Evaluation of electronic meat-measuring equipment in predicting carcass composition in the live pig

Abstract

AbstractAn electronic meat-measuring equipment (EMME) determination (average of three consecutive readings) and backfat thickness (averaged over two sites) were taken on each of 107 live Yorkshire pigs weighing approximately 110 kg. After slaughter, 10 carcass traits: killing out, grade fat (fat thickness at maximum loin of split carcass), in. longissimus area, total and individual weights of the four untrimmed primal cuts (butt, picnic, loin and ham) and total weight of lean and subcutaneous fat in the four primal cuts, were measured and used to evaluate the EMME and ultrasound backfat probe, alone and in combination, in predicting carcass merit. Value of prediction was measured as significant improvement in correlation over a base model (A/?2). After adjustment for live weight and treatment (diet, sex and housing) differences, the EMME alone was significant in predicting grade fat (A/?2 = 007), weight of the four untrimmed primal cuts (A/?2 = 0·03) and weights of ham (A/?2 = 0·04), lean (A/?2 = 0·17) and subcutaneous fat (A/?2 = 0·08). Backfat thickness alone was significant in predicting grade fat (AR2 = 0·21) and the weights of loin (AR2 = 0·03), ham (AR2 = 0·02), lean (AR2 = 0·09) and subcutaneous fat (AR2 = 0·42). Their combined information was superior in predicting fat thickness (AR2 = 0·24), weight of lean (AR2 = 0·21) and weight of subcutaneous fat (AR2 = 0·44). Similar results were obtained when treatment effects were ignored. Correlations of the EMME number with fat thickness, weight of total lean and total subcutaneous fat were 0·31, 0·49 and -0·30, respectively. Correlations of backfat thickness with grade fat, weight of total lean and total subcutaneous fat were 0·53, -0·35 and 0·72, respectively.