Prediction of carcass composition, ham and foreleg weights, and lean meat yields of Iberian pigs using ultrasound measurements in live animals1

2013 ◽  
Vol 91 (4) ◽  
pp. 1884-1892 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Ayuso ◽  
A. González ◽  
F. Hernández ◽  
J. M. Corral ◽  
M. Izquierdo
2003 ◽  
Vol 83 (3) ◽  
pp. 429-434 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Bergen ◽  
D. H. Crews ◽  
Jr., S. P. Miller ◽  
J. J. McKinnon

The value of live ultrasound longissimus dorsi depth and width measurements as predictors of estimated carcass lean meat yield of steers (CARLEAN-S) and bulls (CARLEAN-B) was studied. In trial 1, equations were developed to predict estimated lean meat yield of steers (n = 116) from carcass weight (Eq. 1) or liveweight (Eq. 2), fat depth and l. dorsi area or liveweight, fat depth and l. dorsi depth × width (Eq. 3). Equation 1 was most precise (RSD = 25.6 g kg-1), followed by Eq. 2 (RSD = 27.8g kg-1) and Eq. 3 (RSD = 30.2g kg-1). Equations 2 and 3 predicted CARLEAN-S with similar accuracy (SEP = 23.8 vs. 24.9 g kg-1, respectively) and were highly correlated with each other (r = 0.89) in an independent data set (n = 118). Repeatability and accuracy of pre-slaughter l. dorsi depth and width measurements were studied in yearling bulls (trial 2; n = 191). When ultrasound measurements were expressed as a percentage of the average ultrasound measurement, repeatabilities of l. dorsi depth (SER = 6.2 to 7.8%) and width (SER = 4.2 to 6.1%) measurements were similar to fat depth and l. dorsi area measurements (SER = 17.9 and 4.5%, respectively). When ultrasound measurements were compared to the corresponding carcass measurements, l. dorsi depth (SEP = 10.3 to 13.9%) and width (SEP = 6.7 to 8.5%) measurements were as accurate as fat depth and l. dorsi area measurements (SEP = 32.9 and 8.4%, respectively). Equations were developed to predict CARLEAN-B of yearling bulls (n = 82) from liveweight, 12th rib ultrasound fat depth and either l. dorsi depth × width measurements (Eqs. 4 and 5) or two l. dorsi depth measurements (Eq. 6). All equations had similar precision (RSD = 19.4 to 19.5 g kg-1) and predicted CARLEAN-B similarly (SEP = 25.0, 24.6 and 26.1g kg-1 for Eqs. 4, 5 and 6, respectively) in an independent data set (n = 109). All equations were highly correlated (r ≥0.97) with an equation using ultrasound fat depth and l. dorsi area in the independent data set. Longissimus muscle depth and width measurements were as valuable as l. dorsi area for predicting carcass composition of yearling beef bulls in the present study. Key words: Ultrasound, beef cattle, carcass traits


2008 ◽  
Vol 51 (6) ◽  
pp. 549-559 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Jordan ◽  
S. Žgur ◽  
G. Gorjanc ◽  
I. Štuhec

Abstract. Fattening pigs are commonly kept in intensive housing systems with slatted floor which represent a very barren environment, causing poor animal welfare. To improve such conditions a small amount of straw or hay (100 g per animal per day laid daily in a rack) was used in our study as an environmental enrichment (EE). Two replications, each including 96 fattening pigs of both sexes (3 pens of 16 females and 3 pens of 16 male castrates) from 60 kg to slaughter at average 96 kg live weight, were used to test the effect of EE and sex on behaviour, growth rate, and carcass composition. EE significantly increased the proportion of total activity during the illumination period (between 6 a. m. and 2 p. m.) on account of increased occupation with substrate (P<0.01). EE also significantly reduced time spent biting pen bars and frequency of aggressive encounters (P<0.01). The EE increased total activity in female animals during the observation period, but not in male castrates. None of the EE significantly influenced pigs‘ growth rate and lean meat percentage; however females in enriched environment grew slower and had greater lean meat percentage than the castrated males. Provision of a small amount of straw or hay to pigs in intensive housing systems can enrich barren environment in inexpensive and efficient way. Therefore such enrichment can be widely used also in large commercial pig production systems.


