Experiences in the evaluation of carcass value of live pigs by ultrasonic photography

Authors

• Mikko Varo University of Helsinki, Department of Animal Breeding
• Marjatta Perälä University of Helsinki, Department of Animal Breeding
• Matti Ojala University of Helsinki, Department of Animal Breeding
• Hannu Varo University of Helsinki, Department of Animal Breeding

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23986/afsci.71863

Abstract

In the present study it was found that the mean cross-sectional lean area of three ultrasonic photographs has a closer correlation than any one of the three individual areas to the cross-sectional lean area measured from the carcass. The correlation of this mean value with the lean + bone amount of the most valuable part of the half carcass approached that of the cross-sectional area of the lean measured from the carcass. The correlation of the ultrasonic area measurements with the carcass amounts of fat and lean -f- bone and with the fat-lean ratio calculated from these was closer than that of the ultrasonic thickness measurements. The fat-lean ratio calculated from the areas was also slightly better correlated to carcass quality than was the ratio calculated from the thickness measurements. In other respects the fat thickness measurements appeared to be better than area measurement. Although the measurement of lean correlated to the carcass a value of the animal more poorly than the fat measurements, the highest correlations were nevertheless obtained by the combined use of the fat and lean measurements.