A study to estimation of lean meat content in carcasses of cows by half carcass weight, weight of kidney and trimmed fat, and adipocyte diameter

Abstract

The aim of this study was to establish a prediction equation to estimate the weight of lean meat (WLM) at slaughter from the weight of trimmed fat (WTF), the adipose ceil diameter (ADC), the weight of kidney fat (WKF), and the weight of hot carcass halves (WHCH). Holstein-Friesian and Hungarian Fleckvieh cows (n=18) were used in this study. The animals were transported to the slaughterhouse by track and after lairage for overnight were slaughtered. After the slaughter 1 g subcutaneous fat samples were taken from rump and the adipocyte diameter was measured. Means for WLM, WTF, ADC, WKF, WHCH were recorded: 167.5 kg; 35.3 kg; 79.1 µ; 6.6 kg; 261.2 kg, respectively. Moderate positive relationship (r=0.44, P>0.05) was found between ADC and WHCH. This tendency was also observed for weight of lean meat. The correlation was very close (r=0.84, P<0.001) between ADC and WKF. Two factors were determined as follows: carcass and lean meat (I.), fat and adipocyte diameter (II.). Using stepwise multiple regression analysis to estimation of weight of lean meat (y) 98% of total variance is determined (P<0.001) by three independent variables as follows: WTF (x₁), ADC (x₂), WHCH (x₄). Based on the results of this study, we can propose to use the adipocyte, tissue diameter to estimate the weight of lean meat within tne context of the other componentparts of the carcass.