Value of Subcutaneous Fat and Backfat Measurements on the live Animal and the Carcass as Predictors of External, Internal and Total Carcass fat in Market Weight Pigs

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Abstract
On 36 market weight hogs, 19 barrows and 17 gilts, measurements of backfat thickness on the live animal had a significant (r =0.70 to 0.80) relationship with measurements of backfat thickness on the chilled carcass. Both measurements were useful in predicting chemical fat (ether-extract) in the backfat trim, (r =0.77). The correlation of chemical fat in the backfat trim and total fat in the side was 0.67 for barrows and 0.61 for gilts. This relationship was not significant for either sex (0.25 and -.14) when external fat was separated from the total fat. Similar correlations (0.31 and -1.3) were found between total carcass backfat measurements and chemical fat in the trimmed side. Nonsignificant relationships existed between the chemical fat in the backfat trim and the chemical fat in the kidney fat (0.41 and 0.16) and between the chemical fat of the trim of the loin and the internal fat of the loin (0.19 and -.32). In a multiple regression analysis, the chemical fat in the kidney fat was useful in predicting total chemical fat of the right side in barrows. The carcasses of gilts were leaner than those from barrows as shown in the live animal backfat measurements and the chemical composition of the carcass, the shoulder and the loin.