Meat Quality Traits in Beef from Heifers: Effect of including Distiller Grains in Finishing Pasture-Based Diets
, Dario Pighin 3,4,*,†, Sebastián Cunzolo 3,4, Mariela Veggetti 3, Trinidad Soteras 3, Verónica Chamorro 3, Adriana Pazos 3,4 and Gabriela Grigioni 3,4
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
Manuscript that evaluates the effect of DDG in the supplement of pasture-finished heifers. Only the dataset referring to the meat characteristics of heifers are presented. This limits the discussion and inferences that can be made in the article and in the conclusion. We do not recommend publishing the article because it is just a clipping. Other modalities, such as short communication, may be an option.
Author Response
We sincerely appreciate the Reviewer for its valuable feedback and insightful comments.
Regarding your concern about the presented dataset, it is important to emphasize that the primary objective of our study is to evaluate the effect of DG on several meat quality aspects, including sensory traits. We consider that the inclusion of the hypothesis in the manuscript, as it was suggested by another Reviewer, could help to clarify this aspect.
We focused on meat quality evaluation and related the results to their impact in human nutrition and meat organoleptic characteristics. Our purpose is to structure the manuscript in order to maintain a clear and coherent narrative centered on this specific topic. As it was suggested by another Reviewer, we included more details regarding the mechanism involved in this relation.
In order to provide a comprehensive view of the entire study, we included appropriate references to the manuscript, thus ensuring readers can access the complete picture of the research.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 2 Report
Line 21: Please give a brief introduction
Line 24: Please give a short M&M of your research
Line 35: please put conclusion as take-home message
Line 53: As an example of this” changed to “For instance,”
Line 88: Please put the hypothesis
Line 98: Please put the ethical clearance of your research
Line 98-99: Please rephrase the sentence
Line 101: You should put the description of feeding regimes of your animals
Line 128: Please fix the format according to guideline
404-408: It’s not clear, put more literature.
Line 409: It doesn’t make any sense, please delete
Line 415: why PDG showed lower yellowness and mb? Please explain.
Please reorganize the discussion part according to the line of the results. For instance, you should explain sensory analyses after the results of meat pH, WHC, texture, and meat and fat color.
Line 484: methodology used for amino acid analysis -> what do you mean? They have different methods for measurements?
Line 489: You have not explained yet about the alteration of AA due to different diets? Please explain some significant data
Line 599: Please put take-home message
I suggest to use proof-reading
Author Response
The authors thank the Reviewer for the comments given to the manuscript, as a result of a careful reading of it. The comments were mindfully considered, and modifications were performed with “track changes”. The spelling and grammar of the manuscript have been checked by Victoria Eusevi, and the certificate of language editing service was uploaded.
The abstract has been improved taking into account the suggestions of the Reviewer.
It is important to point out that this study was performed with beef samples obtained in a commercial abattoir. The samples belonged to heifers that had been fed with a pasture-based diet without (P) or with 0.75% of live weight supplementation (PDG: DG plus dry rolled corn, 50:50; PRC: dry rolled corn). The data of feeding regimes and productive performance were already reported. We facilitate the Reviewer with the link to the institutional repository of the published report.
Kloster AM, Zurbriggen GA, García Montaño T, Carduza F, Casseta G, Conde MB. Suplementación estival de vaquillonas cruza continental con grano de maíz y una mezcla (50:50) de burlanda y maíz sobre una pastura de alfalfa y gramíneas. In: 42o Congreso Argentino de Producción Animal.; Revista Argentina de Producción Animal; 2019. p. 83.
https://ri.conicet.gov.ar/bitstream/handle/11336/155898/CONICET_Digital_Nro.c4c664ad-6072-474f-b816-8dc29bf3e8ec_A%20%281%29%20%281%29.pdf?sequence=5&isAllowed=y
The discussion was reorganized, and the topics are in order with the results.
