Estimation of fat content of beef carcasses in a commercial classification system

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Abstract
SUMMARY: A total of 25 steer carcasses from a wide range of breeds and carcass weight and fatness were used to examine the relationship between a range of fat thickness measurements and the dissected fat content of beef carcasses. Fat thickness measurements included those on the hot carcass suitable for ‘commercial’ use and others on the cold carcass commonly used in research.The mean of the measurements of fat thickness from the two sides of the hot carcass between the 12th and 13th ribs (12H) gave the most accurate prediction of carcass fat content (FPCT). The relationship was described by the equation FPCT = 14·61 + 1·85 (12H) (R2 = 0·92; S.E. of prediction of individual FPCT at the mean= ±2·17%).The mean of four fat thickness measurements made on the quartered surface between the 10th and 11th ribs of the cold carcass was the next most accurate predictor (S.E. = 2·28%) of fat content. Fat thickness measurements made on the hot carcass between the 10th and 11th ribs were the least satisfactory.Although the hot carcass measurements between the 12th and 13th ribs were made under commercial conditions and included a wide range of types of cattle the prediction of fat content from these measurements had a marginally lower standard error than the prediction based on measurements made under experimental conditions.