) and time (10, 20, and 30 min) on the quality, oxidative stability, and antioxidant properties of cold-pressed Sacha Inchi oil. Oil samples were evaluated for chemical composition, total phenolic content (TPC), antioxidant activity (DPPH and ABTS assays), peroxide and p-anisidine values, tocopherol and phytosterol contents, and color parameters under different roasting conditions. The results showed that moderate roasting (80°C, 20 min) significantly increased TPC and antioxidant activity (p < 0.05), while extended roasting (80°C, 30 min) led to the loss of polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs), tocopherols, and increased secondary oxidation. Phytosterol levels remained stable across all treatments, indicating resistance to thermal degradation. Roasting also caused increased yellowness (b*) and decreased lightness (L*) due to the Maillard reaction and phenolic oxidation. These findings suggest that roasting at 80°C for 20 min is optimal for improving antioxidant capacity and oxidative stability while preserving the functional components. The results provide a practical approach for improving oil quality in industrial processing by optimizing roasting conditions to enhance the functional and nutritional properties of cold-pressed Sacha Inchi oil.

This study aimed to evaluate the effects of restricted total mixed ration (TMR) feeding on carcass characteristics and meat quality in crossbred castrated male goats. A total of 15 goats were randomly assigned to three feeding treatments: ad libitum (AL), 70% of AL, and 40% of AL. The study assessed key parameters including hot carcass weight, meat pH, color, water-holding capacity, and texture profile. Results showed that restricted feeding tended to reduce live weight and carcass weight, but the differences were not statistically significant (P > 0.05). Hot carcass percentage, lean meat percentage, and bone percentage were also unaffected (P > 0.05). Drip loss was significantly lower in the restricted groups (P < 0.05), whereas other meat quality traits, including pH, color (L*, a*, b*), and thawing loss, did not differ among treatments (P > 0.05). Cooking loss tended to decrease with restricted feeding but was not statistically significant (P = 0.07). Similarly, texture parameters such as hardness, cohesiveness, chewiness, and springiness showed no significant differences among feeding levels (P > 0.05). These findings suggest that restricted TMR feeding can improve feed efficiency and reduce costs without compromising carcass yield or meat quality. The lower drip loss observed in restricted groups indicates improved water-holding capacity, which may benefit meat processing and consumer acceptance. The absence of significant effects on texture profile further demonstrates that moderate feed restriction does not negatively influence meat structure. These results highlight the potential of restricted TMR feeding as a cost-effective strategy for goat production.