Processed meat products may be defined as products manufactured from meat (beef, pork, poultry, fish, etc.) and/or offal products, liver, heart, etc.) that are formulated with ingredients that serve a specific product function—taste, texture, color, shelf-life, and/or safety and may undergo a series of mechanical processes, such as grinding, chopping, blending, marination, injection, tumbling, curing, smoking, and cooking. Although this definition (or variations thereof) is understood and accepted by meat industry or meat science professionals, it is not as clearly understood by the public or the media who report on it.

Processed meats are a significant source of proteins, indispensable amino acids (IAA), A and B vitamins, zinc, phosphorus, iron, and several micronutrients (Table 1). Some public health entities recommend eliminating red meat and processed meats from the diet.

Food preservation practices date to the beginnings of ancient societies, and the prosperity of an ancient society was often associated with the development of food preservation knowledge and skills. Key among those skills was the ability to harvest salt from natural sources and using salt to extend the shelf life of food (Bloch, 1976).

Globally, salt curing has been used to preserve meat for thousands of years, but in the United States, dry-cured country ham has evolved into something distinctly American. A product of geography, necessity, and ingenuity, country ham reflects ­European curing practices adapted by settlers who came to the New World (Evans-Hylton, 2004).

Consumers report wanting less sodium yet reject products that fall short on taste. Public health agencies have responded by tightening intake guidance to curb diet-related disease. For food product developers, salt’s multifunctionality complicates meaningful reduction.

Variability and inconsistency of adopted terminology to describe the level and degree of food processing persists. Published definitions of processing applied throughout the food industry are generally based on the degree of physical, nutritional or biochemical alteration from the original whole food, often including the inclusion of additional ingredients.

The April Edition of The Giving Herd, an ASAS Foundation Newsletter

Water is an essential nutrient for beef cattle, but current guidelines for estimating daily water needs are outdated and oversimplified. Most recommendations are based on limited data from feedlot steers and do not account for differences in breed, class (heifer, steer, bull), production system (grazing vs. drylot), or weather conditions.

This study evaluated the effects of adding an Aspergillus oryzae-based feed additive (AO) to the diets of Angus crossbred steers fed a corn silage-based diet. The objective was to evaluate how the AO might influence enteric methane (CH4) emissions and nutrient digestibility of the animals.

Lameness in beef bulls during the breeding season can reduce their ability to reproduce, but early detection of lameness can minimize these impacts. This study investigated how remote monitoring technologies (RMT, i.e., collars equipped with accelerometers and GPS) can estimate behavioral changes in bulls to detect lameness early.

During late gestation, some dairy cows have greater circulating concentrations of non-esterified fatty acids (NEFA), which are fats released into the blood when energy is limited. In this study, we examined whether this condition affects fat tissue development and metabolic health in newborn calves.

This study evaluated whether supplementing ewes with omega-3 (n-3), omega-6 (n-6), or a combination of both fatty acids during gestation could improve ewe and offspring performance. While ewe body weight was unaffected, n-6 supplementation slightly improved body condition at weaning.

Cashmere goats produce a soft, fine fiber; however, producers in the United States do not have a genetic selection tool available to improve fiber production traits. Using within-herd pedigree records and genotypes, variance components were estimated for 10 different cashmere traits. In general, traits had moderate to high heritability and repeatability.

After weaning, beef calves are often transported for long hours without access to feed and water to auction markets or feedlot operations. Loss of body fluids and nutrients during road transportation can affect physiological responses and make calves more susceptible to diseases.

Dairy cows often face oxidative stress, inflammation, and immune issues when transitioning from dry-off to early lactation. Postbiotics like Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation product (SCFP)—composed of nonliving microorganisms and their components—benefit dairy cows’ production and immunity.

This study used 48 mature, gestating beef cows to determine the effect of diet type on voluntary feed intake and gene expression in muscle tissue. Diets consisted of forage-only (FOR) and an energy-dense forage/concentrate mix (CONC). Two experimental periods were used with half of the cows consuming FOR during the first period and CONC during the second period (FC sequence).

Advances in animal nutrition research highlight the need for accurate yet welfare-conscious methods to assess nutrient requirements. Traditional approaches to determining protein needs in dogs are often invasive, involving procedures such as blood sampling or confinement in metabolic chambers.

Canine osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent condition affecting dogs of all ages, with higher incidence observed in senior dogs and some large breeds. As OA is a slowly progressive degenerative joint disease, early management through nutritional strategies is of significant importance.

Wildfires have become more frequent and prevalent. While most are removed from the fire itself, the resultant smoke can travel hundreds of kilometers, affecting humans and animals far from the fires. Wildfire smoke exposure, even when mild and transient, elicited measurable physiological and immunological responses in calves, including increased cortisol, ceruloplasmin, immunoglobulins, and cytokines coupled with clinical signs such as nasal discharge.