Oat grass improves meat tenderness and flavor, reduces fat deposition in small-tailed Han sheep.

ABSTRACT: Oat grass supplementation is a promising strategy for improving meat quality in ruminants. This study investigated its effects on the meat quality of Small-tailed Han sheep. The results revealed that sheep fed oat grass displayed higher expression of key genes (MYL10, MYL2), Actin, and Cytochrome coxidase (Cyto) associated with muscle structure and contraction, while genes (ACTC1, MYH2, PIP4K2B) and proteins (MLC, PFN, Tnc) associated with cardiac contraction and myosin cytoskeletal regulation were downregulated. These molecular changes were likely to underpin meat tenderness and texture. Furthermore, oat grass supplementation influenced metabolic pathways linked to flavor-enhancing compounds, including amino acids and free fat

SUBMITTER: Wang LW 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12906192 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jun

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature