In meat/fish production muscle growth is the most important trait of the production economy and the muscle growth rate may influence the quality of the meat produced. Muscle fibres are formed during foetal development, and number and hypertopic growth determines the growth rate of the animal to a large extent. The number of muscle fibre formed during foetal development is directly related to postnatal muscle growth.
However, because studies on the number of muscle fibres are tedious and costly it is important that research in this area is complementary instead of duplicating. An initiative was consequently taken to initiate a COST Action entitled 3The Importance of prenatal Events for Postnatal Muscle Growth in Relation to the Quality of Muscle Based Foods”.
This Special Issue of Archives of Animal Breeding contains the contributions of the participants to the sessions of the two working groups presented as one invited paper, 16 oral contributions and 20 posters that report on current scientific activities and results. Furthermore, a workshop on the relationship between gene expression and muscle fibre number was held followed by a plenary discussion.
New Technologies Examine Muscle Fibre
EU - European meat and fish producers are continuously challenges for efficiency of production, animal welfare and meat/fish quality.