HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Cross, H. R. Articles by Carpenter, Z. L. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Cross, H. R. Articles by Carpenter, Z. L.

Pork Carcass Cutability Equations Incorporating Some New Indices of Muscling and Fatness¹

Texas Agricultural Experiment Station,³ Texas A&M University, College Station 77843

Abstract

Two groups of pork carcasses were cut to obtain yields of four lean cuts. Data from 152 carcasses in Group I were used to compute 13 prediction equations. Carcasses in Group II (n=164) were evaluated by use of these 13 equations and 11 equations selected from previous research studies and subsequently cut to determine comparative predictive values. Among the muscling indices, longissimus muscle area at the last rib was more closely related to percent four lean cuts than U.S.D.A. muscling score, ham cushion thickness, lumbar lean depth, chine depth, shoulder lean thickness or longissimus muscle area at the 10th rib. Both fat depth and combined fat measurements were more closely correlated with percent four lean cuts than measurements of backfat thickness, carcass weight, carcass length, fat thickness over the shoulder, fat thickness over the ham or U.S.D.A. carcass grade. The three most accurate regression equations for predicting percent four lean cuts included measurements of fatness and/or muscling obtained at the last rib rather than the 10th rib. The best equation consisted of the independent variables, average backfat thickness, longissimus muscle area at the last rib and combined fat measurement at the last rib. An equation comprised of longissimus muscle area and fat depth (both at the 10th rib) and average backfat thickness was associated with greater than 74% of the variability in lean cut yields. The latter equation was used to develop a prototype slide rule which has been successfully utilized to place ribbed pork carcasses under contest conditions. Data comparing 24 prediction equations revealed that the seven most accurate equations contained either fat depth or combined fat measurement as an independent variable.

¹ T.A. 10061 Texas Agricultural Experiment Station.

² Present address: Standardization Branch, Livestock Division, U.S.D.A., Washington, D.C.

³ Department of Animal Science, Meats and Meat Chemistry Section.