Sous vide cooking is increasingly adopted in both domestic and commercial settings for its ability to deliver a consistent eating experience. However, the potential for insufficient cooking temperatures and times raises concerns about the survival and recovery of foodborne pathogens. In the first experiment, we evaluated the behavior of Listeria monocytogenes (L. monocytogenes), Salmonella enterica (S. enterica), and aerobic plate counts in sous vide-cooked beef steaks (n = 150) subjected to sublethal heat treatment and storage at 3 and 8°C. Steaks were inoculated with L. monocytogenes and S. enterica, cooked at 3 sous vide conditions, and stored for 8 d. A second experiment was conducted using only L. monocytogenes inoculated steaks (sous vide-cooked versus uncooked, n = 48) to assess recovery in the absence of S. enterica, with storage up to 14 d at 4°C. L. monocytogenes did not grow significantly under most conditions, except minor growth in samples cooked at 52.5°C for 65 mins and stored at 8°C. S. enterica declined significantly upon refrigerated storage across all treatments, likely due to its mesophilic nature and inability to recover from heat injury at refrigeration temperatures. Between-sample variability was high. Aerobic plate counts remained stable, indicating no confounding effect on pathogens’ growth. The second experiment revealed a slight decrease in L. monocytogenes in sous vide-cooked steaks over 14 d compared to those that were not cooked. These findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate sous vide cooking parameters and maintaining adequate refrigeration control to mitigate food safety risks associated with cook-chill practices.

Sous vide cooking is increasingly adopted in both food service and domestic settings due to its ability to deliver precise temperature control and consistent quality. However, food safety remains a critical concern, particularly regarding the inactivation of S. enterica and L. monocytogenes. This study evaluated the thermal inactivation kinetics of a multiserotype cocktail of S. enterica and L. monocytogenes in beef steaks subjected to sous vide cooking at four temperatures: 62.5 °C, 60.0 °C, 57.5 °C, and 52.5 °C. Pathogen enumeration was conducted at 5, 8, 15, and 45-min intervals, respectively, using selective agar. A reparameterized Weibull model was fitted to the data and was used to estimate the time required for a 6.5 log10 cfu/g reduction. S. enterica achieved this reduction in 13.90, 21.13, 28.47, and 86.74 min, while L. monocytogenes required significantly longer times of 24.12, 36.87, 74.54, and 347.45 min at 62.5 °C, 60.0 °C, 57.5 °C, and 52.5 °C, respectively. Contrary to expectations, L. monocytogenes exhibited greater thermal resistance than S. enterica under these conditions. These findings underscore the importance of considering both cooking temperature and duration to ensure microbiological safety in sous vide applications. Furthermore, this research highlights the need for a comprehensive risk assessment to evaluate whether L. monocytogenes should be considered as a lethality indicator organism during sous vide processing.

