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Agriculture
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Current Research and Strategies for Improving Farm Animal Meat Quality
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Current Research and Strategies for Improving Farm Animal Meat Quality

A special issue of Agriculture (ISSN 2077-0472). This special issue belongs to the section "Farm Animal Production".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (25 February 2026) | Viewed by 11283

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nikolina Kelava Ugarković

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: meat production and quality; game meat quality; production systems; milk production
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Ana Kaić

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, Svetošimunska Cesta 25, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Interests: meat production and quality; meat processing technology; sensory analysis; food safety
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Meat quality includes numerous traits that can be affected by intrinsic and extrinsic factors. Meat quality can be analysed in terms of the nutritional properties they provide for human consumption, the traits that determine they safety of the meat (hygiene and toxicology), the traits that are important for meat processing, and the set of traits that determine sensory quality. Thus, the analysis of meat quality can be approached from different points. The genetic background of a species and/or breed has an inevitable effect on farm animal meat quality and its interaction with production systems, mainly with respect to nutritional properties and pre-mortem handling results regarding the specific physio-chemical characteristics of the meat. During post-mortem handling, transport and shelf-life microorganism contamination can occur, leading to meat spoilage and unappetizing or even poisonous or infectious effects. The meat industry requires specific meat characteristics, and different post-mortem handling and treatment methods can be beneficial to improve meat quality parameters. In addition to nutritional traits, consumers are becoming more interested in the sensory characteristics of meat (juiciness, flavour, and texture), which determine meat eating quality, as well as the welfare of the animals used for meat production. Due to these broad topics, new studies are valuable sources of information on the diverse effects on meat quality parameters.

This Special Issue focuses on the current research on improving farm animal meat quality and the relevant strategies used to achieve this goal. We welcome the submission of studies that present new and valuable results regarding the effects of breeding and genetics on meat quality and the effects of production systems and nutritional strategies, welfare status, and pre- and post-mortem handling procedures on the nutritional, physio-chemical, and sensory profiling of farm animal meat quality. Both original research articles and reviews are welcome.

Dr. Nikolina Kelava Ugarković
Dr. Ana Kaić
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agriculture is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • breeding
  • feeding systems
  • nutritional strategies
  • welfare
  • transport practices
  • stress biomarkers
  • microbiology safety
  • post-mortem handling and carcass treatments
  • aging
  • nutritional composition
  • sensory profiling

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Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

