Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-tn8tq Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-07-04T12:55:55.706Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Effects of low doses of dexamethasone on productive traits and meat quality of veal calves

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

M. Tarantola ,
A. Schiavone ,
G. Preziuso ,
C. Russo ,
B. Biolatti  and
D. Bergero
M. Tarantola*
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia ed Ecologia, Università di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
A. Schiavone
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia ed Ecologia, Università di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
G. Preziuso
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Università di Pisa, Viale delle Piagge, 2, 56124 Pisa, Italy
C. Russo
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia ed Ecologia, Università di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
B. Biolatti
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Patologia animale, Università di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
D. Bergero
Affiliation:
Dipartimento di Produzioni Animali, Epidemiologia ed Ecologia, Università di Torino, Via Leonardo da Vinci 44, 10095 Grugliasco (TO), Italy
*
E-mail: martina.tarantola@unito.it
Get access

Abstract

An experimental administration of dexamethasone was carried out on 15 veal calves in order to assess the rôle of low doses of exogenous glucocorticoids on productive traits and meat quality. Three groups, of five veal calves each, were formed: one group received oral dexamethasone (0·4 mg per calf per day for 25 days), another intramuscular (i. m.) dexamethasone (2 mg at days 14 and 21), and the third was the control. Calves were slaughtered at 165 days of age (day 31). Food conversion ratio (FCR), hot dressing percentage (HDP), chilled dressing percentage (CDP) and shrinkage were determined. From all carcasses, samples of m. longissimus thoracis (between the 8th and 10th rib) were taken in order to evaluate the chemical composition and some organoleptic characteristics: meat colour, waterholding capacity and tenderness. The animals treated with oral dexamethasone showed the lowest daily weight gain (P 0·05) and the poorest FCR (P 0·05). Hot dressing percentage, cold dressing percentage and shrinkage were not affected by the oral treatment. The i. m. injections of dexamethasone did not influence the overall performance. Muscle chemical composition and pH were not affected by the treatments; the meat of calves treated with oral dexamethasone was significantly lighter (P 0·05) and tended to be paler, while i. m. treatment induced intermediate characteristics. The shear force of the meat was rather low. Shear force of cooked meat from animals treated with dexamethasone (both oral and i. m.) was significantly lower than the control (P < 0·05). Treatment with dexamethasone i. m. induced a decrease in water-holding capacity; the oral treatment had no effect on this parameter.

Keywords

dexamethasonemeat productionmeat qualityveal calves
Type
Growth, development and meat science
Information
Animal Science , Volume 79 , Issue 1 , August 2004 , pp. 93 - 98
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2004

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Association of Official Analytical Chemists. 1990. Official methods of analysis. Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Inc., Arlington, VA.Google Scholar
Biolatti, B., Rosmini, R., Cravero, C., Angeletti, R., Bollo, E. and Del Piero, F. 1999. Genital and accessory reproductive organs, mammary gland and thymus changes following illegal anabolic treatment in veal calves. Proceedings of the 17th meeting of the European Society of Veterinary Pathology, Nantes, p. 175.Google Scholar
Biolatti, B., Valpreda, M., Barbarino, G., Costadura, G., Morero, P., Gatto, S., Pellegrini, S., Cavallo, M., Zancanaro, G., Sereno, A. and Bellonio, A. 2002. Anabolic target organs pathology in cattle slaughtered in Piemonte region (Italy). Proceedings of the 20th meeting of the European Society of Veterinary Pathology, – Grugliasco (TO), p 58.Google Scholar
Corah, T. J., Tatum, J. D., Morgan, J. B., Mortimer, R. G. and Smith, G. C. 1995. Effects of a dexamethasone implant on deposition of intramuscular fat in genetically identical cattle Journal of Animal Science 73: 3310–3316.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Courtheyn, D., Le Bizec, B., Brambilla, G., De Brabander, H. F., Cobbaert, E. and Wiele M., van de. 2002. Recent developments in the use and abuse of growth promoters. Analytica Chimica Acta 473: 71–82.Google Scholar
Courtheyn, D., Verheye, N., Bakeroot, V., Dal, V., Schilt, R., Hooijerink, H., Bennekom, E. O., Haasnoot, W., Stouten, P. and Huf, F. A. 1993. Detection of corticosteroids in animal feed and premixes: a new category of growth promoters. Proceedings of EuroResidue II 1, p. 262.Google Scholar
European Commission. 1997. Decision 97/182/EC. Web site: Google Scholar
Grau, R. and Hamm, R. 1957. [On the water holding capacity of mammal muscles. II. On the determination of the water holding of muscles]. Zeitschrift für LebensmittelUntersuchung und-Forschung 105: 446–460.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hofmann, K., Hamm, R. and Bluchel, E. 1982. New information on the determination of water binding in meat by the filter paper press method. Fleischwirtsch 62: 87–94.Google Scholar
Istasse, L., Haan, V. de, Eenaeme, C. van, Buts, B., Baldwin, P., Gielen, M., Demeyer, D. and Bienfait, J. M. 1989. Effects of dexamethasone injections on performances in a pair of monozygotic cattle twins. Journal of Animal Physiology, Section A: Animal Nutrition 62: 150–158.Google Scholar
Istat. 2001. Report 2001 [National Institute of Statistics] at www. istat. itGoogle Scholar
Johnson, B. H. and Silcox, R. W. 1986. The utilization of dexamethasone for feedlot bulls: a preliminary investigation. Animal science report of North Carolina State University, Raleigh.Google Scholar
McCurdy, M., Buskirk, D. D., Grant, A. and Cowley, J. 2002. Influence of supplemental sunflower oil and dexamethasone therapy on performance and adipose tissue development in early weaned beef steers. Michigan State University beef cattle, sheep and forage systems research and demonstration report.Google Scholar
Renaville, R., Massart, S., Devolder, A., Sneyers, M., Burney, A. and Portetelle, D. 1993. Effects of dexamethasone treatment on growth, sexual axis and hormonal status in finishing bulls. Journal of Animal Science 71: (suppl. 1) 232 (abstr.).Google Scholar
Renerre, M. 1982. [Meat colour and its measurement.] Bulletin Technique, C. R. Z. V. Theix. I. N. R. A. 47: 47–54.Google Scholar
Statistical Packages for the Social Sciences. 1997. Base 7·5 for Windows, user’s guide. SPSS Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA.Google Scholar
Ungemach, F. R. 1997. [Pharmacological influence of inflammation.] In [Companion and large animal pharmacotherapy, third edition] (ed. Löscher, W. Ungemach, F. R. Kroker, R. and Verlag, P.), pp. 485. Blackwell Wissenschafts, Germany.Google Scholar