We appreciate the comment received from the Reviewer regarding the discussion of the results of WHC. The discussion has been expanded and current bibliography on the subject has been included. The process of fluid retention in the muscle is complex and has a multifactorial dependence. Liu et.al (2016, 2023) describe the most relevant factors that affect fluid loss (myofibril contraction, rupture of the cell membrane structure, integrity of the intracellular cytoskeleton, development of spaces between cells, development of a network between sarcoplasmic and myofibrillar proteins). The manuscript discusses how the incorporation of DG in the diet could affect the WHC/cooking loss due to the action of oxidative processes. In addition, aspects that should be studied in specific trials are mentioned to better understand the mechanisms.
Liu et. al Meat Science 202 (2023) 109202 - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2023.109202
Liu et. al Meat Science 119 (2016) 32–40 - http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.meatsci.2016.04.020
Also, regarding the Reviewer’s question about the results of yellowness and MB, we´ve noticed that it was a mistake in the text, and it was corrected since the results of yellowness were significant for subcutaneous fat. Also, in that section, more detailed information was added to better clarify the point of discussion.
Finally, we acknowledge the Reviewer´s comment about the alteration of amino acids due to different diets. A hypothesis on this effect is mentioned in the manuscript. The already written sentence was also improved. This idea is stated in general terms since no assay with animal was done in the present study. Thus, the need for better understanding of the mechanism in specific-designed studies is made explicit in the manuscript.
Regarding the methodology used for amino acid analysis (line 484), it is important to mention that the methodology may vary depending on several factors related to the sample matrixes, the available equipment (HPLC, automatic amino acid analyzer, LC-MS/MS), the hydrolyzing agent, time and temperature. The need to protect some amino acids, depending on the matrix, will also modify the hydrolysis method used.
For example, in the present study the results were obtained using automatic equipment (Biochrom) with a post-column (ninhydrin) derivatization. On the other hand, HPLC methodologies usually apply a pre-column derivatization, with a different detection system (fluorescence).
To support this topic, a citation has been included in the manuscript.
Further information could be found in:
Young VR, Pellett PL. Amino acid composition in relation to protein nutritional quality of meat and poultry products. Am J Clin Nutr. 1984 Sep;40(3 Suppl):737-42. doi: 10.1093/ajcn/40.3.737. PMID: 6475833.
Hamed Piri-Moghadam, Alan Miller, Debra Pronger, Faye Vicente, Joel Charrow, Shannon Haymond, David C. Lin. A rapid LC-MS/MS assay for detection and monitoring of underivatized branched-chain amino acids in maple syrup urine disease. Journal of Mass Spectrometry and Advances in the Clinical Lab 24 (2022) 107–117.
Kelly, M. T., Blaise, A., y Larroque, M. (2010). Rapid automated high performance liquid chromatography method for simultaneous determination of amino acids and biogenic amines in wine, fruit and honey. Journal of Chromatography A, 1217, 7385–7392. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.chroma.2010.09.047
Lie, S. (1973). The EBC-Ninhydrin method for determination of free alpha amino nitrogen. Brewing Industry Research Laboratory, 79, 37–41. https://doi.org/10.1002/j.2050- 0416.1973.tb03495.x
Vázquez-Mosquera, J.M.; Fernandez-Novo; A.; de Mercado, E.; Vázquez-Gómez, M.; Gardon, J.C.; Pesántez-Pacheco, J.L.; Revilla-Ruiz, A.; Patrón-Collantes, R.; Pérez-Solana, M.L.; Villagrá, A.; Martínez, D.; Sebastián, F.; Pérez-Garnelo, S.S. and Astiz, S. Beef Nutritional Characteristics, Fat Profile and Blood Metabolic Markers from Purebred Wagyu, Crossbred Wagyu and Crossbred European Steers Raised on a Fattening Farm in Spain. Animals 2023, 13: 864. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050864.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Reviewer 3 Report
Regarding MS entitled ‘’ Meat quality traits in beef from heifers: effect of including distiller grains in finishing pasture-based diets’’ What is the novelty of your study? Please consider this point in your introduction. Why the authors used heifers instead of steers? They are mainly used for beef production. ‘’Since, Harris et al. [15] 84 demonstrated that DG inclusion in pasture diets has neither beneficial nor detrimental 85 effects on the physiological functions of heifers, in accordance with other reports [16]’’
L23. Supplementation level of DG should be added.
