• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.592-596
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• 2012

The simple method of evaluating highly marbled beef was examined by image analysis. The images of the cross section at the 6 to 7th rib were obtained from 82 carcasses of Wagyu cattle. By using an overall trace method, the surrounding edges of the longissimus thoracis and three muscles were traced automatically and manually with image analysis. In a spot method, 3 to 5 locations (2.5 or 3.0 cm in diameter) for each muscle were rapidly selected with no manual trace. The images were flattened, binarized, and the ratio of fat area to muscle area was determined. The correlation coefficients for marbling between different muscles, and between the overall trace and the spot methods were 0.55 to 0.81 between different muscles and 0.89 to 0.97, respectively. These results suggested that the simple spot method is speedy and almost as useful as the overall trace method as a measuring technique for beef marbling in loin muscles, especially for highly marbled beef.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.229-235
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• 1992

The usefulness of a portable linear electronic scanner. B-mode ultrasonic machine, was evaluated for estimating the longissimus muscle area from ultrasonic measurement of the muscle depth in 22 live pigs. The electronic scanner was easy to operate for muscle measurements in live pigs, which did not have to be held but were caged. The cross-sectional images of longissimus muscle and covering muscles and fat appeared on the monitor with grey scale in real time. It was easy to identify the ultrasonograms of fat and muscular tissues because the images differed in the degree of the grey scale. The longissimus muscle had less echogenic image than the other muscles. The boundary lines between first, second or third layers of backfat and the longissimus muscle were distinct on the ultrasonogram. The ultrasonic measurement at the shoulder was not acceptable because of the unstable measurements and the complex tissue structure. The repeatabilities for the measurements of longissimus muscle depth at one-half body length and last rib were acceptable. The simple correlation coefficients between ultrasonic estimates of the muscle depth in live pigs and the actual areas in the carcass, were 0.50 and 0.55 at the last rib and the one-half body length, respectively. Therefore, those positions were similarly suitable to measure. The method of electronic scanner for determining longissimus muscle area from the muscle depth was suitable for practical use in the field because of the simple and inexpensive technique.

• Journal of Embryo Transfer
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.239-253
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• 2005

Serum concentrations of Hanwoo steers and bulls as possible indicators of beef quality were analyzed to estimate their correlations with carcass traits. Blood samples were taken 2 months and right before shipping to abattoir and at the time of slaughter. And phenotypic correlation coefficients between serum concentrations and carcass traits were estimated. Beef yield index of steers was positively correlated with serum concentrations of total Protein (0.23), albumin (0.26), and calcium (0.31). But it was negatively co..elated with BUN (-0.30). Loin eye area was positively correlated with BUN (0.17) or with globulin (0.16). Back fat thickness was positively correlated with BUN (0.42) and inorganic phosphorus (0.20) being negatively correlated with total protein (-0.23), albumin (-0.33) and calcium (-0.33). Marbling score in the scale of 1 (scarcely marbled) through 9 (extremely marbled) was positively correlated with BUN (0.28) and negatively with IGF-I and calcium concentrations. Phenotype correlation coefficient of loin eye area with total protein concentration in the serum taken from steers right before shipment was estimated to be -0.16 and that with BUN was estimated to be -0.15. Serum concentrations of IGF, glucose, creatinine and on organic phosphorus from steers measured right before shipment were negatively correlated with respective correlation coefficient estimates as -0.21, -0.21, -0.19 and -0.18. Marbling score was negatively co..elated with serum creatinine (-0.16) measured at that time. Beef yield index of steers was positively correlated (0.31) with age adjusted calcium concentration in the serum taken at the time of slaughter. Correlation between body weight and BUN at slaughter was 0.17 At slaughter, loin eye area was negatively correlated with albumin (-0.19) and back fat thickness was also negatively correlated with age adjusted calcium concentration (-0.38). Marbling was negatively correlated with age adjusted calcium concentration(-0.17). Serum concentrations of testosterone, calcium and inorganic phosphorus taken in 2 months before slaughter were negatively but highly correlated with yield index(0.71, 0.67 and -0.71), respectively. Body weight at slaughter was positively was negatively correlated (0.67) with calcium level while dressing percentage was negatively (-0.69) correlated with serum glucose concentration, 2 months prior to slaughter. Correlation coefficients between back fat thickness and cortisol, between back fat thickness and inorganic phosphate were both positive (0.29 and 0.69). Marbling score was negatively correlated with creatinine (-0.81) and positively with BUN (0.87). Body weight loss during shipping was positively correlated with albumin and inorganic phosphate (0.77, 0.83). Yield index of bulls was positively correlated with serum testosterone concentration (0.66). Dressing percentage was positively and highly correlated with globulin (0.73). Back fat thickness of bulls, however, was negatively correlated with testosterone (-0.60). Loin eye area of bull carcasses was positively correlated with testosterone (0.40). Mar-blaine was negatively co..elated with creatinine (-0.55). Yield index of bulls and age adjusted HDLC concentration at slaughter was negatively correlated (-0.71). Dressing percentage of bulls was positively and highly correlated with globulin concentration (0.70). Back fat thickness was also positively correlated with HDLC (0.69) in the serum taken at slaughter. Correlation coefficients between carcass weight and triglyceride, between loin eye are and testosterone and between marbling score and creatinine or glucose were 0.51, -0.91 and -0.58, respectively.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.667-671
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• 2005