The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA)-2022 serves as a benchmark of the current market cow and bull sectors of the U.S. beef industry and allows comparison to previous audits as a method of monitoring industry progress. From September 2021 through May 2022, post-slaughter hide-on animals (n = 6,674), carcasses (n = 5,746), and offal items (heads and tongues: n = 7,282; lungs and hearts: n = 6,708; viscera, kidneys, and livers: n = 6,358) were surveyed at 20 commercial beef processing facilities across the United States. There were 37.8% of cattle with no visible mud contamination. Native (unbranded) hides were observed in 88.3% of cattle. Carcass bruising was observed on 66.7% of cow carcasses and 46.4% of bull carcasses, similar to percentages observed in the 2007 and 2016 audits. Nearly all cattle were free of knots (98.2%) or injection-site lesions (97.1%). Harvest-floor assessments found that 45.0% of livers, 22.2% of viscera, 19.3% of kidneys, 46.6% of lungs, 19.9% of hearts, 11.2% of heads, and 6.4% of tongues were condemned. The leading cause of condemnation for these offal items was contamination, aside from livers with the majority resulting in condemnation from the presence of an abscess. Of the cows surveyed, 25.4% carried a fetus, an 8% increase compared to those observed in 2016, and a 14.8% increase compared to cows surveyed in 2007. Findings from the NBQA-2022 identified areas of improvement and areas that required continued research and producer education to improve market cow and bull welfare, by-product quality, and offal value. This aspect of the National Beef Quality Audit-2022 focused on hide characteristics, defects visible on the carcass surface, and offal condemnations related to animal welfare and the value of beef and dairy market cows and bulls. This comprehensive survey provides detailed findings related to the types of defects observed on hides, the quantity and severity of bruises, visible injection-site presence, offal condemnations, and pregnancy status of cows at harvest. This aspect of the National Beef Quality Audit-2022 focused on hide characteristics, defects visible on the carcass surface, and offal condemnations related to animal welfare and the value of beef and dairy market cows and bulls. Fewer than half (37.8%) of the cattle were free of visible mud contamination on the hide at the time of harvest. Most hides observed (88.3%) were native or unbranded, which is an increase from the rate observed in the previous audit. Hide damage due to reasons other than branding was observed in 12.3% of all cattle surveyed. Only 3.3% of all cattle surveyed had heads or limbs drag on the harvest floor or equipment due to carcass size. The percent of carcasses with bruising was similar to those reported in the 2007 and 2016 audits with cows at 66.7% and bulls at 46.4%, respectively. Nearly all cattle were free of knots (98.2%) or injection-site lesions (97.1%). Harvest-floor condemnation rates were 11.2% of heads, 6.4% of tongues, 46.6% of lungs, 19.9% of hearts, 22.2% of viscera, 19.3% of kidneys, and 45.0% of livers with heads, tongues, and kidneys being condemned at a greater rate than observed in 2016. The leading cause of condemnation for these offal items was contamination, aside from livers with the majority resulting in condemnation from the presence of an abscess. Of the cows surveyed, 25.4% carried a fetus at the time of harvest, an 8% increase compared to those observed in 2016, and a 14.8% increase from those surveyed in 2007. Improvements were observed in the instances and location of branding as well as decreased instances of knots or injection-site lesions, which can be attributed to improvements in management practices and producer education. Further improvements can be made to decrease the amount of mud present on the hide at the time of harvest, decrease instances of carcass bruising, and improve animal health to minimize offal condemnations. These improvements can benefit both animal welfare as well as carcass and offal value.

The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA)-2022 systematically evaluated quality characteristics of cattle, carcasses, and by products generated from the fed steer and heifer sectors. This audit was conducted from September 2021 through November 2022 in 22 beef processing facilities across 11 states. Approximately 7800 live animals were evaluated exiting the trailer and in holding pens, and about 23,200 carcasses were evaluated on the harvest floor for multiple characteristics. Cattle were transported on average 245.3 km for a travel time of 2.9 h, averaging 36 animals per load. On average, trailers had 41.3 m2 of floor surface area, and cattle were housed in 3.7 compartments, allotting 1.2 m2 per animal. Cattle received 91.7% mobility score 1 (walks easily, no stiffness). Cattle identification was observed on 93.3% of the those evaluated with the following frequencies: lot visual tags (61.3%), individual visual tags (58.1%), electronic tags (29.4%), low frequency electronic tags (28.9%), and metal clip tags (11.0%). For hide color/apparent breed type, most were black hided (62.3%), followed by Holstein (12.3%), red (11.3%), tan (4.9%), yellow (2.6%), gray (2.0%), brown (2.0%), non-Holstein dairy (1.7%), and white (1.1%). Most cattle were not branded (70.5%), followed by presence of butt brands (22.4%), side brands (7.0%), and shoulder brands (1.1%). For mud/manure on the hide, 49.6% had none that was visible; when observed, the most common areas were on the legs (38.7%) and belly (31.1%). Most cattle had no horns (84.1%); for those with horns, 4.6% were <2.54 cm in length, 7.9% were 2.54 to 12.7 cm in length (7.9%), and 3.3% were > 12.7 cm in length. For bruises, 47.7% of the carcasses had none, and for those with bruises, the loin (30.0%), rib (23.7%), chuck (19.7%), and round (19.3%) were the most common locations. For dentition, 95.4% had 2 or fewer permanent incisors deemed as less than 30 mo of age. Offal/byproducts condemnations occurred for liver (28.5%), lung (20.9%), viscera (12.5%), head (4.5%), and tongue (1.8%). Compared numerically to NBQA (2016), although we observed an increased area allotted per animal, travel time to the harvest facility was longer and mobility scores were lower (less mobile) exiting the trailer. Fewer cattle were identified via ear tagging, however, there was an increase in the use of electronic tags. Numerically, the percentage of black-hided cattle increased, and percentage of Holsteins declined, branding increased, mud/manure amount found on the hide declined, cattle without horns increased, and cattle 30 mo of age or older increased. Carcasses found with 1 or more bruises increased drastically (13.4% increase compared the NBQA-2016). Metrics observed in this study provide industry updates on improvements and deficiencies found in the fed beef cattle system.

