Effects of metabolic modifiers on carcass traits and meat quality

Much research has been conducted and published about metabolic modifiers that increase growth rate, improve feed efficiency, increase carcass leanness, and decrease carcass fatness. Most of these metabolic modifiers have been developed to improve efficiency and profitability of livestock production and to improve carcass composition, with fewer of them developed and researched specifically to improve meat quality. Some of the metabolic modifiers can have negative effects on visual and sensory meat quality, especially when not used as recommended. This review evaluates the various kinds of metabolic modifiers that have been researched for their effects on production efficiency, carcass composition, and meat quality. Nutritional composition of meat generally is improved from use of most of the metabolic modifiers, visual quality is improved by others, but some can have a negative effect on marbling and tenderness. Anabolic steroid implants are very cost effective and practical for beef cattle production but aggressive implants used within 70 days of slaughter or too frequent use of them will reduce tenderness and marbling. Somatatropin and approved β-agonists are very effective in improving growth performance and carcass leanness in pigs, and β-agonists are effective in cattle, but improper use of them can have negative effects on marbling and tenderness. Feeding supplemental levels of vitamin E is quite beneficial for improving meat color and shelf-life of beef, lamb, and pork, whereas not supplementing diets with vitamin A has potential for improving marbling in cattle. Immunocastration shows promise for capitalizing on the efficiency of muscle growth of young boars up to a few weeks before slaughter, at which time boar taint is prevented and marbling is improved by immunocastration. Potential exists for improving the fatty acid profile of lipids and increasing conjugated linoleic acid content in beef through dietary manipulation. Supplementing swine diets with conjugated linoleic acid can improve carcass composition of swine, but is not yet cost effective to use. Dietary inclusion of magnesium, manganese, or chromium in diets of pigs and sheep has potential to improve meat color and water-holding capacity. Although, not all of these metabolic modifiers are approved in all countries, proper use of the ones that are approved offers opportunities for economically improving production efficiency and carcass leanness while maintaining acceptable marbling and tenderness, while some provide opportunities to enhance meat color and quality.