16 pages, 311 KB  
Article
Comparative Evaluation of the Quality of Turkey Meat from Organic and Commercial Production Subjected to Heat Treatment
by Jadwiga Topczewska, Anna Augustyńska-Prejsnar, Małgorzata Ormian and Joseph Ohimor
Agriculture 2026, 16(6), 668; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16060668 - 15 Mar 2026
Viewed by 609
Abstract
This study comparatively assessed the quality of organically and commercially produced turkey meat roasted to internal temperatures of 72 ± 2 °C, 80 ± 2 °C, and 88 ± 2 °C. The evaluation encompassed physical characteristics (pH, WHC, and colour), nutritional value (protein, [...] Read more.
This study comparatively assessed the quality of organically and commercially produced turkey meat roasted to internal temperatures of 72 ± 2 °C, 80 ± 2 °C, and 88 ± 2 °C. The evaluation encompassed physical characteristics (pH, WHC, and colour), nutritional value (protein, ash, dry matter, fat and fatty acid profile and caloric value), and sensory characteristics. Thermal processing caused significant differences in the properties of the meat depending on the production system. After thermal processing, organic meat had a more favourable lipid profile (higher MUFA, PUFA and n-3 PUFA content and lower SFA content) compared to conventional meat, which indicates its potential nutritional advantage. The most favourable technological and sensory parameters, in this system, were obtained at an internal temperature of 80 ± 2 °C, while an increase to 88 ± 2 °C resulted in a deterioration in tenderness and juiciness. In commercially farmed meat, the best tenderness was found at 72 ± 2 °C and the highest aroma and flavour ratings at 80 ± 2 °C. The use of a temperature of 88 ± 2 °C led to an increase in cutting force, greater loss and reduced sensory quality. The results indicate the validity of differentiating the heat treatment parameters depending on the origin of the raw material. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research and Strategies for Improving Farm Animal Meat Quality)
18 pages, 301 KB  
Article
Effects of Age, Sex, and Dietary Supplementation on Carcass Traits, Meat Quality, and Lipid Composition of Manchurian Golden Quail
by Violeta Razmaitė, Šarūnė Marašinskienė, Giedrius Šarauskas and Artūras Šiukščius
Agriculture 2026, 16(4), 465; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16040465 - 17 Feb 2026
Viewed by 666
Abstract
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of age, sex, and dietary supplementation with resveratrol and defatted black soldier fly (Hermetiaconfirmedillucens) larvae meal (BSF) on the carcass traits, meat quality, and lipid profile in Manchurian Golden quail. A [...] Read more.
The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of age, sex, and dietary supplementation with resveratrol and defatted black soldier fly (Hermetiaconfirmedillucens) larvae meal (BSF) on the carcass traits, meat quality, and lipid profile in Manchurian Golden quail. A total of 180 birds were examined: 90 young quail at 35 days of age before the onset of laying and 90 older quail at 128 days of age during the laying period, with both sexes represented. The birds were assigned to three dietary treatments: a commercial basal diet, the same basal diet supplemented with 250 mg/kg of resveratrol, and a diet including 10% BSF. The carcass composition, meat physicochemical properties, lipid profile, and nutritional quality indices were analyzed. Older quail exhibited higher body, carcass, and organ weights and greater internal fat deposition, whereas younger quail showed more intense breast meat color and higher ash and cholesterol contents. Females generally demonstrated leaner carcasses and more favorable lipid profiles than males. Dietary BSF supplementation increased body weight and the intramuscular fat content but negatively influenced fatty acid indices, whereas resveratrol supplementation enhanced polyunsaturated fatty acid levels and the PUFA/SFA ratio (p < 0.001), despite an associated increase in meat cholesterol. Meat from older quail was tougher but showed healthier lipid characteristics, including higher (p < 0.001) PUFA proportions, lower (p < 0.001) atherogenic index (AI) and thrombogenic index (TI) values, and more favorable (p < 0.001) hypocholesterolemic/hypercholesterolemic fatty acid ratio (H/h) and health-promoting index (HPI) values. Overall, slaughtering dual-purpose quail after three months of laying did not compromise meat nutritional quality and may even enhance certain health-related attributes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research and Strategies for Improving Farm Animal Meat Quality)
22 pages, 7727 KB  
Article
Transcriptomic Insights into the Dynamic Regulatory Mechanisms of Longissimus Dorsi Muscle Development in Jinhua Pigs
by Yihan Fu, Fen Wu, Zhe Zhang, Qishan Wang, Yuchun Pan, Zhen Wang and Huanfa Gong
Agriculture 2026, 16(2), 254; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture16020254 - 19 Jan 2026
Viewed by 623
Abstract
Pigs are a major source of animal protein for humans and serve as valuable biomedical models. Compared to Western commercial pig breeds, Jinhua pigs are characterized by superior meat quality due to dynamic muscle development and fat deposition. However, studies investigating dynamic transcriptional [...] Read more.