The aim of this study is to investigate the effects of the muscle mass and fiber number on post-mortem metabolic rates and pork quality. Carcass traits, muscle fiber characteristics, and type of fiber composition were evaluated using a sample of 200 cross-bred pigs. The muscle mass was divided into two groups according to carcass weight and loin-eye area measurements (heavy or light). In addition, the muscle histological characteristics were divided into two groups according to the muscle fiber density and total number of muscle fibers (high or low). All the carcass traits were significantly different in the muscle mass groups. Increasing weight significantly affected the cross-sectional area (CSA) of all fibers. The low group, which had a low muscle fiber number indicating a larger CSA of fibers, and especially the heavy-low group had the highest CSA levels of fibers. The fiber number percentage and the area percentage were significantly different in the groups categorized by fiber number. The heavy-high group indicated a normal rate of pH decline and the R-value. In addition, pigs with a heavy muscle mass and high muscle fiber number indicated normal drip loss, lightness, and protein denaturation. The present results suggest that increasing the total muscle fiber number has a beneficial effect on increasing the muscle mass without deteriorating the meat quality.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.377-381
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• 2002

The growth rate, feed conversion efficiency and carcass characteristics of nine native Malpura (M) and eight Awassi ${\times}$ Malpura half bred (AM) male lambs were compared under intensive feeding on 60:40 concentrate and roughage based composite feed. Weaning body weight was similar in the two genetic groups while finishing body weight, total body weight gain and average daily gain during the experiment were higher (p<0.01) in AM than M lambs. The feed conversion efficiency was lower in M than AM lambs with 15.7 and 19.8 per cent feed conversion efficiency, respectively, in the two genetic groups. The dressing yield in terms of preslaughter weight or empty live weight was however similar in the two genetic groups. The loin eye area was also greater (p<0.01) in AM than M lambs. The cutability was similar for the two groups amounting to 33.2, 13.3, 13.2, 23.3 and 16.6% of half carcass, respectively, for leg, loin, rack, neck and shoulder and breast and foreshank. On an average the separable lean, fat and KOH bone content of the half carcass were 48.3, 16.8 and 23.3% for native M and 54.1, 15.0 and 19.0% for AM lambs, respectively. It is concluded that growth rate and feed conversion efficiency were better in Awassi ${\times}$ Malpura half bred than native Malpura lambs while dressing yield and cutability of standard cuts were similar in the two genetic groups.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.10
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• pp.1516-1521
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• 2008

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of different energy intake on physical and chemical composition in body fractions, growth performance and meat characteristics of finishing barrows and gilts. A total of twenty six crossbred (Landrace$\times$Yorkshire) consisting of 16 barrows and 13 gilts were used in this study. The animals were allocated by sex to two treatments to form a $2\times2$ factorial arrangement. The respective factors were sex (barrow and gilt) and dietary energy intake (1.8 and 3.0 times energy for maintenance). Pigs were kept in individual pens and had ad libitum access to feed and water from the start of the experiment at $52.4{\pm}1.9kg$ until they reached $109.9{\pm}4.4kg$ live weight. The growth performance, physical composition and meat characteristics of finishing pigs were not greatly affected by the sex. However, higher fat tissue weight in the carcass was observed in barrows compared with gilts (p<0.05). Higher proportions of water and protein (p<0.05), and lower lipid proportion (p<0.01) in the empty body and carcass were observed in gilts compared with barrows, while protein proportion in lean tissue was not affected by the sex. In fat tissue, only protein proportion was higher in gilts compared with barrows (p<0.05). Although, growth performance, physical and chemical compositions in body fractions were greatly affected, final body or carcass weight was partly affected by the energy intake In addition, loin characteristics such as shear force and loin eye area were partly influenced by energy intake levels. Therefore, the present results showed that growth performance and meat characteristics were not influenced but chemical body composition was greatly influenced by the sex. Growth performance, physical and chemical compositions in body fractions were greatly affected, whereas meat characteristics were partly affected by the energy intake levels.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.9
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• pp.1500-1506
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• 2018

