J. Anim Sci.
HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced]


     

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via HighWire
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by May, S. G.
Right arrow Articles by Savell, J. W.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by May, S. G.
Right arrow Articles by Savell, J. W.

Journal of Animal Science, Vol 78, Issue 5 1255-1261, Copyright © 2000 by American Society of Animal Science

JOURNAL ARTICLE

Using live estimates and ultrasound measurements to predict beef carcass cutability

S. G. May, W. L. Mies, J. W. Edwards, J. J. Harris, J. B. Morgan, R. P. Garrett, F. L. Williams, J. W. Wise, H. R. Cross and J. W. Savell
Department of Animal Science, Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-2471, USA.

Commercial slaughter steers (n = 329) and heifers (n = 335) were selected to vary in frame size, muscle score, and carcass fat thickness to study the effectiveness of live evaluation and ultrasound as predictors of carcass composition. Three trained personnel evaluated cattle for frame size, muscle score, fat thickness, longissimus muscle area, and USDA quality and yield grade. Live and carcass real-time ultrasound measures for 12th-rib fat thickness and longissimus muscle area were taken on a subset of the cattle. At the time of slaughter, carcass ultrasound measures were taken at "chain speed." After USDA grade data were collected, one side of each carcass was fabricated into boneless primals/subprimals and trimmed to .64 cm of external fat. Simple correlation coefficients showed a moderately high positive relationship between 12th rib fat thickness and fat thickness measures obtained from live estimates (r = .70), live ultrasound (r = .81), and carcass ultrasound (r = .73). The association between estimates of longissimus muscle area and carcass longissimus muscle area were significant (P < .001) and were higher for live evaluation (r = .71) than for the ultrasonic measures (live ultrasound, r = .61; carcass ultrasound, r = .55). Three-variable regression equations, developed from the live ultrasound measures, explained 57% of the variation in percentage yield of boneless subprimals, followed by live estimates (R2 = .49) and carcass ultrasound (R2 = .31). Four-variable equations using frame size, muscle score, and selected fat thickness and weight measures explained from 43% to 66% of the variation for the percentage yield of boneless subprimals trimmed to .64 cm. Live ultrasound and(or) live estimates are viable options for assessing carcass composition before slaughter.


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J ANIM SCIHome page
S. P. Greiner, G. H. Rouse, D. E. Wilson, L. V. Cundiff, and T. L. Wheeler
Prediction of retail product weight and percentage using ultrasound and carcass measurements in beef cattle
J Anim Sci, July 1, 2003; 81(7): 1736 - 1742.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J ANIM SCIHome page
S. P. Greiner, G. H. Rouse, D. E. Wilson, L. V. Cundiff, and T. L. Wheeler
The relationship between ultrasound measurements and carcass fat thickness and longissimus muscle area in beef cattle
J Anim Sci, March 1, 2003; 81(3): 676 - 682.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]


HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS
Copyright © 2000 by the American Society of Animal Science.