Bovine collagen from animals of different ages and from different anatomical locations within animals was analyzed by differential thermal analysis. Thermal transitions studied included the temperature at which the major part of the thermal transition begins to occur (extrapolated onset), the peak melting temperature and the range between these two points. Increasing the heating from 1 to 10 C/min. increased peak melting points of collagen approximately 4 C. Shrinkage temperatures were similar in Holstein calves, heifers, and cows. However, epimysial and intramuscular collagen from the longissimus melted at lower temperatures than that from the biceps femoris. Epimysial collagen also melted at lower temperatures than collagen from the subcutaneous fat or collagen from intramuscular tissue. As the extrapolated onset temperature of intramuscular collagen increased, shear values increased (r=0.47) and the melting range decreased. Relationships between the yield of labile collagen and thermal transitions approached statistical significance (P<.05).