1987 ◽  
Vol 45 (1) ◽  
pp. 87-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. C. Parratt ◽  
G. Simm

AbstractSelection indices to improve lean meat production of terminal sire breeds of sheep were derived. An aggregate breeding value which comprised growth rate, killing-out proportion and carcass lean proportion was examined. Selection criteria included growth rate and ultrasonic or X-ray computer tomography (CT) estimates of carcass composition. Correlations betwen the index and the aggregate breeding value were about 0·38 for indices using ultrasonic fat measurements, and about 0·40 for those using CT measurements. Dropping ultrasonic or CT measurements from the indices reduced the correlations with the aggregate breeding value by only about 0·01 and 002 respectively, indicating that selection on growth rate alone under current economic conditions was highly efficient. Changes in economic weights, and genetic parameters had little effect on the efficiency of selection. The total national discounted value of returns from a single round of selection on the indices was expected to be between £6 and £30·5 million, depending on penetration rates of improved stock, the breeding scheme used, and with a time horizon of 20 years.


2005 ◽  
Vol 85 (1) ◽  
pp. 23-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. Bergen ◽  
S. P. Miller ◽  
I. B. Mandell ◽  
W. M. Robertson

Pre-slaughter ultrasound and whole side dissection data from 47 crossbred bulls were used to assess (1) the relative value of six previously published equations based on live animal measurements, (2) the value of alternative pre-slaughter measurements, and (3) the value of alternative ultrasound probes as predictors of whole side lean meat yield. Analysis of absolute bias-corrected residuals indicated that all six previously published equations predicted whole side lean meat yield with similar accuracy (P = 0.62), but analysis of absolute rank residuals indicated that an equation originally based on carcass measurements tended (P = 0.17) to rank bulls less precisely than five ultrasound-based equations. Breed composition, age, liveweight, hip width, heart girth, and round muscle depths did not contribute to new lean meat yield prediction equations (P > 0.10), but height, 12th/13th rib body wall, rump fat, and gluteus medius muscle depths and marbling score did (P < 0.10). However, examination of absolute residuals and absolute rank residuals indicated that accuracy (P = 0.55) and precision (P = 0.64) did not improve significantly compared to equations based only on height, rib fat and longissimus muscle size. Similarly, analysis of absolute residuals and absolute rank residuals indicated that fat and longissimus muscle depth measurements collected with a short probe predicted whole side lean meat yield as accurately and precisely as measurements collected with a long probe. Results indicated that (1) equations based on live measurements may provide more precise predictions of lean meat yield than equations derived from carcass measurements, (2) supplementing ultrasonic rib fat and longissimus muscle measurements with additional ultrasound measurements did not improve the accuracy or precision of lean meat yield prediction, and (3) lean meat yield of yearling bulls can be accurately predicted using fat and longissimus muscle depth measurements collected with a short probe. Key words: Ultrasound, beef bulls, carcass composition, prediction models


Animals ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 932
Author(s):  
Weijian Li ◽  
Rongyang Li ◽  
Yinghui Wei ◽  
Xueqing Meng ◽  
Binbin Wang ◽  
...  

The Meishan pig is a traditional Chinese native breed, known for its excellent reproduction performance that is widely used in commercial pig production through two-way or three-way crossbreeding systems. However, the lean meat yield of Meishan crossbred pigs is still very low and cannot meet the market demand. To evaluate the lean meat yield of Meishan crossbred pigs, six wild-type Meishan sows were artificially inseminated by using the MSTN+/− Duroc boar semen in this experiment. Some reproductive performance-related traits of Meishan sows were recorded to ensure that semen from MSTN knockout Duroc boar did not affect offspring production, including total births, live births, sex, and litter weight. In total, 73 piglets were obtained and 63 were alive. Male to female ratio was close to 1: 1. because of factors such as disease, only 43 pigs were utilized, including 28 MSTN mutant pigs (MSTN+/−) and 15 MSTN homozygous pigs (MSTN+/+). We compared the growth performance and carcass performance of these full or half-sib populations and found that there were no differences between MSTN+/− and MSTN+/+ genotypes for live animal measures including average daily gain (ADG), body dimensions, or ultrasonic measurement of fat thickness when pigs were harvested after 120 days of feeding. Conversely, the MSTN+/− pigs had higher dressing percentage and lean meat percentage, lower level of carcass fat, larger longissimus muscle area, less percentage of skin and skeleton, thinner average backfat thickness, and lower intramuscular fat (IMF) content than MSTN+/+ pigs. In conclusion, the production of MSTN+/− mutant progeny from Meishan females resulted in improved carcass composition, providing a feasible solution to improve the lean meat yield of Chinese local fat-type pig breeds.


