Neural network processing of texture statistics (which parameterized longissimus muscle echograms of live cattle) resulted in marbling estimates that differed from corresponding USDA carcass marbling scores by an average of .42 marbling score units. This was more accurate (P < .001) than using the same features in a multiple regression model. Images were used from 53 cattle in the training set ...

To evaluate different methods of estimating bovine carcass composition, seventy yearling bulls of the "Asturiana de los Valles" beef breed were slaughtered and their carcass composition estimated by a commercial dissection of the right half-carcass and by tissular dissection of the 6th and 10th rib of the left half-carcass. Correlation and regression analyses were used to identify the most accu...

Although carcass trait selection programs have primarily focused on carcass marbling (quality grade), recent changes in the North American beef industry will very likely increase the economic importance of carcass composition (yield grade). Ultrasound technology is a valuable tool in these efforts. This review summarizes recent research pertaining to the role of ultrasound in improving carcass ...

Live weight and ultrasound measures of fat thickness and longissimus muscle area were available on 404 yearling bulls and 514 heifers, and carcass measures of weight, longissimus muscle area, and fat thickness were available on 235 steers. Breeding values were initially estimated for carcass weight, longissimus muscle area, and fat thickness using only steer carcass data. Breeding values were a...

Results of this study indicate that correlations between real-time ultrasound loin depth and carcass loin muscle area and between carcass loin depth and carcass loin muscle area are high. However, using carcass loin muscle area as the true value, the standard error of prediction for real-time ultrasound loin muscle area was lower than those for loin muscle areas predicted from either real-time ...

Texel sheep were imported from Finland and Denmark for evaluation as a terminal sire population relative to the Suffolk breed. The objective was to estimate effects of sire breed on fitness, growth, and compositional traits of crossbred progeny that were serially slaughtered at 63, 105, 147, and 189 d of age. A total of 325 lambs, sired by 19 Texel and 20 Suffolk rams, were born to mature, half...

BACKGROUND Abattoir condemnations may play an important role in a food animal syndromic surveillance system. Portion condemnation data may be particularly useful, as these data can provide more specific information on health outcomes than whole carcass condemnation data. Various seasonal, secular, disease, and non-disease factors have been previously identified to be associated with whole carca...

Carcass data from more than 4,400 Southdown x Romney ewe and wether lambs collected over a 16-yr period were analyzed for the effects of sex, rearing status, and growth rate. Ewe lambs grew more slowly than wethers and had .78 kg less carcass weight at the same age. The carcass weight advantage for wethers was nearly all caused by heavier fat-free weight. Based on fat depths, the fat on ewe lam...

We have described recently that cancer patients have low plasma arginine concentrations, even without weight loss being present, suggesting that decreased arginine availability may be a specific feature of the presence of tumour. As arginine is important in post-operative repair, we hypothesized that abnormalities in arginine metabolism in cancer lead to an aberrant post-operative response in a...

The availability of genetic tests to detect different mutations in the myostatin gene allows the identification of heterozygous animals and would warrant the superiority of these animals for slaughter performance if this superiority is confirmed. Thus, 2 mutations of this gene, Q204X and nt821, were studied in 3 French beef breeds in the program Qualvigène. This work was done with 1,114 Charola...