Growth, slaughter and intra-muscular collagen characteristics in Garganicakids

Growth performance, ossification of metacarpal growth plate, and intra-musc ular collagen characteristics in three muscles of 10 intact male Garganica kids were studied. Each week, starting from the 47th day of age to slaughte r (75th day of age), kids were weighed and blood samples taken for plasma n on-protein hydroxyproline analysis. At slaughter, metacarpal, metatarsal bo nes and metacarpal growth plate thickness were measured. The semitendinosus (ST), semimembranosus (SM), and rectus medialis (RM) muscle samples were a nalysed for collagen concentration and hydroxylysyl pyridinoline (HP) cross -links. ST muscle had a collagen amount higher than SM and RM (P < 0.01), a nd RM muscle had the highest (P < 0.01) HP concentration. Tenderness index was the highest (P < 0.01) in RM muscle. Animal growth rates slowed, starti ng from 61st day of age (P < 0.01); this trend coincided with a marked redu ction in concentration of plasma non-protein hydroxyproline (P < 0.01). In addition, plasma non-protein hydroxyproline concentration was positively co rrelated (r = 0.61, P = 0.001) with growth rate of animals, suggesting that collagen turnover decreases during a slow growth phase. Based on the metac arpal growth plate width, the rate of bone ossification appears to be slowe r in goats than sheep. (C) 2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.