Featured Articles

  • Aug
    04
    Infographic: NC1184: Molecular Mechanisms Regulating Skeletal Muscle Growth and Differentiation


    August Infographic Blog Image
    One of the longest standing regional projects, the NC1184 group consists of 26 member agriculture experiment stations with a rich history of benchtop discovery in muscle biology with translation to the meat and livestock production sectors.

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  • Aug
    04
    Interpretive Summary: Molecular and biochemical regulation of skeletal muscle metabolism


    100x100 ASAS Blog Template (32)
    Skeletal muscle is a heterogenous population of cells that are classified into muscle types based on contractile speed and metabolism. The various types of muscle cells utilize different biochemical pathways to produce energy to support cellular functions.

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  • Aug
    04
    Interpretive Summary: The initial delay to mitotic activity in primary cultures of equine satellite cells is reduced by combinations of growth factors


    100x100 ASAS Blog Template (21)
    Satellite cells are the resident stem cells found within skeletal muscle. Following strenuous exercise, the cells become mitotically active to supply progenitors for muscle repair. The signals responsible for their exit from the dormant state are largely unknown.

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  • Aug
    04
    Interpretive Summary: Thermal stress and selection for growth affect myogenic satellite cell lipid accumulation and adipogenic gene expression through mechanistic target of rapamycin pathway


    100x100 ASAS Blog Template (22)
    Turkey breast muscle growth and development are sensitive to temperatures immediately after hatch due to an immature thermoregulatory system. Meat yield or quality problems may arise from external thermal stress during this period.

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  • Aug
    04
    Interpretive Summary: Effect of combined maternal and post-hatch dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol supplementation on broiler chicken Pectoralis major muscle growth characteristics and satellite cell mitotic activity


    100x100 ASAS Blog Template (23)
    Skeletal muscle growth is largely dependent on the proliferation and differentiation of muscle-specific stem cells known as satellite cells (SC). Previous work has shown that dietary inclusion of the vitamin D3 metabolite, 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25OHD3), also called calcidiol, can promote skeletal muscle growth in post-hatch broiler chickens.

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  • Aug
    04
    Interpretive Summary: Supplementation with artificial sweetener and capsaicin alters metabolic flexibility and performance in heat-stressed and feed-restricted pigs


    100x100 ASAS Blog Template (24)
    Heat stress reduces pig performance due to metabolic responses to heat. During heat stress, pigs lose the ability to metabolize fatty acids for energy and rely on carbohydrates to fuel growth.

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  • Aug
    04
    Interpretive Summary: Poor maternal diet during gestation alters offspring muscle proteome in sheep


    100x100 ASAS Blog Template (25)
    Poor maternal diet during gestation results in changes in body composition and metabolism in the offspring. Here, we demonstrate that over- and restricted-feeding during gestation alter global protein expression in the longissimus dorsi muscle of offspring during gestation and just after birth.

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  • Aug
    04
    Interpretive Summary: Primary myoblasts from intrauterine growth-restricted fetal sheep exhibit intrinsic dysfunction of proliferation and differentiation that coincides with enrichment of inflammatory cytokine signaling pathways


    100x100 ASAS Blog Template (27)
    Myoblasts are stems cells whose functional capacity can limit muscle growth. However, stressful intrauterine conditions cause these cells to be intrinsically dysfunctional. This restricts muscle growth capacity, leading to intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR) of the fetus, low birth weight, and less muscle mass after birth.

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  • Aug
    04
    Interpretive Summary: Elevated dietary selenium rescues mitochondrial capacity impairment induced by decreased vitamin E intake in young exercising horses


    100x100 ASAS Blog Template (28)
    Mitochondria, colloquially referred to as the powerhouses of the cell, are essential for sustained energy production, which is particularly important for athletic performance. During exercise, reactive oxygen species (ROS) are produced as a normal byproduct of muscle contraction.

