Several research trials have evaluated the impact of ractopamine (RAC, Paylean r , Elanco Animal Health) on barrows and gilts of various genetic populations (GP). Overall, the desirable response of RAC to increase daily carcass lean gain, improve feed efficiency, and increase carcass lean percentage has been observed in GP of substantially different lean growth rates and carcass lean percentage...

Fifty merino wethers (liveweight range from 44 to 81kg, average of 58.6kg) were lot fed for 42d and scanned through a dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) as both a live animal and whole carcass (carcass weight range from 15 to 32kg, average of 22.9kg) producing measures of total tissue, lean, fat and bone content. The carcasses were subsequently boned out into saleable cuts and the weights and yiel...

Carcass-value marketing systems continue to demand the efficient production of lean pork. Unfortunately, some swine genotypes which provide a high percentage of carcass lean also tend to produce carcasses which are poor in overall quality. An increased incidence of soft carcass fat, which is seen in some lean genotypes, has been associated with mechanized processing difficulties and decreased c...

The objective of this study was to test and validate electromagnetic scanning of whole pork carcasses in an on-line, integrated, industrial configuration. The electromagnetic (EM) scanner was installed in two pork processing facilities (Plant A and Plant B). Plant A was a small pork fabrication plant that further processed chilled pork carcasses. Carcasses were delivered to Plant A by refrigera...

Live animal and carcass data were collected from market barrows and gilts (n = 120) slaughtered at a regional commercial slaughter facility to develop and test prediction equations to estimate carcass composition from live animal and carcass ultrasonic measurements. Data from 60 animals were used to develop these equations. Best results were obtained in predicting weight and percentage of bonel...

In three separate studies (156 pigs total), dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA), bioelectrical impedance (BIA) and ultrasound were compared as methods for measuring live body composition of pigs at 60 and 100-110 kg BWt. DXA measured total body fat and lean content, BIA measurements of resistance (Rs) and reactance (Xc) were used to calculate total body lean mass and ultrasound measurements ...

We used an advanced computer logic system (NETS 3.0) to decipher electromagnetic (EM) scans in lieu of traditional linear regression for estimation of pork carcass composition. Fifty EM scans of pork carcasses were obtained on-line (prerigor) at a swine slaughter facility. Right sides were cut into wholesale parts and dissected into fat, lean, and bone to obtain total dissected carcass and prim...

An experiment was conducted to determine prediction equations that used readings for total body electrical conductivity (TOBEC) in the model for estimation of total fat-free lean and total fat weight in the pork carcass. Ultrasound measurements of live hogs were used to select 32 gilts that represented a range in weight, muscling, and fatness. The TOBEC readings were recorded on warm carcass si...

Carcass and live measurements of 203 pigs representing seven genetic populations and four target live weights (100, 114, 128, and 152 kg) were used to evaluate alternative measures of carcass composition. Measures of carcass lean (fat tissue-free lean, FFLM; lipid-free soft tissue, LFSTIS; and dissected lean in the four lean cuts, DL), fat (total carcass fat tissue, TOFAT), and lipid mass (soft...

The accuracy of 3 optical probes (HGP4 Hennessey Grading Probe, Destron-Feering PG-100 probe, and Giraldo OPTO-Electronic PG-200 probe) to predict the carcass percentage of 5 alternative measures of carcass composition (fat-tissue-free lean, lipid-free soft tissue, lipid-free lean, total fat tissue, and soft tissue lipid) was evaluated on 203 barrows and gilts of 7 genetic populations. The opti...