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Bone Composition in Cattle, Pigs, Sheep and Poultry¹

University of Wyoming, Laramie 82071 and U. S. Department of Agriculture, Beltsville, Maryland 20705

Abstract

Whole cervical and lumbar vertebrae, ribs and femurs from 12 ovine, eight porcine and 14 bovine carcasses and whole cervical vertebrae, ribs, femurs and synsacrums from eight chickens and eight turkeys were removed from animals slaughtered at different chronological ages. Large increases in fat and dry matter with increased age were found in cervical and lumbar vertebrae, ribs and femurs from ovine, porcine and bovine carcasses. In chickens and turkeys, dry matter increased with age but fat in fresh bone remained relatively constant. In all five species dry-fat-free bone decreased in percent nitrogen and increased in ash and calcium as age increased. Percent calcium in bone ash was similar for all age groups of all species except turkeys and for all four bones studied. Calcium to nitrogen ratio increased with age. Significant differences in composition of bones within animals were evident. Rib bones had the lowest fat percentage and femurs had the highest fat and dry matter percentage in cattle and sheep. Ribs, partially because of high ash content, usually contained more dry matter than lumbar and cervical vertebrae. In general, femurs possessed the least nitrogen and the most ash of any of the bones studied. Hydroxyproline content, on a dry-fat-free basis, did not differ significantly according to age or bone in the red meat species. Nutritional value of bone protein from all five species was low when based upon hydroxyproline analysis. Calcium or ash could be useful in studying changes in bone maturity. These bone components could also be used to estimate amount of bone in mechanically deboned meat.

¹ University of Wyoming Agricultural Experiment Station Article No. 634.

² Leader, Livestock and Meat Marketing Laboratory, Agricultural Marketing Research Institute, A.R.S., U.S.D.A., Beltsville, Maryland 20705.