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  • Aug
    04
    Interpretive Summary: Tandem mass tag labeling to assess proteome differences between intermediate and very tender beef steaks


    100x100 ASAS Blog Template (29)
    Among all the eating quality attributes of beef, tenderness is considered an essential factor influencing consumers’ overall satisfaction and future purchasing decisions. However, managing and predicting tenderness of meat products is challenging for the meat industry, as many factors can influence this attribute.

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  • Aug
    04
    Interpretive Summary: Cattle breed type and anabolic implants impact calpastatin expression and abundance of mRNA associated with protein turnover in the longissimus thoracis of feedlot steers


    100x100 ASAS Blog Template (31)
    Two methods that the beef cattle industry can use to potentially improve efficiency, sustainability, and economic viability are growth promotants and crossbreeding cattle of different breed types. In the United States, over 90% of cattle receive at least one anabolic implant during the production cycle resulting in improvements in production and overall economic and environmental sustainability.

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  • Jul
    27
    School meal waivers extended beyond June 30th


    school lunch
    President Joe Biden has signed the Keep Kids Fed Act of 2022 into law, extending partial school meal flexibilities through the next school year five days before they were set to expire. The Act will provide important funding and flexibility for communities to provide children healthy meals this summer and provide support to schools and daycares to respond to supply chain challenges and high food costs for the coming school year.

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  • Jul
    27
    Representatives send letter to President to hold India accountable regarding rice and wheat


    wheat
    United States Representative Tracey Mann (R-KS) and Representative Rick Crawford (R-AR), along with 12 members of Congress, have sent a letter to President Joe Biden, urging him to hold India accountable for violating their commitments to the World Trade Organization (WTO). Current WTO rules allow governments to subsidize up to 10% of the value of commodity production, however, the Indian government continues to do so at more than half of the value of production for several commodities, including rice and wheat.

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  • Jul
    27
    Report shows the pork industry’s impact on economy


    pigs
    A new economic report by The National Pork Producers Council (NPPC) highlights how America's swine farmers significantly contribute to the United States' agricultural and overall economy. The report highlights the pork industry value chain contributions and growth over the past five years.

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  • Jul
    27
    Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security Act introduced


    food
    Congresswoman Elise Stefanik (R-NY) and Congressman Rick Crawford (R-AR) recently introduced the Promoting Agriculture Safeguards and Security (PASS) Act. PASS is said to prevent foreign adversaries from taking any ownership or control of the United States’ agriculture industry.

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  • Jul
    27
    PETA submits petition about language used on meat packaging


    meat packaging
    The People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) submitted a petition to the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA’s) Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) to begin the rulemaking process to eliminate its label-approval program for any labels relating to claims about the conditions in which animals were raised. PETA is claiming companies are taking advantage of the FSIS’ approval of claims for financial gain.

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  • Jul
    27
    Feds Feed Families 2022 launched


    food pantry
    The United States Department of Agriculture has announced the kickoff of the 13th annual Feds Feed Families Program. The program is a voluntary food drive that encourages employees from all federal agencies to give in-kind contributions, food, services, or time, to food banks and pantries of their choice.

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  • Jul
    27
    FDA finalizes FSMA animal feed guidance


    animal feed
    The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has finalized the Guidance for Industry (GFI) #245: Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls for Food for Animals (FSMA) to help animal food facilities develop a food safety plan that complies with FDA’s Hazard Analysis and Risk-Based Preventive Controls requirements.

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  • Jul
    27
    FAO price index continues to fall, but higher than 2021


    food prices
    The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) has released the June 2022 FAO Food Price Index. While the Price Index fell from May 2022, it is still higher than the previous year.

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  • Jul
    27
    Ag organizations call for conformation on chief ag negotiator


    field
    Almost 100 agricultural and food organizations have sent a letter to the United States Senate Committee on Finance urging the swift confirmation of Doug McKalip as the chief agricultural negotiator at the Office of the United States Trade Representative. McKalip was nominated in June 2022 after the withdrawal of the previous chief ag negotiator nominee.

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