Hormonal growth implants affect feed efficiency and expression of residual feed intake-associated genes in beef cattle
W. Al-Husseini A D , C. Gondro A , K. Quinn B , L. M. Cafe B , R. M. Herd B , J. P. Gibson A , P. L. Greenwood B and Y. Chen C E
+ Author Affiliations
- Author Affiliations
A The Centre for Genetic Analysis and Applications, University of New England, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
B NSW Department of Primary Industries, Beef Industry Centre, Armidale, NSW 2351, Australia.
C NSW Department of Primary Industries, Elizabeth Macarthur Agricultural Institute, Menangle, NSW 2568, Australia.
D Department of Biology, College of Science, University of Babylon, Iraq.
E Corresponding author. Email: yizhou.chen@dpi.nsw.gov.au
Animal Production Science 54(5) 550-556 https://doi.org/10.1071/AN12398
Submitted: 16 November 2012 Accepted: 21 February 2013 Published: 21 May 2013
Abstract
Hormonal growth promotants (HGP) have been used to improve feed conversion ratio (FCR) and growth rates of cattle by modifying protein turnover rates. Residual feed intake (RFI) is correlated with FCR and has been adopted in Australia as a measure of feed efficiency in cattle for the purpose of genetic improvement. Eight genes (AHSG, GHR, GSTM1, INHBA, PCDH19, S100A10, SERPINI2 and SOD3) have been previously reported to be highly associated with RFI and could potentially be used to predict RFI in bulls and steers. In this study, expression levels of these genes in liver tissue of 46 cattle were measured by quantitative real-time PCR. These cattle were part of a larger tenderness gene marker experiment consisting of two breeds (Angus and Brahman); two sexes (steers and heifers) and HGP treatments (implanted vs control). Cattle were measured for growth, feed efficiency, body composition and carcass traits. Results showed the expression of these eight genes was significantly correlated with RFI. However, HGP treatment did not affect RFI or the expression of the RFI-associated genes. HGP treatment increased average daily gain by 20%, improved FCR by 18%, and increased rib eye-muscle area by 7.5%. HGP treatment was effective in improving growth rate, presumably by its known action in the protein turnover mechanism. This mechanism has been hypothesised as one of the regulators of RFI. Lack of effect of HGP treatment on RFI does not support this hypothesis.
References
Anderson DB, Veehuisen EL, Schroeder AL, Jones DJ, Hancock DL (1991) The use of phenethanolamines to reduce fat and increase leanness in meat animals. In ‘Proceeding of symposium on fat and cholesterol reduced foods – Advances in Applied Biotechnology Series. Vol. 12’. (Eds C Haberstroh, CE Morris) pp. 43–73. (Portfolio Publishing: The Woodlands, TX)Archer JA, Richardson E, Herd RM, Arthur PF (1999) Potential for selection to improve efficiency of feed use in beef cattle: A review. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50, 147–161.
| Potential for selection to improve efficiency of feed use in beef cattle: A review.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Arthur PF, Archer JA, Johnston DJ, Herd RM, Richardson EC, Parnell PF (2001) Genetic and phenotypic variance and covariance components for feed intake, feed efficiency and other postweaning traits in Angus cattle. Journal of Animal Science 79, 2805–2811.
Cafe LM, Mclntyre BL, Robinson D, Geesink GH, Barendse W, Greenwood PL (2010) Production and processing studies on calpain-system gene markers for tenderness in Brahman cattle: 1. Growth, efficiency, temperament, and carcass characteristics. Journal of Animal Science 88, 3047–3058.
| Production and processing studies on calpain-system gene markers for tenderness in Brahman cattle: 1. Growth, efficiency, temperament, and carcass characteristics.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BC3cjktlKjsg%3D%3D&md5=3b8d3fead8857b5dc826e0fd1631ff36CAS | 20525933PubMed |
Cafe LM, Robinson DL, Ferguson DM, McIntyre BL, Geesink GH, Greenwood PL (2011) Cattle temperament: persistence of assessments and associations with productivity, efficiency, carcass and meat quality traits. Journal of Animal Science 89, 1452–1465.
| Cattle temperament: persistence of assessments and associations with productivity, efficiency, carcass and meat quality traits.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3MXls1Oiu74%3D&md5=74c6a70fc55818485c8c1ed3f964319dCAS | 21169516PubMed |
Chen Y, Gondro C, Quinn K, Herd RM, Parnell PF, Vanselow B (2011) Global gene expression profiling reveals genes expressed differentially in cattle with high and low residual feed intake. Animal Genetics 42, 475–490.
| Global gene expression profiling reveals genes expressed differentially in cattle with high and low residual feed intake.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC3MXhtlaktr7P&md5=d698ae428596b9aa8bd9d5b92ea3be6bCAS | 21906099PubMed |
Chen Y, Arthur PF, Herd RM, Quinn K, Barchia IM (2012a) Using genes differentially expressed in bulls to classify steers divergently selected for high and low residual feed intake. Animal Production Science 52, 608–612. https://doi.org/10.1071/AN11266
Chen Y, Arthur PF, Barchia IM, Quinn K, Parnell PF, Herd RM (2012b) Using gene expression information obtained by quantitative real-time PCR to evaluate Angus bulls divergently selected for feed efficiency. Animal Production Science 52, 1058–1067.
| Using gene expression information obtained by quantitative real-time PCR to evaluate Angus bulls divergently selected for feed efficiency.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BC38XhsVCgtbrN&md5=c964152526f3284c8b8c4093d1bdbc63CAS |
Dikeman ME (2007) Effects of metabolic modifiers on carcass traits and meat quality. Meat Science 77, 121–135.
