The effect of individual differences in skeletal muscle protein degradation induced by pre-slaughter fasting on the meat quality of broiler chickens

2023 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 22K20616
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Research Activity Start-up
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: 0605:Veterinary medical science, animal science, and related fields
• Research Institution: Okayama University
• Principal Investigator: Katsumata Sachi 岡山大学, 環境生命自然科学学域, 特任助教 (60963824)
• Project Period (FY): 2022-08-31 – 2024-03-31
• Keywords: Nτ-メチルヒスチジン / 絶食 / 骨格筋タンパク質分解 / 鶏肉品質 / ブロイラー

Outline of Final Research Achievements

In this study, we conducted a pre-experiment with four fasting time levels in broiler chickens. There was a correlation between “skeletal muscle proteolysis level” and “free glutamic acid content in chicken meat after 48 hours of aging”. The second experiment was conducted with aligned fasting times. The results showed that there were individual differences in skeletal muscle proteolysis levels resulting from pre-slaughter fasting. Even under the same fasting time conditions, there was also a correlation between “skeletal muscle proteolysis level” and “free glutamic acid content in the aged chicken meat”, indicating that individual differences in skeletal muscle proteolysis induced by pre-slaughter fasting affect the meat quality.

Free Research Field

動物生産科学

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、絶食ストレスに起因するタンパク質分解反応の個体差の指標として、骨格筋の筋原線維タンパク質特異的な異化産物（Nτ-メチルヒスチジン）に着目し実験を行った。これまで、骨格筋の異化産物をストレス指標として用いた研究はないが、骨格筋の異化産物は絶食ストレスに対する感受性の違いを検出できる。Nτ-メチルヒスチジンの濃度変化は、暑熱などの他のストレスを感受した際にも顕れるため、他のストレッサーに対する新たな非侵襲的評価法として応用が可能となり、動物福祉に貢献できると考えられる。