• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.19 no.10
• /
• pp.1379-1383
• /
• 2006

A total of 6,804 records for Duroc breed were collected from three farms registered at the Korean Animal Improvement Association (KAIA) from 1998 to 2004 of which both records from two ultrasound modes (A and B) were analyzed to estimate the variance components of carcass traits. Three carcass traits backfat thickness (bf), loin eye muscle area (lma) and lean meat percentage (lmp) were measured. These traits were analyzed separately as bf1, lma1 and lmp1 for ultrasound mode A and bf2, lma2 and lmp2 for ultrasound mode B with multiple trait animal model by using MTDFREML (Boldman et al., 1993). All the traits revealed medium heritability values. Estimated heritabilities for bf1, bf2, lma1, lma2, lmp1 and lmp2 were 0.45, 0.39, 0.32, 0.25, 0.28 and 0.39, respectively. Estimated genetic correlations for traits bf1 and bf2, lma1 and lma2, lmp1 and lmp2 were positive but low. Specifically, genetic correlations between bf1 and bf2 was 0.30 while the estimates for lean traits between lma1 and lma2 and between lmp1 and lmp2 were 0.15 and 0.18, respectively. Conversely, high negative genetic correlations existed between bf1 and the lean traits lma2, lmp2. Likewise, the estimated genetic correlations between lma1 and lma2 and lmp1 and lmp2 were low.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.22 no.6
• /
• pp.796-802
• /
• 2009

The effects of docking on growth traits, fattening performance, carcass characteristics and blood biochemical parameters were investigated using 24 fat-tailed Sanjabi single-born male lambs raised from a large commercial sheep herd. The lambs were randomly divided into two groups. One group (n = 12) were docked at two days of age with rubber-rings using an elastrator. The second group (n = 12) were left intact. After weaning (90 days), all lambs were moved to rustic rangelands for 40 days. Then all the lambs were fed concentrates ad libitum for 60 days during the fattening period. Growth traits, body weight and average daily gain (kg) were recorded at the end of the weaning and fattening periods. Blood biochemical parameters including urea, total protein, glucose, triglycerides, cholesterol, low-density lipoproteins (LDL) and high-density lipoproteins (HDL) were measured during the fattening period. Finally, at the end of the fattening period, eight lambs (4 intact and 4 docked lambs) were slaughtered in order to determine carcass characteristics. Fat-tail docking had no effect (p>0.05) on lamb growth from birth to weaning. Body weight and average daily gain of docked lambs were significantly higher (p<0.05) than for intact lambs at the end of the fattening period. There was no difference in carcass measurements between the two groups, except for chest depth and leg weight which were higher (p<0.05) in docked lambs. During the fattening period, cholesterol and LDL of docked lambs were less than in intact lambs (p<0.05). The current results indicated that docking with rubber rings causes an improvement in growth traits during the fattening period and leads to desirable carcass characteristics compared to intact lambs; interestingly, this procedure had a significant effect on the lowering of blood cholesterol and LDL of docked lambs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.1
• /
• pp.59-65
• /
• 2012

The present study was conducted to determine the best level of substitution of soybean meal by sunflower cake in diets for kids through the evaluation of quantitative carcass traits. Thirty-two Boer kids X 1/2 NDB (no defined breed), males, non-castrated, with 4 months of age and initial body weight of $15{\pm}3.2$ kg, were randomly assigned to individual pens. The treatments contained four substitution levels of soybean meal by sunflower cake (0, 33, 66 and 100% DM). At the end of the experimental period, the animals were slaughtered. There was no influence of the treatments on any of the mean values of the evaluated measures (p>0.05): 21.78 kg (body weight at slaughter), 8.65 kg (hot carcass weight), 8.59 kg (cold carcass weight), 40.27% (hot carcass yield), 39.20% (cold carcass yield), 7.73 $cm^2$ (rib eye area), 46.74 cm (carcass outer length), 45.68 cm (carcass internal length), 36.92 cm (leg length), 26.04 cm (leg perimeter), 48.66 cm (hind perimeter), 58.62 cm (thoracic perimeter), 0.20 (carcass compactness index), 68.48% (total muscle of the leg), 2.79% (total leg fat), 55.19% (subcutaneous leg fat), 28.82% (total bone), 81.66 g (femur weight), 14.88 cm (femur length), 0.38 (leg muscularity index), 2.53 (muscle:bone ratio) and 33.42 (muscle:fat ratio). The substitution of soybean meal by sunflower cake may be recommended up to a level of 100% without alterations to quantitative carcass traits.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• v.36 no.8
• /
• pp.1156-1166
• /
• 2023