The instrument grading assessment portion of the National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA)-2022 allowed for the evaluation of beef carcass traits over a 12-mo period. One week of instrument grading data was collected each month from 6 major beef processing companies from July 2021 to June 2022 (n = 4,418,768 carcasses). The sample pool was composed of 58.0% steer carcasses and 42.0% heifer carcasses, and the breed type distribution was 98.0% native, 1.6% dairy, and 0.3% Bos indicus. Means for USDA Yield Grade (YG) and YG factors were YG, 3.26, adjusted fat thickness, 1.55 cm, HCW, 400.6 kg, ribeye area, 91.6 cm2, and KPH, 2.1%. Frequency distribution of USDA YG was YG 1 = 7.87%, YG 2 = 31.70%, YG 3 = 40.03%, YG 4 = 17.07%, and YG 5 = 3.35%. Mean marbling score was Modest16, and the distribution of USDA quality grades was Prime = 8.19%, Choice = 74.84%, Select = 15.68%, and other = 1.31%. Frequency of carcasses grading Prime on Monday (10.89%), a 3.27%-point increase compared to the Prime average for the other days of the week (7.72%), demonstrates the potential advantage of additional postmortem chilling over the weekend from Friday and/or Saturday slaughter days. Comparisons of breed type and sex class revealed differences (P < 0.05) in marbling with dairy heifers (Modest55) > native heifers (Modest31) > dairy steers (Modest12) > native steers (Modest03), and ribeye area with native steers (93.3 cm2) > native heifers (90.9 cm2) > dairy steers (81.8 cm2) > dairy heifers (80.3 cm2). Month-to-month frequency distributions in beef carcass traits revealed numerical differences in marbling, USDA quality grade distribution, HCW, and adjusted fat thicknesses. Percentage distribution of dark cutting carcasses revealed numerically higher incidences during the summer and fall seasons compared to winter and spring. Findings from the instrument grading assessment of the NBQA-2022 provide the beef industry with the most comprehensive and current beef carcass quality and yield information available.

The fat composition and mineral content of beef influences both its taste and nutritional value. This study seeks to understand the relationship between meat quality and the nutritional value of beef from Brangus cattle. Animals varied greatly in their levels of essential omega-6 and monounsaturated fat. Higher levels of these fatty acids have been shown to improve the flavor of beef in addition to having a beneficial impact on cholesterol levels. Brangus cattle also exhibited a unique relationship between monounsaturated fat and meat quality, where higher levels of monounsaturated fat were associated with desirable traits such as increased marbling. Regarding mineral content, iron and zinc showed weak negative correlations with monounsaturated fat and moderate positive correlations with polyunsaturated fat. This study sheds light on the complex relations between fat profiles, mineral content, and meat quality. This understanding can inform breeding and management strategies to promote the production of meat that is not only palatable but also beneficial for consumer's health.

Drying is one of the oldest methods of food preservation, involving the addition of salt and removal of water to generate a shelf-stable and nutrient-dense product. Pathogens have demonstrated the ability to adapt during a slow drying process, making them more resistant to dehydration and heat treatment. In Ethiopia, an inconsistent electrical grid makes refrigeration unreliable, making dried meat products desirable to consumers. The main dried beef product, qwanta, is very labor intensive to produce. It is therefore not well suited for commercial production and drying at ambient temperatures limits inactivation of pathogenic bacteria. This study quantitatively evaluated the inactivation kinetics of foodborne pathogens during the drying of a restructured beef jerky product produced by a heat treatment that could be applied in anEthiopian butcher shop. A secondary objective was to evaluate effects of including 15% (w/w) pureed dates or raisins into the formulation. Challenge studies were performed on 5 serotypes of Salmonella enterica, 3 strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7, and 3 strains of Campylobacter jejuni. Meat formulations were inoculated with stationary phase cultures, formed into strips, and dehydrated for 6 h in a home-style dehydrator. Samples were weighed pre- and post-drying, plated for enumeration of challenge strains each hour, and water activity (aw) was measured at each sampling interval. Nonlinear predictive models were fit to the inactivation data, revealing an inverse sigmoidal curve for S. enterica and concave downward curves for E. coli and Campylobacter. Salmonella and E. coli were reduced 4.56 ± 0.35 and 6.27 ± 0.69 log (CFU/g),respectively, after 6 h of drying, while Campylobacter was reduced below the limit of detection (>4.32 log [CFU/g] reduction) after 3 h of drying. Including dates (15% w/w) into formulation improved the reduction of S. enterica by 0.63 log (CFU/g) compared to the control (P=0.02), whereas the addition of raisins showed a non-significant improvement (0.50 log CFU/g; P=0.07). Modified processes to improve the safety and extend the shelf life of animal-sourced foods in Ethiopia can reduce the incidence of foodborne disease and provide consumers with a more convenient and accessible source of protein as well as reduce food waste. These predictive models and validation studies may be useful for Ethiopian and US jerky producers, giving them the ability to more accurately assess the microbial risk of their products

