chemistry

Zilpaterol

Zilpaterol is a chemistry topic covered in the lgStudy science library. This page brings together a partial reference excerpt, illustrations, worked examples, real-world applications and a short study plan, so you can understand Zilpaterol rather than just read about it. In short: Zilpaterol is a synthetic β2 adrenergic agonist. Under its brand name, Zilmax, it is used to increase the size of cattle and the efficiency of feeding them.

Key takeaways

Zilpaterol belongs to chemistry; place it in that map before memorising details.
Learn the definition first, then one example that makes the definition concrete.
Connect Zilpaterol to a quantity you can measure, compute or draw — that is where exam questions come from.
Reproduce the core statement of Zilpaterol from memory before moving on to harder problems.

Reference excerpt

Zilpaterol is a synthetic β2 adrenergic agonist. Under its brand name, Zilmax, it is used to increase the size of cattle and the efficiency of feeding them. Zilmax is produced by Intervet, a subsidiary of Merck & Co., and marketed as a "beef-improvement technology". Zilpaterol is typically fed in the last three to six weeks of cattle's lives, with a brief period (three days in the US) before death for withdrawal, which allows the drug to mostly leave the animal's tissues. Concerns have been raised on the impact of zilpaterol on flavor; however, studies have confirmed that overall tenderness, juiciness, flavor intensity, and beef flavor remain within the normal variation observed in the beef industry and differences are smaller than what can be detected by the consumer. In the meantime, several studies have shown the use of zilpaterol leads to increased size, feed efficiency, and value. Merck reported Zilmax-fed cattle do not produce beef with a difference in taste or quality compared to cattle not fed the drug, but elsewhere, concerns have been raised about the beef's tenderness. Studies have variously found a slight reduction in tenderness, an increase in shear force, and a lower percentage of intramuscular fat (marbling).

Prohibitions and processor adoption As of October 2017, Zilmax was approved in 17 countries, notably the US, Canada, South Africa, South Korea, Ukraine and Brazil. As of 2013, Zilmax was banned in China, Taiwan, Russia, and many countries in the European Union.

In the US Tyson Foods was the first among the largest U.S. meatpackers to adopt Zilmax. Because of concerns about tenderness and loss of marbling, Cargill and other meatpackers resisted the practice. The next adopters were JBS and National Beef, with Cargill finally joining them in mid-2012. On August 6, 2013, Tyson Foods banned Zilmax-fed cattle from its processing plants after cattle began arriving with missing hooves in large numbers during hot weather.

Origin and formulation Zilmax is produced by Merck in France, a country in which the substance is prohibited. As of October 2017, its commercial formulation was 4.8% zilpaterol hydrochloride, 8% polyoxyl castor oil, 4.3% polyvinyl pyrrolidone and 82.9% ground corn cob.

Chemistry Zilpaterol has two chiral carbons and consequently four optical enantiomers. These enantiomers are: (6R,7R)-, (6R,7S)-, (6S,7R)- and (6S,7S)-. RU 42173 corresponds to racemic trans-zilpaterol hydrochloride, a mixture of the (6R,7R)-(−)- and (6S,7S)-(+)-enantiomers.

External links Zilmax (zilpaterol hydrochloride) — Consumer Information Center Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine

References

Illustrations

Worked examples

Example 1 — a first encounter with Zilpaterol

Start with the simplest possible case. Write down what Zilpaterol claims or describes in one sentence, then invent the smallest concrete situation in which that sentence is true. In chemistry, the smallest case is usually a single object, a single equation or a single measurement. Check that every symbol or term in your sentence has a meaning in that case.

Example 2 — changing one variable

Take the situation from Example 1 and change exactly one quantity: double it, halve it, or set it to zero. Predict what should happen to Zilpaterol before you calculate. Comparing your prediction with the result is the fastest way to find out whether you understand the idea or only the words.

Example 3 — an exam-style question

Typical questions about Zilpaterol ask you to (a) state it precisely, (b) apply it to given data, and (c) explain a limitation. Practise writing all three answers in under five minutes; the third part is what separates a full-mark answer from an average one.

Applications of Zilpaterol

In research: Zilpaterol appears in chemistry research whenever the underlying quantities have to be modelled precisely. Papers usually cite it as a starting assumption and then explore where it breaks down.
In technology and industry: Engineering practice reuses Zilpaterol in design rules, simulations and safety margins. Knowing the idea lets you read a specification sheet and understand why the numbers look the way they do.
In the classroom: Zilpaterol is common in secondary-school and first-year university syllabi. It links to neighbouring topics Benzazepanes, Beta-Hydroxyamphetamines, Beta2-adrenergic agonists, so understanding it makes those chapters shorter.
In everyday life: Look for Zilpaterol outside the textbook — in sport, cooking, traffic, electronics or the sky above you. An example you found yourself is remembered far longer than one you were given.

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How to study Zilpaterol in 20 minutes

Read the reference excerpt below once, without taking notes.
Close the page and write down what Zilpaterol means in your own words.
Compare your version with the excerpt and mark what you missed.
Work through the three examples above with pen and paper.
Explain Zilpaterol out loud to somebody else — or to Teacher Smith in the lgStudy chat.

Frequently asked questions

What is Zilpaterol in simple terms?

Zilpaterol is a synthetic β2 adrenergic agonist. Under its brand name, Zilmax, it is used to increase the size of cattle and the efficiency of feeding them.

Why does Zilpaterol matter?

Because it connects several chemistry ideas at once: it gives you a definition you can apply, a quantity you can calculate, and a way to check whether a result is plausible.

How should I study Zilpaterol?

Read the excerpt, restate it from memory, then work through the examples and applications listed on this page. The five-step study plan above takes about twenty minutes.

What does this page cover?

It gives you a compact reference excerpt plus original lgStudy explanations, examples, applications and study material on Zilpaterol.