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.

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

Title: Effect of dietary supplementation of the industrial hemp leaves on physical properties of broiler chicken meat
Authors: Ana Kaić,; Matija Stamičar,; Dubravko Škorput,; Nikolina Kelava Ugarković,; Zlatko Janječić
Affiliation: University of Zagreb Faculty of Agriculture
Abstract: The aim of the study was to determine the effect of dietary supplementation of the industrial hemp leaves (Cannabis sativa L.) on the physical properties of broiler chicken meat. The study was conducted on 100 male Ross chickens, which were divided into 4 experimental groups. The control group (K-0) was fed without hemp leaves, while groups P-1, P-2 and P-3 were supplemented with 10 g/kg, 20 g/kg, and 30 g/kg of industrial hemp leaves. The animals were slaughtered at 42 days of age. The physical properties of chicken meat (drip loss, pH value, color, thawing loss, cooking loss, shear force) were determined on the 10 breast muscle samples (M. pectoralis superficialis) per group.

Title: THE CONTENT OF ELEMENTS IN M. longissimus dorsi FROM CIKA BULLS
Authors: Mojca Voljč; Silvester Žgur; Mojca Simčič
Affiliation: University of Ljubljana, Biotechnical Faculty, Department of Animal Science, Jamnikarjeva 101, SI-1000 Ljubljana
Abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the content of the essential (Mg, Zn, Fe, Cu, Mn, Se Cr and Co) and nonessential elements (As and Cd) in samples of longissimus dorsi muscle in Cika bulls reared under three different fattening systems. The first group was fattened based on maize and grass silage as well as maize and barley (CK-INT), the second group received 75% of the ration from the first group with hay ad libitum (CK- EXT) while the third group was fattened on pasture (CK-P). For the comparison, a group of Charolais bulls (CH- INT) was fattened with the same ratio like CK-INT group. In total, we analysed 34 samples of longissimus dorsi muscle. Samples were prepared for digestion with HNO3 and H2O2, then diluted for the determination with ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry). Data were analysed using SAS GLM procedure. The concentration of Mg ranged from 226 mg/kg (CK-P) to 250 mg/kg (CH-INT), Zn from 40,9 mg/kg (CH-INT) to 47,0 mg/kg (CK-P), Fe from 12,5 mg/kg (CH-INT) to 18,0 mg/kg (CK-P) and Cu was in average 0,6 mg/kg in all groups. The concentration of Mn ranged from 48,3 μg/kg (CK-INT) to 54,9 μg/kg (CK-P), Se from 41,6 μg/kg (CK-EXT) to 59,7 μg/kg (CK-P) and Cr was in average 10,1 μg/kg. The concentration of Co was from 1,0 mg/kg (CK-P) to 2,36 μg/kg (CH-INT). The concentration of toxic elements, As from 2,40 μg/kg (CK-INT) to 2,91 μg/kg (CK-P) and Cd from 0,134 μg/kg (CK-EXT) to 0,689 μg/kg (CH-INT). The concentrations of Mg, Zn, Fe, Mn, Se, Co, As and Cd were significantly different among three groups of Cika bulls. The concentrations of Mg, Fe, Se, Co and Cd were significantly different between the Charolais group and three groups of Cika bulls.