Objective: Pork belly is a cut of meat with high worldwide demand. However, although the belly is comprised of multiple muscles and fat, unlike the loin muscle, research on their genetic parameters has yet to focus on a representative cut. To use swine breeding, it is necessary to estimate heritability against pork belly traits. Moreover, estimating genetic correlations is needed to identify genetic relationship among the traditional carcass and meat quality traits. This study sought to estimate the heritability of the carcass, belly, and their component traits, as well as the genetic correlations among them, to confirm whether these traits can be improved. Methods: A total of 543 Yorkshire pigs (406 castrated males and 137 females) from 49 sires and 244 dam were used in this study. To estimate genetic parameters, a total of 12 traits such as lean meat production ability, meat quality and pork belly traits were chosen. The heritabilities were estimated by using genome-wide efficient mixed model association software. The statistical model was selected so that farm, carcass weight, sex, and slaughter season were fixed effects. In addition, its genetic parameters were calculated via MTG2 software. Results: The heritability estimates for the 7th belly slice along the whole plate and its components were low to moderate (0.07±0.07 to 0.33±0.07). Moreover, the genetic correlations among the carcass and belly traits were moderate to high (0.28±0.20 to 0.99±0.31). Particularly, the rectus abdominis muscle exhibited a high absolute genetic correlation with the belly and meat quality (0.73±52 to 0.93±0.43). Conclusion: A moderate to high correlation coefficient was obtained based on the genetic parameters. The belly could be genetically improved to contain a larger proportion of muscle regardless of lean meat production ability.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.2
• /
• pp.77-82
• /
• 2012

The aim of this study was to estimate the effect of sex, slaughtered season and year on carcass traits, and the contribution of carcass traits to auction and total prices. The data used in this study were the carcass grade of Hanwoo (4,231 heads) slaughtered from 2008 to 2010. Carcass traits were affected significantly (p<0.01) by sex, slaughtered season and year. The R-Square of auction prices, analyzed the contribution of causes using the squared semi-partial correlation, was 0.55. The contributions of auction prices of backfat thickness, eye muscle area, carcass weight and marbling score were 2.66, 0.32, 3.48 and 93.54%, respectively. The R-Square of total price was 0.82, and the contributions of marbling score and carcass weight were 46.25% and 52.38%.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.18 no.11
• /
• pp.1542-1547
• /
• 2005

The Melanocortin-4 Receptor (MC4R) and Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) are two important candidate genes related to fat deposition and carcass traits. MC4R was found on study on human obesity and then was studied as candidate gene affecting food intake and fat deposition traits in mice and pigs. Insulin-like Growth Factor 2 (IGF2) gene plays an important role on tumor cell proliferation and muscle growth. It also affects fat traits and live weight in pigs. In this paper, MC4R and IGF2 were studied as two candidate genes associated with important economic traits such as fat deposition and carcass traits in five different pig populations. Taq I-PCR-RFLP and Bcn I-PCR-RFLP were respectively used to detect the polymorphism of genotypes of MC4R and IGF2 genes. Different MC4R genotype frequencies were observed in four populations. IGF2 genotype frequencies were also different in two populations. The results of association analysis show both MC4R and IGF2 genes were significantly associated with fat deposition and carcass traits in about 300 pigs. This work will add new evidence of MC4R and IGF2 affecting fat deposition and carcass traits in pigs and show that two genes can be used as important candidate genes for marker assistant selection (MAS) of growth and lean meat percentage in pigs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.33 no.8
• /
• pp.1224-1232
• /
• 2020

Objective: The QingYu pig is well known for its excellent meat quality attributes in Sichuan province, China. In order to improve its production efficiency, the determination of genetic factors contributing to quantifiable economic traits of livestock is important. Moreover, the cross-breeding of QingYu pigs with western breeds possessing strong growth attributes is an efficient way to improve the performance of this breed. Methods: Here, the genetic parameters of several important reproductive traits of QingYu pigs were estimated, include total number born (TNB), number born alive, litter birth weight, individual birth weight, number of piglets weaned, litter weaning weight, and individual weaning weight. The data was analyzed using the ASReml 3.0 software (NSW Inc., Sydney, Australia). Furthermore, the effects of crossing Berkshire with QingYu (BQ) pigs on carcass and meat quality traits, as well as the effects of slaughter weight on carcass and meat quality of BQ were characterized. Results: QingYu pigs exhibited superior reproductive traits. The TNB available to QingYu pigs was more than 8 per parity. The observed repeatability of the reproductive traits of the QingYu pigs was between 0.10 and 0.23. The significantly correlated genetic and phenotypic of reproduction traits were consistent. Interestingly, the BQ pigs exhibited improved carcass quality, with a significant increase in loin muscle area, lean percentage and reduction in sebum percentage. As a result, BQ had higher L_45min, lower cooking scores, and lower drip loss. In addition, the loin muscle area, body length, and sebum percentage were significantly higher in 90 and 100 kg animals. Cooking loss showed a significant increase at 80 kg, and marbling increased significantly from 90 kg. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that QingYu pigs exhibit excellent reproductive properties and heritability of these traits. Crossing with Berkshire is an efficient strategy to improve the carcass and meat quality of QingYu pigs for commercial operations. Furthermore, it appears as though the optimal slaughter weight of BQ pigs is at approximately 90 kg.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• v.25 no.12
• /
• pp.1667-1673
• /
• 2012

