J. Anim Sci.
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J. Anim Sci. 1970. 30:717-721.
© 1970 American Society of Animal Science
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Chemical and Histological Characteristics of the M. Longissimus in Young Bulls Selected for Tenderness or Leanness1

R. A. Field2, A. M. Pearson, W. T. Magee and R. A. Merkel

Michigan State University, East Lansing

Abstract

Certain chemical and histological characteristics of the longissimus of seven yearling bulls selected for tenderness and seven yearling bulls selected for leanness were compared. Selection for tenderness in contrast to selection for percent trimmed round and loin since 1959 has not produced significant differences between the two groups for sarcomere length, fiber area, ultimate muscle pH, collagen content, labile collagen yield or proportion of {alpha} and ß collagen sub-units in muscle. In addition, factors in epimysial tissue which have been associated with cross-linking of the collagen molecule were not affected. Muscle pH at 1 hr. postmortem was significantly lower in carcasses from the tender line of cattle when compared to those from the lean line. Both muscle pH and temperature at 1 hr. postmortem were closely associated with tenderness.

Footnotes

1 Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station Journal Article No. 4850. The animals used in this study were part of Michigan's contributing project to NC-1, The Improvement of Beef Cattle through Breeding Methods.

2 The senior author was on leave from the Department of Animal Science, University of Wyoming, Laramie, Wyoming 82070, while conducting this study.






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Copyright © 1970 by the American Society of Animal Science.