| Effects of metabolic modifiers on carcass traits and meat quality.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2sXmvVOgsbY%3D&md5=54594184d3cc2f5845c6c3f3125aca4aCAS | 22061403PubMed |
Dunshea F, Dsouza D, Pethick D, Harper G, Warner R (2005) Effects of dietary factors and other metabolic modifiers on quality and nutritional value of meat. Meat Science 71, 8–38.
| Effects of dietary factors and other metabolic modifiers on quality and nutritional value of meat.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD2MXmt1Wiu7g%3D&md5=45b1d9920bfec1fae06880091fd50a30CAS | 22064049PubMed |
Hellemans J, Mortier G, De Paepe A, Speleman F, Vandesompele J (2007) qBase relative quantification framework and software for management and automated analysis of real-time quantitative PCR data. Genome Biology 8, R19
| qBase relative quantification framework and software for management and automated analysis of real-time quantitative PCR data.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 17291332PubMed |
Herd RM, Arthur PF (2009) Physiological basis for residual feed intake. Journal of Animal Science 87, E64–E71.
| Physiological basis for residual feed intake.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:STN:280:DC%2BD1M3mtVWksA%3D%3D&md5=34eef69f501acba16ea5bbeda63d6d2cCAS | 19028857PubMed |
Herd RM, Oddy VH, Richardson EC (2004) Biological basis for variation in residual feed intake in beef cattle. 1: Review of potential mechanisms. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 44, 423–430.
| Biological basis for variation in residual feed intake in beef cattle. 1: Review of potential mechanisms.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hunter R (2010) Hormonal growth promotant use in the Australian beef industry. Animal Production Science 50, 637–659. doi.org/10.1071/AN09120
Hunter RA, Burrow HM, McCrabb GJ (2001a) Sustained growth promotion, carcass and meat quality of steers slaughtered at three liveweights. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 41, 1033–1040.
| Sustained growth promotion, carcass and meat quality of steers slaughtered at three liveweights.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Hunter RA, McCrabb GJ, O’Neill CJ (2001b) The influence of hormonal growth promotants on marbling. In ‘Marbling Symposium: Proceedings of a CRC Conference’. pp. 129–131.
Koch RM, Swiger LA, Chambers D, Gregory KE (1963) Efficiency of feed use in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Science 22, 486–494.
McCrabb GJ, Hunter RA (1999) Prediction of methane emissions from beef cattle in tropical production systems. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 50, 1335–1339.
| Prediction of methane emissions from beef cattle in tropical production systems.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
McCrabb GJ, Berger KT, Magner T, May C, Hunter RA (1997) Inhibiting methane production in Brahman cattle by dietary supplementation with a novel compound and the effects on growth. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 48, 323–329.
| Inhibiting methane production in Brahman cattle by dietary supplementation with a novel compound and the effects on growth.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK2sXislals7Y%3D&md5=324de9ba6135e490417b6b7333559db9CAS |
Moore KL, Johnston DJ, Burrow HM (2005) Sire breed differences for net feed intake in feedlot finished beef cattle. Association for the Advancement of Animal Breeding and Genetics 16, 76–79.
Platter WJ, Tatum JD, Belk KE, Scanga JA, Smith GC (2003) Effects of repetitive use of hormonal implants on beef carcass quality, tenderness, and consumer ratings of beef palatability. Journal of Animal Science 81, 984–996.
Preston RL (1999) Hormone containing growth promoting implants in farmed livestock. Advanced Drug Delivery Reviews 38, 123–138.
| Hormone containing growth promoting implants in farmed livestock.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DyaK1MXks1Clsbc%3D&md5=0413b2794ddd423399f2723ebd461334CAS | 10837752PubMed |
R Development Core Team (2012) ‘R: a language and environment for statistical computing.’ (R Foundation for Statistical Computing: Vienna, Austria). Available at http://www.R-project.org [Verified 18 April 2013]
Richardson EC, Herd RM (2004) Biological basis for variation in residual feed intake in beef cattle. 2. Synthesis of results following divergent selection. Animal Production Science 44, 431–440.
| Biological basis for variation in residual feed intake in beef cattle. 2. Synthesis of results following divergent selection.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Roeber DL, Cannell RC, Belk KE, Miller RK, Tatum JD, Smith GC (2000) Implant strategies during feeding: impact on carcass grades and consumer acceptability. Journal of Animal Science 78, 1867–1874.
Samber JA, Tatum JD, Wray MI, Nichols WT, Morgan JB, Smith GC (1996) Implant program effects on performance and carcass quality of steer calves finished for 212 days. Journal of Animal Science 74, 1470–1476.
Schutt KM, Arthur PF, Burrow HM (2009) Brahman and Brahman crossbred cattle grown on pasture and in feedlots in subtropical and temperate Australia. 3. Feed efficiency and feeding behavior of feedlot-finished animals. Animal Production Science 49, 452–460.
| Brahman and Brahman crossbred cattle grown on pasture and in feedlots in subtropical and temperate Australia. 3. Feed efficiency and feeding behavior of feedlot-finished animals.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar |
Sherman EL, Nkrumah JD, Murdoch BM, Moore SS (2008) Identification of polymorphisms influencing feed intake and efficiency in beef cattle. Journal of Animal Genetics 39, 225–231.
| Identification of polymorphisms influencing feed intake and efficiency in beef cattle.Crossref | GoogleScholarGoogle Scholar | 1:CAS:528:DC%2BD1cXnslGrtbg%3D&md5=a649c2dd279af787cc31e1285c289c1aCAS |
