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The Use of Specific Gravity of Certain Untrimmed Pork Cuts as a Measure of Carcass Value¹

Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station^,3

Abstract

In determining the suitability of specific gravity of three untrimmed cuts, i.e., the ham, loin, and shoulder, as measures of carcass leanness, it was found that the specific gravity of each of the cuts was closely associated with specific gravity of the entire carcass. The correlation coefficients were +0.94, +0.96, +0.92 for the ham, loin, and shoulder, respectively, when both cuts from the same carcass were used. However, on a single cut, corresponding values were +0.93, +0.91, and +0.87.

The somewhat higher correlations for specific gravity of a single ham to other measures of carcass leanness indicated that the untrimmed ham was a more reliable index of the entire carcass than either a single rough loin or untrimmed shoulder. With the exception of the relationship between specific gravity of the single ham and percent primal cuts on a carcass basis, the correlations for specific gravity of a single ham closely paralleled those for specific gravity of the entire carcass in relation to other carcass measures. Specific gravity of either the entire carcass or a single ham proved to be superior to backfat thickness as a measure of carcass leanness.

In examination of correlation coefficients by weight groups, indications were obtained that both backfat thickness and length of carcass were better measures of leanness for lighter weight pigs.

¹ Journal Article 1815 Michigan Agricultural Experiment Station, East Lansing.

² Departments of Animal Husbandry, Physiology and Pharmacology, and Agricultural Chemistry cooperating.

³ Acknowledgment is made to Dr. W. T. Magee, Dr. R. H. Nelson, and Dr. Amos Kennedy for their suggestions in setting up and interpreting the statistical analysis.