The objective of this study was to estimate economic weights of Hanwoo carcass traits that can be used to build economic selection indexes for selection of seedstocks. Data from carcass measures for determining beef yield and quality grades were collected and provided by the Korean Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation (KAPE). Out of 1,556,971 records, 476,430 records collected from 13 abattoirs from 2008 to 2010 after deletion of outlying observations were used to estimate relative economic weights of bid price per kg carcass weight on cold carcass weight (CW), eye muscle area (EMA), backfat thickness (BF) and marbling score (MS) and the phenotypic relationships among component traits. Price of carcass tended to increase linearly as yield grades or quality grades, in marginal or in combination, increased. Partial regression coefficients for MS, EMA, BF, and for CW in original scales were +948.5 won/score, +27.3 $won/cm^2$, -95.2 won/mm and +7.3 won/kg when all three sex categories were taken into account. Among four grade determining traits, relative economic weight of MS was the greatest. Variations in partial regression coefficients by sex categories were great but the trends in relative weights for each carcass measures were similar. Relative economic weights of four traits in integer values when standardized measures were fit into covariance model were +4:+1:-1:+1 for MS:EMA:BF:CW. Further research is required to account for the cost of production per unit carcass weight or per unit production under different economic situations.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
• /
• v.48 no.3
• /
• pp.367-375
• /
• 2021

The aim of this study was to identify the factors contributing to the auction price and total price of carcasses by using squared semi-partial correlation of carcass traits. The data used in this study were the carcass grades assigned to 7,145 head of Hanwoo slaughtered from 2013 to 2018 in Gyeonggi province and 106,779 head of Hanwoo slaughtered from 2013 to 2018 outside of Gyeonggi province. The rankings of the carcass traits contributing to the auction price were in the order of marbling score (86.70%), backfat thickness (10.42%), eye muscle area (1.40%), and carcass weight (0.92%) in Gyeonggi province. In Hanwoo slaughtered outside of Gyeonggi province, the rankings were in the order of marbling score (88.53%), backfat thickness (9.06%), eye muscle area (1.24%), and carcass weight (0.99%). The rankings of carcass traits contributing to the total price were in the order of marbling score (45.95%), carcass weight (45.60%), backfat thickness (6.49%) and eye muscle area (0.77%) in Gyeonggi province. In Hanwoo slaughtered outside Gyeonggi province, the rankings were in the order of marbling score (49.64%), carcass weight (43%), backfat thickness (5.86%), and eye muscle area (0.66%). Gyeonggi province Hanwoo had thinner backfat thickness than Hanwoo outside Gyeonggi, and it had a higher contribution to auction price and total price. Collectively, Hanwoo in Gyeonggi province showed higher contribution scores for backfat thickness. This study aimed to provide basic information to guide Hanwoo breeding and increase profits for Hanwoo farms through the analysis of each traits according to environmental factors.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.54 no.1
• /
• pp.51-58
• /
• 2012

The purposes of the study were to examine the changes in carcass traits and surface meat color, and cortisol concentration by different altitudes and shipping distances for steer and cow. The experimental animals were shipped from Kangwondo, Kyunggido, Choongchungdo, and Kyungsangdo to Wonju LPC. The animals were examined for yield traits, quality traits, carcass grade, lightness, redness, yellowness, croma value, and cortisol concentration by different altitudes and shipping distances. The results showed that the carcass traits of steer like back fat thickness were not different by shipping distances of 100 km, 150 km, and 200 km. However, the fat thickness was higher in steers shipped from 250 km than 100 km, 150 km, and 200 km distance. Ribeye area was reduced significantly in 200 km and 250 km than 50 km. Yield index and yield grade were significantly low in 250 km than 50-200 km. However, meat color, fat color, texture, mature, and quality grade had no differences between shipping distances. Marbling score was not different in 50-200 km. However, the marbling score in 250 km was significantly lower than that of 50 km. In case of surface meat color by shipping distance, redness, yellowness, chroma value, and hue-angle were not different in shipping distance of 250 km. The lightness had similar result in 50-200 km. However, in case of 250 km the lightness was significantly low. The REA of cow carcass by shipping distance had no differences by shipping distance. The BET had similar results in 50-150 km. However, it had significantly thick in 200 km. The yield index and yield grade had no differences in 50-150 km. However, yield index and grade were significantly low in 200 km. The carcass trait of cow had no differences in all items by shipping distance. Although the carcass traits and the BET for steer by altitude had no differences between 100, 200, 300 and 500 m, but those were significantly thick in 400 m. And the yield index and the yield grade at altitude 400 m were lower than that of other altitudes. The quality traits and the quality grade had no differences between 100, 200, 300, 400, and 500 m altitudes. The yield traits, quality traits, yield grade, and quality grade had no significant differences by altitudes. In case of yield index of cow for 300 m was low than the cases of 100 m and 200 m. The surface meat color for steer and cow had no differences by altitudes. However, the lightness of cow had positive result in 100 m than 200 m and 300 m. In case of steer and cow the cortisol concentration by shipping distance was high as the shipping distances were longer. However, the cortisol concentrations of steer and cow by altitudes were decreased as the altitudes were increased. From the above results carcass traits and carcass grade were decreased and the cortisol concentration was increased as the altitudes were decreased for steer and cow.