10-234 STRUCTURE OF FARM ANIMALS


1. BASIC CONCEPTS OF ANIMAL STRUCTURE

From molecules to meat - the range in size and tissue complexity.
The adjectives of animal anatomy - essential vocabulary.
Farm animals versus other animals - farm animals in a zoological context.

2. DOMESTICATION OF FARM ANIMALS


To understand modern cattle, sheep, pigs and poultry - we must know their ancestors.

3. EMBRYOLOGY OF FARM MAMMALS

The earliest events in the animal's life may be the most important.
This is where biotechnology will have its greatest impact.

4. EMBRYOLOGY OF POULTRY

So different from mammals - it needs its own lecture.

5. SOMITES & LIMB BUDS

Where the development of meat starts.

6. INNERVATION OF MUSCLE

The nervous system controls many aspects of meat production and meat quality.

7. MYOGENESIS

How the muscle fibres of meat develop before birth.

8. FIBRE TYPES

Red  and white meat in miniature,  these fibre types determine both muscle growth and meat quality.

9. NEUROTROPHISM

How nerves affect muscle development and meat quality.

10. MYOFIBRILS

These minute organelles within fibres are responsible for muscle contraction and meat texture.

11. CONTRACTION

Muscle contraction - essential for understanding meat toughness.

12. GLYCOLYSIS

Why meat is usually acidic and how this is essential for meat quality.

13. RIGOR & COLD SHORTENING

The conversion of muscles to meat - and how enthusiastic refrigeration may ruin meat quality.

14. PSE & DFD

What causes it and how we measure it.

15. MEAT COLOUR

Understanding the science behind pale, watery pork and dark-cutting beef.

16. FIBROUS CONNECTIVE TISSUES

Why some cuts of meat are more tender than others.

17. COOKING MEAT

Why cooking makes some cuts tougher and other cuts more tender.
Essential information - most consumers over-cook their expensive cuts and make them tough!

18. ADIPOSE TISSUE

Fat development is a major concern in meat animal growth, finishing, grading and retailing.

19. FATTY ACID METABOLISM

Or how pork chops can taste like sardines if we get it wrong.

20. GROWTH CURVES

The mysteries controlling animal growth.

21. ALLOMETRY

Changes in animal shape - how we measure the yield of high-value meat cuts.

22. ENERGY FOR GROWTH

How animals partition their energy between muscle and fat - and how this affects carcass value.

23. RADIAL GROWTH OF MUSCLE FIBRES

How bulging muscles develop and how this affects meat quality.

24. LONGITUDINAL GROWTH OF MUSCLES

We often forget this - but it makes a major contribution to meat yield.

25. DOUBLE-MUSCLING

An opportunity or a problem?  What causes it.

26. BONE GROWTH & CALCIUM METABOLISM

How bones grow and how frame-size is determined.
No milk or eggs shells without calcium!

27. ENDOCRINE CONTROL OF GROWTH


Some of the better known hormones controlling animal growth.

28. MEAT GRADING AND CUTTING

Skeletal development, meat and fat colour, and carcass fatness are used to sort beef carcasses for our customers.
Lean meat yield and carcass weight are used to reward efficient pork producers.
The anatomical origin of meat cuts.