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Ratios and Percents as Measures of Carcass Traits¹

South Dakota State University, Brookings

Abstract

Carcass data collected on 467 yearling Hereford steers over a 4-year period were used to study methods of carcass analysis with particular reference to linear adjustments for differences in weight. The results indicate that the use of ratios or percents involving weight as the denominator does little more than change the sign of the relationship between the trait and weight, and, therefore, will not be a satisfactory weight adjustment procedure. Treatment effects on carcass traits may actually be masked by the use of ratios or percents. Workers who think that percent is a trait rather than an adjustment procedure should consider whether percent is the best trait or the best method available to them for measuring the trait. Pounds of retail cuts adjusted for carcass weight by linear regression will reflect carcass composition; however, it has not been commonly used for this purpose. The application of these results is discussed in relation to the producing and carcass grading segments of the beef industry.

¹ Department of Animal Science, published with the approval of the Director of the South Dakota Agricultural Experiment Station as Publication 631 of the Journal Series, in cooperation with the Agricultural Research Service, U.S.D.A. Contribution from Regional Project NC-1, Improvement of Beef Cattle through Breeding Methods. Partial support was received for the first 2 years of the study under contract No. 12-14-100-2631-44 with ARS, U.S.D.A.

² The authors wish to express their appreciation to Jon Anderson for assistance in preparation of the figures and to D. K. Hallett, Standardization Branch, Livestock Division, AMS, U.S.D.A., for assistance in collecting carcass data.

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