In abstract add p value for significant findings.
L33. Strong conclusion should be added and referred to the current findings.
L94. Add hypothesis.
L104. Room temperature or 4ËšC?
Results, please try to shorten it as possible.
Discussion please focus on the mechanism of action, particularly FA profile and AA profile. Also, the authors should focus on their conceptualization. Furthermore, the amino acid profile data should be double-checked, because some ratios are not similar to previous published papers.
moderate revision
Author Response
The authors thank the Reviewer for the comments given to the manuscript, as a result of a careful reading of it. The comments were mindfully considered, and modifications were performed with “track changes”. The spelling and grammar of the manuscript have been checked by Victoria Eusevi, and the certificate of language editing service was uploaded (Please see the attachment).
The introduction of the manuscript has been modified to clarify the novelty of our study.
Also, we have added to the abstract the information required for the Reviewer and we have done our best efforts to shorten the results.
Regarding the discussion section, we acknowledge the Reviewer´s comment. The manuscript was modified according to this suggestion. Better links between PUFA and C18:1t and between C18:1t and CLA have been made explicit. A new reference related to this issue has also been included.
The amino acid profile data has been checked and it is correct. Regarding this issue, it is important to mention that, despite the Met/Trp ratios are not being similar to other reports cited in the manuscript, they are in accordance with data set previously obtained and partially published by our research group.
For instance, Met/Trp ratios calculated from amino acid profiles obtained in assays from pasture-based systems and different meat sources, range between 3.3 to 7.4 in buffalo and steers, respectively (Chamorro et al., 2022; Cunzolo, 2019). Also, the Met/Trp ratios that can be calculated from the amino acids profile of beef from fattening system with high-olein diets range between 3.20 to 3.40 (Vázquez-Mosquera et al., 2023). We did not include these references as they had not reported the ratio Met/Trp as such in them.
Chamorro, V, Pazos, A, Pighin, D, Cadoppi, A, Cunzolo, S. Caracterización de la composición nutricional de carne de Búfalo (Bubalus bubalis) como herramienta para su divulgación y comercialización. VIII Congreso Internacional de Ciencia y Tecnología de los Alimentos de Córdoba del 4 al 6 de octubre del 2022. Córdoba, Argentina.
Cunzolo, S.A. (2019). Efecto del estrés agudo animal y la dieta sobre propiedades físico-químicas y sensoriales de carne bovina. PhD Thesis. http://sedici.unlp.edu.ar/handle/10915/145830).
Vázquez-Mosquera, J.M.; Fernandez-Novo; A.; de Mercado, E.; Vázquez-Gómez, M.; Gardon, J.C.; Pesántez-Pacheco, J.L.; Revilla-Ruiz, A.; Patrón-Collantes, R.; Pérez-Solana, M.L.; Villagrá, A.; Martínez, D.; Sebastián, F.; Pérez-Garnelo, S.S. and Astiz, S. Beef Nutritional Characteristics, Fat Profile and Blood Metabolic Markers from Purebred Wagyu, Crossbred Wagyu and Crossbred European Steers Raised on a Fattening Farm in Spain. Animals 2023, 13: 864. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani13050864.
Author Response File: Author Response.pdf
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
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Author Response
We appreciate the suggestions done by the reviewer during the revision process, which have improved the readability of our manuscript. Some modifications were added with track changes at the request of the academic editor.
Reviewer 3 Report
Thank you for your revisions
Minor editing
Author Response
We appreciate the suggestions done by the reviewer during the revision process, which have improved the readability of our manuscript. Some modifications were added with track changes at the request of the academic editor.