Pigs are a major source of animal protein for humans and serve as valuable biomedical models. Compared to Western commercial pig breeds, Jinhua pigs are characterized by superior meat quality due to dynamic muscle development and fat deposition. However, studies investigating dynamic transcriptional regulation of swine meat quality traits across developmental stages remain limited. In this work, we collected longissimus dorsi muscle tissue from three Jinhua and three Landrace × Yorkshire pigs at 1, 90, and 180 days of age, respectively. We have uncovered differentially expressed genes and transcripts, alternative splicing events, and gene fusion events across development stages utilizing RNA sequencing data. CKM exhibited consistent breed-specific alternative splicing and gene fusion events across all three stages, representing a stable regulator of muscle development in Jinhua pigs. On the other hand, our findings highlight day 90 as a critical “window phase” for muscle development and meat quality differences between Jinhua and Landrace × Yorkshire pigs at this stage, exhibiting the greatest number of inter-breed differences in transcriptomic genetic regulation. Additionally, time series analysis revealed that genes with peak expression at day 90 were significantly enriched in pathways associated with muscle development and function. Finally, we identified PFKM, PRKAG3, and CKM as candidate genes with age-specific expression and post-transcriptional regulation that likely influence muscle development. This study advances understanding of transcriptional regulation in pig muscle with implications for meat quality improvement. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research and Strategies for Improving Farm Animal Meat Quality)
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16 pages, 2433 KB  
Article
A Single-Cell Assessment of Intramuscular and Subcutaneous Adipose Tissue in Beef Cattle
by Mollie M. Green, Hunter R. Ford, Alexandra P. Tegeler, Oscar J. Benitez, Bradley J. Johnson and Clarissa Strieder-Barboza
Agriculture 2025, 15(14), 1545; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture15141545 - 18 Jul 2025
Viewed by 4479
Abstract
Deposition of intramuscular fat (IM), also known as marbling, is the deciding factor of beef quality grade in the U.S. Defining molecular mechanisms underlying the differential deposition of adipose tissue in distinct anatomical areas in beef cattle is key to the development of [...] Read more.
Deposition of intramuscular fat (IM), also known as marbling, is the deciding factor of beef quality grade in the U.S. Defining molecular mechanisms underlying the differential deposition of adipose tissue in distinct anatomical areas in beef cattle is key to the development of strategies for marbling enhancement while limiting the accumulation of excessive subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). The objective of this exploratory study was to define the IM and SAT transcriptional heterogeneity at the whole tissue and single-nuclei levels in beef steers. Longissimus dorsi muscle samples (9–11th rib) were collected from two finished beef steers at harvest to dissect matched IM and adjacent SAT (backfat). Total RNA from IM and SAT was isolated and sequenced in an Illumina NovaSeq 6000. Nuclei from the same samples were isolated by dounce homogenization, libraries generated with 10× Genomics, and sequenced in an Illumina NovaSeq 6000, followed by analysis via Cell Ranger pipeline and Seurat in RStudio (v4.3.2) By the expression of signature marker genes, single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNAseq) analysis identified mature adipocytes (AD; ADIPOQ, LEP), adipose stromal and progenitor cells (ASPC; PDGFRA), endothelial cells (EC; VWF, PECAM1), smooth muscle cells (SMC; NOTCH3, MYL9) and immune cells (IMC; CD163, MRC1). We detected six cell clusters in SAT and nine in IM. Across IM and SAT, AD was the most abundant cell type, followed by ASPC, SMC, and IMC. In SAT, AD made up 50% of the cellular population, followed by ASPC (31%), EC (14%), IMC (1%), and SMC (4%). In IM depot, AD made up 23% of the cellular population, followed by ASPC at 19% of the population, EC at 28%, IMC at 7% and SMC at 12%. The abundance of ASPC and AD was lower in IM vs. SAT, while IMC was increased, suggesting a potential involvement of immune cells on IM deposition. Accordingly, both bulk RNAseq and snRNAseq analyses identified activated pathways of inflammation and metabolic function in IM. These results demonstrate distinct transcriptional cellular heterogeneity between SAT and IM depots in beef steers, which may underly the mechanisms by which fat deposits in each depot. The identification of depot-specific cell populations in IM and SAT via snRNAseq analysis has the potential to reveal target genes for the modulation of fat deposition in beef cattle. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research and Strategies for Improving Farm Animal Meat Quality)
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17 pages, 6431 KB  
Article
Heterogeneity of Intramuscular, Intermuscular, and Subcutaneous Fat in Laiwu Pigs: Insights from Targeted Lipidomics and Transcriptomics
by Jian Xu, Tianwen Wu, Sin Man Lam, Guanghou Shui, Shulin Yang, Yanfang Wang and Cong Tao
Agriculture 2024, 14(5), 658; https://doi.org/10.3390/agriculture14050658 - 24 Apr 2024
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3650
Abstract
In the livestock industry, an excessive accumulation of subcutaneous fat diminishes the proportion of lean meat, while elevated intramuscular fat (IMF) content is associated with enhanced meat quality. However, the heterogeneity of various fat depots in pigs remains incompletely understood. Comprehensive tissue section, [...] Read more.
In the livestock industry, an excessive accumulation of subcutaneous fat diminishes the proportion of lean meat, while elevated intramuscular fat (IMF) content is associated with enhanced meat quality. However, the heterogeneity of various fat depots in pigs remains incompletely understood. Comprehensive tissue section, lipidomic, and transcriptomic analyses indicated that the maturity of IMF was significantly less than that of both intermuscular and subcutaneous fats. We identified 467 lipids across 29 lipid classes in total, revealing that IMF exhibits unique lipid composition and transcriptional profiles. More importantly, several lipids, including GalCer, S1P, CL, AcCa, PC-O, PE-O, and sulfatide, are highly enriched in intramuscular fat and may play pivotal roles in neuromodulation, mitochondrial function, lipogenesis, and membrane signaling. In conclusion, we unveiled unique lipid composition and molecular regulatory pathways of porcine IMF, offering new insights for the synergistic breeding that aims at optimizing pig backfat thickness and IMF content. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Current Research and Strategies for Improving Farm Animal Meat Quality)
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