This study aimed to investigate the effect of livestock breed, type of skeletal muscle, nutritional content and number of days since slaughter on the freezing point of samples of beef (n = 45), pork (n = 10) and chicken (n = 12). The freezing points of the beef samples, －1.05℃ (Japanese Black; feeder cattle) and －1.18℃ (fattening cattle), －1.18℃ (Crossbred; fattening cattle), and －1.08℃ (Holstein; fattening cattle), were not affected by the livestock breed or by the type of skeletal muscle. The freezing points of the pork samples were －1.13℃ (Three-way cross swine) and －1.12℃ (Berkshire). The freezing points of the chicken samples, －1.11℃ (Broiler) and －1.13℃ (Japanese old-style native), were not affected by the livestock breed or by the type of skeletal muscle, respectively. The average values of the freezing point by livestock type were: －1.12℃ for beef, －1.15℃ for pork, and －1.12℃ for chicken, with an overall average of －1.13℃ (n = 103). The freezing point was positively correlated with the moisture content of the overall sample of cut meat. When the super-chilling storage is applied to these meat, we recommend －1.0℃ as a technical temperature setting value.

The objective of this study was to clarify the effects of feeding rubbed bamboo silage (RBS) instead of rice straw (RS) as roughage for beef cattle at the late fattening stage. Twelve Japanese Black steers (20 months old) were divided into three groups: the first group was fed on 100% RS as roughage (control group); the second and third groups were fed on blended RBS and RS as roughage (representing 70% or 85% of the crude fiber contained in the control group’s RS ration; RBS 70% group and RBS 85% group, respectively). All groups were slaughtered at 28 months of age. The growth, behavior, ruminal pH and carcass traits were investigated. Although the rumination behavior of the RBS 70% group and the RBS 85% group decreased significantly at 21 months of age (P < 0.05), no significant differences were observed in body weight during the experimental period. There were no significant differences in roughage value index (RVI) between the groups. The ruminal pH value of the RBS 70% group was significantly lower than that of the other groups at 27 months of age (P < 0.05), but the value was not indicative of clinical abnormality. The carcass characteristics of the RBS 70% group and the RBS 85% group were comparable to those of the control group. In conclusion, RBS is an acceptable alternative roughage to RS at the 85% level after 20 months of age in terms of meat productivity.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of dietary supplementation with dried thinned Tankan (Citrus tankan Hayata) powder on the lipid peroxidation, drip-loss, and color of the pectoralis major muscle of broiler chickens. Thirty male broiler chickens (Ross 308) were allocated to three groups at 14 days of age. The control group was fed a standard diet and the remaining two groups were fed the standard diet supplemented with thinned Tankan at concentrations of 2.0% or 4.0% until 28 days of age. The body mass, body mass gain, feed intake, and the tissue masses of the broilers did not differ among the groups, but the 4.0% thinned Tankan-supplemented diet was associated with a higher feed conversion ratio than the control group. Feeding either the 2.0% or 4.0% thinned Tankan-supplemented diet was associated with redder pectoralis major muscle and a higher muscle α-tocopherol concentration than the control chickens. Furthermore, feeding the 4.0% thinned Tankan-supplemented diet was associated with lower muscle malondialdehyde content and lower drip-loss than the control chickens. Thus, thinned Tankan supplementation changes the color, increases the α-tocopherol concentration, and reduces the lipid peroxidation and drip-loss of the meat of broiler chickens.

In order to enhance the capability of electric fences to prevent invasion of sika deer (Cervus nippon) passing through them, we investigated the addition of physical protective fences. The study focused on the best height above the ground of the physical protection fence and its distance from an electric fence. In outdoor experimental corral (1,300×400 cm), 1) the polypropylene cord fences (height of 5-cords; 20, 40, 70, 100, and 140 cm), 2) a combination of the cord fences and a polyethylene net (heights: 60, 90, and 120 cm) at a set distance of 30 cm behind the cord fences, 3) a combination of the cord fences and a net with a height of 120 cm behind the cord fences (at set distances: 30, 60, and 90 cm) were presented to two 3-year-old captive sika deer (one male, and one female), and then, their behavioral responses to these fences were recorded. 1) Both deer passed through the cord fences, but only between the cords of 40 cm and 70 cm above the ground. The invasion-prevention percentage for both deer was 0%. 2) The invasion-prevention percentage for both deer ranged from 0-35% when the heights of the net were 60 and 90 cm, and it reached 100% when the height of the net was 120 cm. 3) The invasion-prevention percentage for both deer was high in all set distances. On the other hand, the deer behavior posing a risk of damaging the net fences was observed when the set distance was 60 cm or more.

Conclusively, when the net fence is combined together with the electric fence, the high invasion prevention effect may be induced upon setting up the net fence at a height of 120 cm and at a set distance of 30 cm behind the electric fence.