The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA)-2022 serves as a benchmark of the current market cow and bull sectors of the U.S. beef industry and allows comparison to previous audits as a method of monitoring industry progress. From September 2021 through May 2022, livestock trailers (n = 125), live animals (n = 5,430), and post-slaughter hide-on animals (n = 6,674) were surveyed at 20 commercial beef processing facilities across the U.S. Cattle were transported in a variety of trailer types for an average distance of 490.6 km and a mean transport time of 6.3 h. During transit, cattle averaged 2.3 m2 of trailer space per animal indicating sufficient space was provided according to industry guidelines. Of all trailers surveyed, 55.3% transported cattle from an auction barn to a processing facility. When surveyed, 63.6% of all truck drivers reported to be Beef Quality Assurance certified. The majority (77.0%) of cattle were sound when evaluated for mobility. Mean body condition scores (9-point scale) for beef cows and bulls were 3.8 and 4.4, respectively, whereas mean body condition scores (5-point scale) for dairy cows and bulls were 2.3 and 2.6, respectively. Of the cattle surveyed, 45.1% had no visible live animal defects, and 37.9% had only a single defect. Of defects present in cows, 64.6% were attributed to an udder problem. Full udders were observed in 47.5% of all cows. Nearly all cattle were free of visible abscesses and knots (97.9% and 98.2%, respectively). No horns were observed in 89.4% of all cattle surveyed. Beef cattle were predominantly black-hided (68.9% and 67.4% of cows and bulls, respectively). Holstein was the predominant dairy animal observed and accounted for 85.7% of the cows and 98.0% of the bulls. Only 3.1% of all animals had no form of identification. Findings from the NBQA-2022 show improvements within the industry and identify areas that require continued education and research to improve market cow and bull welfare and beef quality. This aspect of the National Beef Quality Audit-2022 focused on transportation, mobility, and live animal conditions related to animal welfare and value of beef and dairy market cows and bulls. This comprehensive survey provides detailed findings related to the types of transportation and space allocated to animals, how mobile animals were upon arrival, the types of defects observed in cattle, hide color and patterns, and the forms of animal identification used. This aspect of the National Beef Quality Audit-2022 focused on transportation, mobility, and live animal conditions related to animal welfare and value of beef and dairy market cows and bulls. Cattle were transported, on average, 490.6 km, for 6.3 h, with 2.3 m2 space per animal in a variety of trailer types. Upon unloading, most cattle walked normally (77.0%) or with minor stiffness or shortness of stride (18.0%) with only 5.0% having difficulties taking steps. Body Condition Scores indicated less condition (lower fatness) than the previous audit. The most common defects for both dairy and beef cows were udder problems, whereas, for bulls, it was swollen joints. Beef cattle were predominately black-hided (68.9% and 67.4% of cows and bulls, respectively), whereas dairy cattle were predominately Holstein (85.7% of the cows and 98.0% of the bulls). Most of the cattle (89.4%) had no horns. Only 3.1% of all cattle had no form of animal identification with most having one or more forms of identification. Improvements were observed in transportation, animal identification, and limited percentages of management-related defects. Timelier marketing of market cows and bulls assuring adequate muscling and finish may benefit both animal welfare and value.