Meat Science ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 170 ◽  
pp. 108236
Author(s):  
Matthew I. Knight ◽  
Kym L. Butler ◽  
Nick P. Linden ◽  
Viv F. Burnett ◽  
Alex J. Ball ◽  
...  

1995 ◽  
Vol 75 (4) ◽  
pp. 517-524 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. L. Hammell ◽  
J. P. Laforest ◽  
J. J. Dufour

Data from approximately 850 commercial pigs tested in 12 trials, from 1987 to 1990 at the Beaumont test station in Québec were used to determine the effect of growth rate and body composition on growth performance, carcass yield and lean meat colour. Pigs were housed four to a pen and were fed commercial diets. Feed intake and growth rate were measured during the test, and carcass measurements were taken at slaughter and at 24 or 72 h following slaughter. The different groups of pigs were defined according to a 2 × 2 factorial, with one factor being the growth rate [fast growth (FG) or slow growth (SG)] and the second factor being the body composition of the carcass [fat (F) or lean (L)]. The FG commercial pigs reach market weight at a younger age with lower overall feed consumption and generally a better feed conversion than SG pigs. Furthermore, FG pigs have more backfat, longer carcasses and a slightly darker meat. The L commercial pigs had similar growth performances with a better lean meat yield than the F commercial pigs. Growth variables and composition of the carcass had little effect on the meat characteristics measured. The proportion of barrows compared to gilts was higher in the FG and F groups than in the SG and L groups, which could account for some of the differences observed between groups. However, the rate of growth and the type of body composition affected the growth and feed consumption performances as well as the carcass yield in a similar way for both sexes. Overall, less than 3% and less than 2% of the pigs produced meat with a colour standard of 1 (extremely pale) or 5 (extremely dark), respectively. The SG-L group had a slightly higher proportion of pigs with a pale meat colour compared to the other groups. Key words: Pig, backfat, growth rate, carcass composition, meat colour


2011 ◽  
Vol 51 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 18-23 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. Pulkrábek ◽  
J. Pavlík ◽  
L. Vališ ◽  
M. Vítek

The objective of the study was to quantify differences in the carcass composition of pig carcasses with different lean meat proportions. Totally 132 carcasses with lean meat proportions ranging from 45 to 65% were analysed. The average lean meat proportion in the analysed set of carcasses was 55.38% (s = 4.319). The carcasses were classified into the groups according to their lean meat proportion (R, 45.0 to 49.9%; U, 50.0 to 54.9%; E, 55.0 to 59.9%; S, more than 60.0%). Carcasses from each group were cut into primal cuts and the main cuts (leg, loin, shoulder and belly with bones) were further separated into different tissues. Carcass value was markedly enhanced by the increasing carcass lean meat proportion. Average leg percentages in the groups R, U, E and S were 17.88% (s = 0.918), 19.32% (s = 0.889), 20.88% (s = 0.817) and 21.88% (s = 0.827), respectively. Average proportions of fat over leg expressed as percentages of leg weight in these groups were 5.82% (s = 0.402), 4.87% (s = 0.556), 4.05% (s = 0.479) and 3.21% (s = 0.321), respectively. Lean meat proportions of leg weight were improved from 84.93% (s = 1.136) in the group R to 88.12% (s = 0.986) in the group S. The most distinct differences were found in lean proportions of belly weight. The observed averages in the group R and S were 43.90% (s = 2.729) and 62.10% (s = 2.219), respectively. Actually, in carcasses with a high classification score the belly can be considered as a cut with the predominant muscle tissue. The results of the study proved the efficiency of carcass evaluation based on the lean meat proportion. Such a method can significantly contribute to the overall improvement of pig production. &nbsp;


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