MAPPING THE MUSCLE FIBER ORIENTATION AND ADAPTING SLICE SHEAR FORCE FOR MAJOR BEEF MUSCLES

Recipient Organization
AGRICULTURAL RESEARCH SERVICE
(N/A)
CLAY CENTER,NE 68933

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
(N/A)

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

Applied

100%

Developmental

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
308	3310	1000	100%

Knowledge Area
308 - Improved Animal Products (Before Harvest);

Subject Of Investigation
3310 - Beef cattle, live animal;

Field Of Science
1000 - Biochemistry and biophysics;

Keywords

Goals / Objectives
Determine the amount of variation in muscle fiber angle in various muscles and in steaks that contain these muscles so than an experimental design can be developed to map the muscle fiber angles in 20 muscles. Determine the muscle fiber orientation throughout major beef muscles. Develop a three-dimensional map illustrating the fiber angle for each muscle. Determine the fiber angle relative to the steak surface of these muscles as typically cut into steaks. To determine the optimum approach for adapting slice shear force to multiple muscles. To determine the repeatability of slice shear force measurement in multiple muscles.

Project Methods
Thirty USDA Select carcass sides will be selected at a commercial packing plant and transported to the MARC abattoir. The 20 muscles (longissimus thoracis et lumborum, gluteus medius, psoas major, biceps femoris, semimembranosus, semitendinosus, adductor, rectus femoris, vastus lateralis, vastus intermedius, vastus medialis, gracilis, spinalis dorsi, triceps brachii, infraspinatus, supraspinatus, pectoralis, trapezius, seratus ventralis, and latissimus dorsi) will be removed from fifteen of the sides and vacuum-packaged. Each muscle will be dissected from origin to insertion. The muscles will be cut into slices. The muscle fiber orientation will be determined for each slice such that a three-dimensional map of the muscle fiber orientation for each muscle can be created. In addition, the other fifteen sides will be cut into boneless subprimal cuts and, subsequently, into 2.5-cm thick steaks that would be typical for each cut. The muscle fiber angle relative to the cut surface of the steaks will be determined for each muscle.

Progress 09/01/03 to 08/31/05

Outputs
4d Progress report. This report covers the research conducted under Trust Fund Cooperative Agreement #58-5438-3-416 between ARS and National Cattlemens Beef Association. Additional details of the research can be found in the report for the parent CRIS 5438-31430-003-00D Strategies to Optimize Carcass Yield and Meat Quality of Red Meat Animals. The objective of this project is to determine the muscle fiber orientation of 20 muscles so that slice shear force as an estimate of meat tenderness can be adapted for use in these muscles. This project addresses one objective from the parent project: Identify the relative role of connective tissue, muscle shortening, postmortem proteolysis, and other physiological parameters in tenderness of various muscles. Fiber orientation of each muscle was identified and the slice shear force procedure was successfully adapted for 20 muscles. Repeatability of slice shear force from all 20 muscles ranged from high to moderately high. Use of slice shear force will greatly facilitate the ability to study tenderness in these other muscles and will make it possible to develop approaches for improving the tenderness of these muscles. Ultimately, improved tenderness will result in improved value of individual muscles and, thus, will increase the value of the carcass.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications

Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
4. What were the most significant accomplishments this past year? This report covers the research conducted under a trust agreement between ARS and the National Cattlemen's Beef Association. Additional details of the research can be found in the report for the parent project 5438-31430- 003-00D "Strategies to Optimize Carcass Yield and Meat Quality of Red Meat Animals." The objective of this project is to determine the muscle fiber orientation of 20 muscles so that slice shear force, as an estimate of meat tenderness, can be adapted for use in these muscles. This project addresses one objective from the parent project: Identify the relative role of connective tissue, muscle shortening, postmortem proteolysis, and other physiological parameters in tenderness of various muscles. We have identified magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as a technology that will enable us to determine muscle fiber orientation and provide a three-dimensional presentation of that information. We have identified the optimum approach for adapting slice shear force to nine of the muscles. Data collection is ongoing.

Impacts
(N/A)

Publications