The National Beef Quality Audit - 2022 serves as a benchmark of the current fed steer and heifer population of the U.S. beef industry and allows comparison to previous audits as a method of monitoring industry progress. In-plant cooler assessments and collections of beef carcass data took place from July 2021 to November 2022. During in-plant evaluations, 10% of 1-d production was surveyed for quality and yield indicating characteristics of fed beef carcasses (n = 9,746 beef carcasses). Distributions of sex classes among sampled carcasses were steer (65.0%) and heifer (35.0%), whereas distributions of breed type were native (87.7%), dairy (11.3%), and Bos indicus (0.9%). Mean values were observed for USDA Yield Grades (YG; 3.3), USDA Quality Grade (QG; Choice16), marbling score (Small98), ribeye area (91.0 cm2), adjusted fat thickness (1.49 cm), hot carcass weight (401.9 kg), and KPH (2.5%). Mean overall maturity was A66, with a mean lean maturity of A56 and mean skeletal maturity of A72. There were 28.1% of carcasses identified for use in a USDA-certified beef G-Schedule Program. Defects, such as dark cutting and blood splash, were observed at 1.8% and 0.5%, respectively. Distributions of USDA YG were YG 1 (8.2%), YG 2 (30.7%), YG 3 (40.2%), YG 4 (16.6%), and YG 5 (4.3%). USDA QGs were observed at 7.5% Prime, 69.2% Choice, 16.4% Select, and 6.8% other. The results of this study provide an updated look at the current grading trends of beef carcasses in the United States to drive progress in the fed beef industry. This aspect of the National Beef Quality Audit - 2022 focused on the in-plant carcass quality and yield characteristics from the fed steer and heifer population. Current USDA Quality and Yield Grade averages and distributions as well as comparisons to previous audits over the past 30 yr show trends that have evolved in important value-determining carcass traits. This phase of the National Beef Quality Audit - 2022 gathered quality- and yield-indicating characteristics of fed beef carcasses (n = 9,746 beef carcasses) representing 10% of 1-d production from 35 beef processing facilities from July 2021 to November 22, 2022. Distributions of sex classes among sampled carcasses were steer (65.0%) and heifer (35.0%), whereas distributions of breed type were native (87.7%), dairy (11.3%), and Bos indicus (0.9%). Mean values were observed for USDA YG (3.3), USDA QG (Choice16), marbling score (Small98), ribeye area (91.0 cm2), AFT (1.49 cm), HCW (401.9 kg), and KPH (2.5%). There were 28.1% of carcasses identified for use in a USDA-certified beef G-Schedule Program. Defects, such as dark cutting and blood splash, were observed at 1.8% and 0.5%, respectively. Distributions of USDA YG were YG 1 (8.2%), YG 2 (30.7%), YG 3 (40.2%), YG 4 (16.6%), and YG 5 (4.3%). USDA QGs were observed at 7.5% Prime, 69.2% Choice, 16.4% Select, and 6.8% other. Results of this study provide an updated look at the current grading trends of beef carcasses in the United States.

Drying is one of the oldest methods of food preservation, involving the addition of salt and removal of water to generate a shelf-stable and nutrient-dense product. Pathogens have demonstrated the ability to adapt during a slow drying process, making them more resistant to dehydration and heat treatment. In Ethiopia, an inconsistent electrical grid makes refrigeration unreliable, making dried meat products desirable to consumers. The main dried beef product, qwanta, is very labor intensive to produce. It is therefore not well suited for commercial production and drying at ambient temperatures limits inactivation of pathogenic bacteria. This study quantitatively evaluated the inactivation kinetics of foodborne pathogens during the drying of a restructured beef jerky product produced by a heat treatment that could be applied in anEthiopian butcher shop. A secondary objective was to evaluate effects of including 15% (w/w) pureed dates or raisins into the formulation. Challenge studies were performed on 5 serotypes of Salmonella enterica, 3 strains of Escherichia coli O157:H7, and 3 strains of Campylobacter jejuni. Meat formulations were inoculated with stationary phase cultures, formed into strips, and dehydrated for 6 h in a home-style dehydrator. Samples were weighed pre- and post-drying, plated for enumeration of challenge strains each hour, and water activity (aw) was measured at each sampling interval. Nonlinear predictive models were fit to the inactivation data, revealing an inverse sigmoidal curve for S. enterica and concave downward curves for E. coli and Campylobacter. Salmonella and E. coli were reduced 4.56 ± 0.35 and 6.27 ± 0.69 log (CFU/g),respectively, after 6 h of drying, while Campylobacter was reduced below the limit of detection (>4.32 log [CFU/g] reduction) after 3 h of drying. Including dates (15% w/w) into formulation improved the reduction of S. enterica by 0.63 log (CFU/g) compared to the control (P=0.02), whereas the addition of raisins showed a non-significant improvement (0.50 log CFU/g; P=0.07). Modified processes to improve the safety and extend the shelf life of animal-sourced foods in Ethiopia can reduce the incidence of foodborne disease and provide consumers with a more convenient and accessible source of protein as well as reduce food waste. These predictive models and validation studies may be useful for Ethiopian and US jerky producers, giving them the ability to more accurately assess the microbial risk of their products

