Further Studies on Bovine Muscle Tenderness as Influenced by Carcass Position, Sarcomere Length, and Fiber Diameter

SUMMARY Interrelationships of fiber diameter, sarcomere length, and tenderness were studied in 12 bovine muscles of horizontally placed and vertically suspended carcass sides. In comparison with the horizontally placed sides, the vertically suspended sides had greater sarcomere lengths in the psoas major, latissimus dorsi, and rectus femoris muscles. Conversely, vertical suspension permitted the longissimus dorsi, gluteus medius, adductor, biceps femoris, and semitendinosus muscles to shorten in sarcomere length. In general the differences in sareomere lengths of muscles (between sides) were associated (r=–.82 P <.01) with differences in fiber diameter. Differences in fiber diameter (between sides) were highly related to differences in shear force (r= .73, P <.01, as were differences in sarcomere length (T = -.80, P <.01). When museles shortened, there were corresponding decreases in sarcomere length, increases in fiber diameter, and decreases in tenderness.

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