Table 3. Summary of bovine and porcine muscle fiber characteristics

Species Breed Sex Age Muscle name Muscle fiber characteristics Reference
Typing method Type Fiber size (CSA, µm2) Relative fiber area (%) Relative fiber number (%) Fiber density (number/mm2)
Bovine Angus Bull 17 months M. Longissimus lumborum Myosin ATPase reactivity I 2,560.4 28.8 22.3 - Lebedová et al. (2021)
IIA 3,293.2 12.7 8.0 -
IIB 3,294.1 58.5 69.7 -
Gascon I 2,601.6 26.7 22.6 -
IIA 2,929.9 12.4 11.3 -
IIB 3,351.5 60.9 66.1 -
Holstein I 2,301.3 28.6 22.3 -
IIA 2,578.0 9.0 8.0 -
IIB 3,204.1 62.4 69.7 -
Norwegian Red cattle Bull 22–24 months M. Cutaneus Myosin ATPase I - 5.0 - - Totland and Kryvi (1991)
IIA - 20.0 - -
IIB - 75.0 - -
M. Longissimus thoracis I - 30.0 - -
IIA - 37.0 - -
IIB - 33.0 - -
German Angus Bull 0 month M. Semitendinosus Myosin ATPase I 700–800 18.0 - - Wegner et al. (2000)
IIA 700–800 42.0 - -
IIB 700–800 18.0 - -
2 months I 900–1,100 15.0 - -
IIA 900–1,100 20.0 - -
IIB 1,200–1,400 65.0 - -
Galloway 0 month I 600–700 20.0 - -
IIA 600–700 30.0 - -
IIB 650–750 50.0 - -
2 months I 700–800 20.0 - -
IIA 700–800 15.0 - -
IIB 1,200–1,300 65.0 - -
Charolais, Limousin, Blond d'aquitaine, Aubrac, Salers, Montbéliard, Holstein Heifer and cull cow 4–120 months M. Longissimus thoracis Myosin ATPase I 30.0 - - Chriki et al. (2012)
IIA 15.0 - -
IIB 55.0 - -
Steer I 29.0 - -
IIA 24.0 - -
IIB 47.0 - -
Porcine Domestic pig - 5.5 months M. Semimembranosus Myosin ATPase activity I 3,050 6.6 - - Ruusunen and Puolanne (2004)
IIA 3,480 3.6 - -
IIB 6,210 89.8 - -
Wild pig I 3,890 16.6 - -
IIA 3,230 16.1 -
IIB 3,760 67.3 -
LYD Gilts and barrow M. Longissimus thoracis_Anterior Myosin heavy chain isoforms distribution I 4,000–4,150 7.5 - - Kim et al. (2019)
IIA 3,800–3,900 5.0 - -
IIX 5,250–5,350 31.0 - -
IIB 5,100–5,200 56.5 -
M. Longissimus thoracis_Posterior I 5,100–5,200 9.0 - -
IIA 4,450–4,550 4.5 - -
IIX 7,500–7,600 28.0 - -
IIB 7,350–7,450 58.5 - -
Landrace - 2.5 months M. Longissimus thoracis Myosin ATPase activity I 1,737 - 56.93 - Dai et al. (2009)
IIA 717 - 14.71 -
IIB 1,104 - 28.37 -
3.5 months I 2,414 - 73.50 -
IIA 1,252 - 12.59 -
IIB 1,675 - 13.91 -
LYD Castrated males 6 months M. Longissimus thoracis Myosin ATPase activity I 4,169.07 10.56 11.36 26.05 Jeong et al. (2017)
IIA 4,212.11 7.59 8.23 18.50
IIB 4,784.55 81.88 80.41 183.79
Females I 4,539.10 14.81 13.81 33.18
IIA 4,894.67 10.65 9.88 24.72
IIB 4,237.55 74.55 76.29 188.32