Animal Science (ANS) programs have seen the demographics of their students progressively shift to include more urban and suburban students with limited firsthand knowledge of production agriculture. A major contributor to that shift is an influx of students with the intent of pursuing veterinary school, primarily with the goal of working with companion animals. The change in students has its challenges, but also presents opportunities. It is a chance to communicate with our customers, voters, and prospective thought leaders and decision makers. It is also a chance to recruit new and diverse talent into animal agriculture to help solve current and future problems. Despite the high number of students interested in pursuing vet school, a small percentage gain admittance making it important to help students recognize alternate career paths as soon as possible. This is particularly critical at the University of Florida where 41% of our students are transfers. We questioned if the students’ focus on entering the veterinary field is due to viewing it as their best career opportunity, or their only opportunity. We conducted a career awareness survey at the start and end of the ANS3006 Introduction to Animal Science course over the past several years. Over 49% could not list more than two ANS-related careers. Veterinarian was the most common and appeared on 76% of responses. In turn, we have incorporated more career-related content into ANS3006. In the post survey evaluation, 57% listed more than two careers and 18.8% of students indicated their career goals had changed over the course of the semester, with more than 2/3 of those being students who changed from a veterinary path. Anecdotally, our advisors report students are more amenable to changing from the pre-vet track when encouraged. Emphasizing the opportunities is an effective way to help students find the career paths they may have otherwise missed.

This publication is the first of a four-part Wild Game series intended to help hunters and processors produce safe and delicious game meat products. Written by Chad Carr, Jason M. Scheffler, Michael Fioretto, Jennifer G. Bearden, and Halie Corbitt, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, January 2022.

Postnatal muscle growth is accompanied by increases in fast fiber type compositions and hypertrophy, raising the possibility that a slow to fast transition may be partially requisite for increases in muscle mass. To test this hypothesis, we ablated the Myh4 gene, and thus myosin heavy chain IIB protein and corresponding fibers in mice, and examined its consequences on postnatal muscle growth. Wild-type and Myh4–/– mice had the same number of muscle fibers at 2 weeks postnatal. However, the gastrocnemius muscle lost up to 50% of its fibers between 2 and 4 weeks of age, though stabilizing thereafter. To compensate for the lack of functional IIB fibers, type I, IIA, and IIX(D) fibers increased in prevalence and size. To address whether slowing the slow-to-fast fiber transition process would rescue fiber loss in Myh4–/– mice, we stimulated the oxidative program in muscle of Myh4–/– mice either by overexpression of PGC-1α, a well-established model for fast-to-slow fiber transition, or by feeding mice AICAR, a potent AMP kinase agonist. Forcing an oxidative metabolism in muscle only partially protected the gastrocnemius muscle from loss of fibers in Myh4–/– mice. To explore whether traditional means of stimulating muscle hypertrophy could overcome the muscling deficits in postnatal Myh4–/– mice, myostatin null mice were bred with Myh4–/– mice, or Myh4–/– mice were fed the growth promotant clenbuterol. Interestingly, both genetic and pharmacological stimulations had little impact on mice lacking a functional Myh4 gene suggesting that the existing muscle fibers have maximized its capacity to enlarge to compensate for the lack of its neighboring IIB fibers. Curiously, however, cell signaling events responsible for IIB fiber formation remained intact in the tissue. These findings further show disrupting the slow-to-fast transition of muscle fibers compromises muscle growth postnatally and suggest that type IIB myosin heavy chain expression and its corresponding fiber type may be necessary for fiber maintenance, transition and hypertrophy in mice. The fact that forcing muscle metabolism toward a more oxidative phenotype can partially compensates for the lack of an intact Myh4 gene provides new avenues for attenuating the loss of fast-twitch fibers in aged or diseased muscles.

