Effect of growth path on the tenderness of the semitendinosus muscle of Brahman-cross steers.

The growth paths of 36, nine-month-old Brahman-cross steers were modified to determine the effect of their growth history on tenderness of the semitendinosus (ST) muscle. Steers were assigned to one of three treatment groups. One group of steers (uninterrupted group) was grazed on improved tropical pasture for 257 days and had an average weight gain of 0.6 kg day(-1). The other two groups were fed a restricted diet of low-quality grass hay and lost on average ~ 13% of their initial live weight over 100 days. These groups were then regrown for 157 days on either pasture (pasture finished) with the uninterrupted group, or on a grain-based feedlot diet (grain finished). Growth rates of the previously restricted groups during the regrowth phase were indicative of compensatory growth and were significantly different (p < 0.05) at 0.76 (sem 0.03) kg day(-1) and 1.22 (0.05) kg day(-1), pasture and grain finished groups, respectively. Growth rates for both restricted groups were significantly different (p < 0.05) from the uninterrupted group [0.55 (0.02) kg day(-1)]. At slaughter, the grain finished group had heavier carcases, higher dressing percentages and more fat coverage, than either the uninterrupted or pasture finished groups, the latter being significantly lighter than the uninterrupted group. Tenderness was assessed by shear, compression (C) and adhesion (ADH) measurements. Shear peak force (PF) values of cooked ST samples did not differ significantly between groups. However, PF values of pressure-heat treated ST samples from the grain finished group were significantly less (p < 0.05) than comparable values from the uninterrupted group suggesting a reduced contribution of connective tissue to toughness. The pasture finished group mean PF value was not significantly different from either the uninterrupted group or grain finished group means. C and ADH values were significantly less (p < 0.05) in the grain finished group compared to the pasture finished groups values, again indicating a reduced connective tissue contribution to toughness. We conclude that the physical properties of the connective tissue component of the ST muscle may be altered by rapid compensatory growth after a weight loss phase and reduce the connective tissue contribution to toughness which may enhance meat tenderness.