Effect of calcium chloride infusion on the tenderness of lambs fed a beta-adrenergic agonist.

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Abstract
The objective of this study was to examine the effectiveness of CaCl2 infusion in overcoming the toughness of meat associated with dietary administration of a β- adrenergic agonist (BAA) to lambs. Thirty-two crossbred (1/2 Finnsheep × 1/4 Dorset × 1/4 Rambouillet) wether lambs were randomly assigned to receive 0 or 4 ppm BAA (L644,969; Merck, Sharpe and Dohme Research Laboratories) in a completely mixed, high-concentrate diet for 6 wk. Animals were slaughtered in two groups of 16. At each slaughter time half of each group (0 or 4 ppm BAA) was randomly assigned to CaCl2 infusion. Feeding the BAA decreased (P < .05) fat thickness, kidney-pelvic fat, yield grade, and marbling and increased (P < .05) dressing percentage, lean firmness, leg score, and biceps femoris weight. Weight of biceps femoris was 32.8% greater in BAA-fed lambs. Treated, but not infused, lambs were significantly less tender than control lambs after 1, 7, and 14 d of postmortem storage. At 24 h postmortem, BAA-fed lambs had higher (P < .05) cathepsin B, calcium-dependent protease-II (CDP-II), and CDP inhibitor activities. Calcium chloride infusion increased marbling, decreased lean firmness, increased lean color score, and increased dressing percentage (P < .05). Infusion of carcasses with CaCl2 decreased (P < .05) shear force at all postmortem times. Infusion of carcasses with CaCl2 had no effect on cathepsins B and B + L activities, but it had a significant effect on CDP-I, CDP-II, and CDP inhibitor activities.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

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