This document discusses processing food safety for wild game meat. Topics include aging, carcass cutting, meat grinding, shelf life, freezing, and thawing. Written by Michael Fioretto, Chad Carr, Jason M. Scheffler, Jennifer G. Bearden, and Halie Corbitt, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, January 2022.

A disproportionate number of Animal Science (ANS) students start their program with the intent of pursuing veterinary school. While some succeed, most change career paths either by personal choice or not gaining admission into veterinary school. Ideally, the sooner a student identifies alternative career path(s), the more opportunities they have to prepare for those careers by pursuing additional classes and extracurriculars. The University of Florida (UF) is unique compared to peer institutions with a 30% freshman acceptance rate, an overwhelming 41% of UF ANS students arrive as transfers. This compresses the time to matriculate through the ANS curriculum and increases the urgency to redirect students into the numerous ANS career paths. The objective of this study is to better understand ANS student’s perceptions of careers. We conducted a career awareness survey at the start and end of the ANS3006 Introduction to Animal Science course over the past two years. Students (n=352) were asked demographic information, and completed an online instrument evaluating their awareness of career options available to them. Over 49% could not list more than two careers. Veterinarian was the most common and appeared on 76% of responses. Students are exposed to careers throughout each lecture module and related career-focused assignments. In the post test evaluation, 57% listed more than two careers, with the average increasing from 2.8 to 3.6 careers per student. Additionally, 18.8% of students indicated their career goals had changed over the course of the semester, with more than 2/3 or those being students who changed from a veterinary path. In conclusion, ANS students arriving at UF have a limited outlook on career options. While introduction to ANS has some success in expanding those options, more efforts need to be made in the current curriculum and through secondary education to increase awareness of ANS careers.

This publication discusses certified beef programs and carcass quality specifications. Written by Tracy Scheffler, Jason Scheffler, and Chad Carr, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, October 2021.

This publication aims to provide a list of common hazards to consider when manufacturing poultry feeds. Written by Jessica Brown, Ashley Cavallo, Lindsay Zombek, Carli Brown, Arianna Minnie, Mindi Dennis, Gabrielle Allen, and Jason M. Scheffler, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, October 2021.

This publication provides information for Florida residents who want to sell meat and poultry from their own livestock and poultry. Written by Chad Carr, Jason Scheffler, and Matthew Johansson, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Animal Sciences, revised August 2021.

The Florida 4-H Poultry BBQ program has existed for years, and the program for red meat cookery has been a huge success in Tennessee 4-H. With sponsorship for the winners at the state level, the Florida 4-H Tailgate Contest program will be a success in Florida as well. This program will strive to promote enjoyable outdoor cooking experiences, encourage the incorporation of animal protein in the diet in order to combat childhood obesity, improve youth nutritional knowledge and cooking skills, and impart knowledge about safe handling and proper degree of doneness to produce safe and delicious meat dishes. This 2-page fact sheet is the third publication in the Florida 4-H Tailgateseries, and it discusses fire-building. Written by Chad Carr, Brian Estevez, Sonja Crawford, Jason Scheffler, George Baker, Ed Jennings, and Mark Mauldin, and published by the 4-H Youth Development Department, December 2016. ­http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/4h374

The Florida 4-H Poultry BBQ program has existed for years, and the program for red meat cookery has been a huge success in Tennessee 4-H. With sponsorship for the winners at the state level, the Florida 4-H Tailgate Contest program will be a success in Florida as well. This program will strive to promote enjoyable outdoor cooking experiences, encourage the incorporation of animal protein in the diet in order to combat childhood obesity, improve youth nutritional knowledge and cooking skills, and impart knowledge about safe handling and proper degree of doneness to produce safe and delicious meat dishes. This 2-page fact sheet is the fourth publication in the Florida 4-H Tailgateseries, and it discusses smoking and slow cooking meat. Written by Chad Carr, Brian Estevez, Sonja Crawford, Jason Scheffler, George Baker, Ed Jennings, and Mark Mauldin, and published by the 4-H Youth Development Department, December 2016. ­http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/4h375