Abstract
The carcasses from 203 hogs were used to evaluate two methods of measuring the loin eye muscle and the lean in the butt of the ham. These carcasses were predominantly from Duroc and Duroc crossbred breeding. The associations between the measures in question and other measures of carcass merit were used to determine the most desirable methods of carcass evaluation. The method of approximating the size of the loin lean area by using the product of the length and width was found to be about as good as a planimeter measure of a tracing of the muscle cross-section and was much easier to obtain. The planimeter measure of the lean in the butt of the ham was better than the length by width approximation but adds little or no information about the carcass if the specific gravity, average back fat thickness or loin lean area are known. A complete table of correlation coefficient estimates is included. The table shows the associations found when sex was a source of variation (Group A) and the associations estimated when only barrow carcasses were used (Group B). Copyright © . .