INTRAMUSCULAR COLLAGEN CHARACTERISTICS OF RAM, WETHER, AND ZERANOL-IMPLANTED RAM LAMBS

Eighteen spring-born Columbia ram, wether, and zeranol-implanted ram l ambs were studied to determine the influence of castration or zeranol implants on intramuscular collagen (IMC) properties and muscle shear f orce values. Warner-Bratzler shear force values for longissimus muscle were greatest for ram lambs, intermediate for implanted rams, and lea st for wethers (P < .05). Nonreducible collagen crosslink concentratio n was greater in IMC of rams and implanted rams (P < .05). The IMC fro m rams compared with that from wethers contained proportionately more Type III than Type I collagen (P < .05); values for implanted rams wer e intermediate. Heat-soluble muscle collagen concentration was greater for rams and implanted rams than for wethers (P < .05); however, inso luble collagen concentration did not differ by treatment. Muscle colla gen concentrations were not different for rams, wethers, or implanted rams. Increased shear force values in rams were associated with elevat ed collagen crosslink concentration and increased proportion of Type I II collagen. Greater concentration of soluble collagen in ram IMC neit her diminished nor diluted IMC crosslinking. The proportion of heat-la bile collagen in the fractions did not reflect the IMC crosslinking pr ofile for ram and wether lambs. Zeranol implantation modified IMC char acteristics of rams such that shear force values and some collagen pro perties were similar to those of wethers.