Defining the variation of tissue properties across the bovine carpometacarpal joint and the lack of variation in biosynthetic activity will enable proper matching of experimental and control groups of biopsies in studies of the effects of mechanical stimuli on the composition and mechanical properties of articular cartilage. In addition, the lack of correlation between stiffness, water and glycosaminoglycan contents is further evidence that the mechanical properties of the tissue depend significantly on factors other than these broad measures of composition.