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A Comparison of Practical Methods to Estimate Pork Carcass Composition¹

University of Wisconsin, Madison 53706

Abstract

Data from forty-one barrow carcasses were used to compare various methods of measuring composition. The sample population was characteristic of those in carcass merit programs. Fat-free muscle, determined by physically and chemically removing all adipose tissue components, was the dependent variable in the analysis. The following measures were compared: loin eye area (LEA); 3/4 fat depth (FD) at the sixth or 10th ribs; seam fat score; hot carcass weight; percentage skinned defatted ham; percentage ham and loin; percentage four lean cuts; Purdue Index; Wisconsin percentage muscle; percentage skinned defatted ham; percentage boneless defatted ham; average backfat thickness; U.S.D.A. grade; and ham-loin index.

Tenth rib LEA and FD and carcass weight accounted for the most variation in pounds (kilograms) or percentage of fat-free muscle. These measurements are relatively easy to obtain and carcass ribbing also provides an acceptable location to evaluate muscle quality. These data provided the following two equations to predict carcass composition. Percentage fat-free muscle = 44.4 + [2.73 (10th rib LEA, inches²)]—[8.06 (10th rib 3/4 FD, inches)]; and pounds of fat-free muscle = —7.49 + [.46 (hot carcass weight, lb)] + [4.96 (10th rib LEA, inches²)]—[10.98 (10th rib 3/4 FD, inches)].

¹ Research supported by the College of Agricultural and Life Sciences, University of Wisconsin, Madison. Muscle Biology Manuscript No.94.

² Department of Animal Science, University of Minnesota, St. Paul.

³ Oscar Mayer and Company, Inc., Madison, WI.

⁴ Department of Animal Science, University of Illinois, Urbana.

⁵ Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station.

⁶ Department of Animal Science, Iowa State University, Ames.

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