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Electromagnetic scanning of beef quarters and primals to predict lean content
Abstract
To study the use of electromagnetic scanning (EMS) in predicting lean content in beef cuts, two major studies were undertaken utilizing beef quarters and primals. The first study utilized a heterogeneous population containing 100 beef carcasses (60 steers and 40 heifers), representing a range in external fat thickness (.1 to 2.9 cm) and live weight (414 to 742 kg). The second study used 120 steer carcasses representing a more homogeneous population with ranges in external fat thickness of.45 to 2.43 cm and hot carcass weight of 219 to 382 kg. In both studies, right streamlined forequarters (FQ) and hindquarters (HQ) were scanned. Primal rounds, loins, ribs and chucks were prepared from the right quarters, scanned and physically separated into lean, fat, and bone. In the first study, EMS of either the HQ or FQ of steers accounted for 84 to 95% of the variation in lean content (kg) of beef sides and quarters and 71 to 93% of primals. Electromagnetic scanning accounted for 61 to 75% of the variation in percentage lean in sides and quarters and 48 to 65% of primals. Similar results were obtained for heifer carcasses. Validation of the best prediction models appeared to be successful based on correlations with the actual kg or percentage of lean of the HQ and FQ. The second study utilized two EMS units (MQ-25 and MQ-27) to predict lean content of a heterogeneous population of beef quarters and primals over a two year period. Scanning quarters to predict quarters from year one accounted for 91% of the variation in lean content with residual standard deviations (RSD) of 1.08 and 1.30 kg for the HQ and FQ, respectively, and 78 to 81% of lean percentage. Scanning of primals rather than quarters resulted in higher CD for predicting primal lean weight and percentage. The RSD was less than 2.5% for all cuts when predicting percentage lean. Equal or better results were found for year two. These data indicate that electromagnetic scanning is an effective and accurate technology for determining lean content in beef quarters and primals from heterogeneous or homogeneous populations. Predicting percentage lean accounts for less variation than when predicting lean weight but RSD are under 2.5%.
Subject Area
Livestock|Food science
Recommended Citation
Gwartney, Bucky Lee Wayne, "Electromagnetic scanning of beef quarters and primals to predict lean content" (1993). ETD collection for University of Nebraska-Lincoln. AAI9402392.
https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/dissertations/AAI9402392