Masters Theses

Date of Award

12-1965

Degree Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science

Major

Animal Husbandry

Major Professor

J.W. Cole

Committee Members

M.R. Johnston, C.C. Chamberlain, C.S. Hobbs

Abstract

Nutrition is one of the most fertile fields in biological research. Because of the public's growing health consciousness, the role of adequate nutrition in maintaining the well-being and health of populations has been accentuated. The science of nutrition has, therefore, been under increasing scrutiny. This interest has fostered a vigorous revival in the science and has led to re-evaluations of many of the commonly accepted concepts in nutrition (Siedler, 1963). It also has led to increased understanding of the role of nutrition in the continuing health of man.

Throughout the ages the meat group has played a significant role in the adequate nutrition of man. The science of meat is one of the most important branches in the field of nutrition, embracing the application of many basic scientific disciplines. Most of the problems relating to meat and meat products are solved by a co-ordinated investigation which utilizes several areas of knowledge. The literature relating to meat science today is voluminous and research quite enormous.

A marked upsurge in inquisitiveness concerning the composition and dietary significance of meat and meat products occurred during the decade immediately preceding 1925. Excellent research, including studies on the chemistry of proteins and amino acids, on the nutritional quality of meat protein, and especially on the dietary value of liver and other meats as sources of B vitamins and trace minerals, was conducted in leading laboratories in several parts of the world. In the early 1920's too, private and governmental groups in the United States developed programs that throughout the subsequent period have had a continuously stimulating effect on the force and direction of research on meat.

Meat has long been recognized as an excellent source of high quality protein, of vitamins of the B complex group, and of certain minerals.

The importance of having a variety of foods in the ordinary mixed diet, to provide ample quantities of each of the nutrients needed without an excessive caloric intake, requires continuing emphasis.

The meat group significantly contributes to four of the basic nutritional components of man's diet, namely, protein, fat, vitamins, and minerals. The carbohydrate contribution of the meat group is relatively insignificant.

The human appetite cannot ordinarily discern which foods are best for the individual, or which are needed to complete the daily requirements. Many individuals tend to eat what they like when given a choice of foods, and what they like may not be what they need or can best use. Others are restricted in their food intake by dislikes and lack of tolerance for some or many foods.

The vitamin content of fresh organ meats compares well with that of fresh muscle meats, on an overall basis. Both muscle and organ meats provide nutritionally important amounts of a large number of vitamins of B group required by man, but vitamins A and C are present in significant amounts only in the organ meats.

The biological process of nutrition is like a symphony. The interrelationship of many of the constituent portions of a diet for a normal living organism is well established. But yet the concept of balanced diet is sometimes intriguing. While on the one hand, new fields of discoveries are being explored, the accumulated knowledge, on the other hand, makes it necessary for science to frequently reexamine established opinions and to re-open issues supposedly closed. This is particularly true of minerals and vitamins in the science of nutrition.

The present work was undertaken to study the effects of feeding three organ meats, namely, heart, liver and tongue. Since meat is known to be deficient in calcium, it was proposed to find whether mere supplementation with calcium was adequate to correct the deficiency or any interaction of vitamins was also involved in the process.

The main point of interest in this work was one aspect of metabolism of calcium and phosphorus, namely, the deposition of these minerals in bone. The technique of employing radioactive isotopes (Ca45 and P32; has been made use of in this study to measure the state of calcium and phosphorus absorption and deposition.

The observations and results of this work form the basis of this presentation.

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