Objective: Although Hanwoo has been selected as the superior commercial beef cattle breed in Korea, Chikso (Korean brindle cattle) is still recognized as a valuable breed for beef production. The aim of this study was to compare the meat quality, fatty acid composition and aroma volatiles of beef from Chikso and Hanwoo steers maintained under identical feed management, as information regarding these characteristics is still limited. Methods: A total of 19 carcasses with a quality grade of 1 were selected, and strip loin (longissimus lumborum) cuts were collected from 11 Hanwoo carcasses and 8 Chikso carcasses. Meat quality and aroma analyses were performed at day four postmortem. Results: Though Hanwoo strip loin tended to have higher fat content (15.37%) than Chikso (12.01%), no significant differences were observed. Meat pH, water-holding capacity, cooking loss, shear force value, instrumental surface color (Commission International De L'eclairage $L^{\star}$, $a^{\star}$, $b^{\star}$, chroma, and hue angle) and fatty acid composition were not significantly different. Roasted Chikso beef released more intense aroma than roasted Hanwoo beef based on the total area units of identified volatiles. Among identified volatiles, the amounts of toluene, heptanal, octanal, and nonanal were higher in roasted Chikso beef than in roasted Hanwoo beef. In addition, the aroma pattern of the roasted beef from these breeds was well-discriminated by electronic nose. Conclusion: No distinct differences were found in terms of meat quality between Hanwoo and Chikso beef in this study. However, the aroma pattern and volatiles of roasted Hanwoo and Chikso beef were different according to instrumental analysis.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.21 no.12
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• pp.1785-1793
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• 2008

Fifty-four PIC barrows were used to evaluate the effects of lower dietary lysine content and energy level on carcass characteristics and meat quality in slaughter pigs. Pigs were allotted to one of three treatments by body weight with six replicate pens in each treatment. The dietary treatments for body weights of 20-50 kg, 50-80 kg and 80-90 kg were as follows, respectively: control diet (digestible energy 14.22 MJ/kg, lysine/DE 0.67 g/MJ, 0.53 g/MJ and 0.42 g/MJ); a low lysine group (digestible energy 14.22 MJ/kg, lysine/DE 0.49, 0.38 and 0.30 g/MJ); and a low lysine-low energy group or low nutrient group (digestible energy 13.11 MJ/kg, lysine/DE 0.49, 0.38 and 0.30 g/MJ). The daily weight gain, daily feed intake and feed efficiency were calculated in the overall growth period (nearly 12 weeks). Meanwhile, carcass characteristics and meat quality were evaluated at 60 and 90 kg body weight respectively. During the overall growth trial, lowering dietary lysine and nutrient level both decreased weight gain (p<0.05) and feed efficiency (p<0.01). At 60 kg body weight, decreasing dietary lysine and nutrient level noticeably decreased dressing percentage (p<0.01) and back fat depth at last rib of PIC pigs (p<0.01), but enhanced marbling scores (p<0.10), intramuscular fat content (p<0.10) and water loss rate (p<0.01) of the longissimus dorsi muscle. At 90 kg body weight, lean percentage (p<0.01) was evidently reduced by both lowering lysine content and nutrient level in the diet. However, the shoulder back fat depth (p<0.05) and marbling scores of the loin eye muscle (p<0.05) were increased; Lowering dietary nutrient level could improve back fat depth of 10th rib (p<0.01) and last rib (p<0.01), intramuscular fat content (p<0.10), redness (p<0.01) and water loss rate of the loin eye muscle (p<0.05), but decrease loin area (p<0.05). Finally, when comparing the 60 kg and 90 kg slaughter weights, it was found that the shoulder back fat depth (p<0.01, p<0.10), 6th-7th rib (p<0.01, p<0.01), 10th-rib (p<0.01, p<0.01) and last rib back fat depth (p<0.01, p<0.01) of the low lysine and low nutrient group were all obviously increased comparing with the control group. Taken together, the results showed that decreasing dietary lysine content and nutrient level increased intramuscular fat content and water loss rate of longissimus dorsi muscle; On the other hand, both lowering dietary lysine and nutrient level markedly compensated to increase back fat deposition in the later finishing period (body weight from 60 to 90 kg) in contrast to the control group.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1670-1676
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• 2018

Objective: This study was conducted to enable on-line prediction of primal and commercial cut weights in Korean slaughter pigs by AutoFom III, which non-invasively scans pig carcasses early after slaughter using ultrasonic sensors. Methods: A total of 162 Landrace, Yorkshire, and Duroc (LYD) pigs and 154 LYD pigs representing the yearly Korean slaughter distribution were included in the calibration and validation dataset, respectively. Partial least squares (PLS) models were developed for prediction of the weight of deboned shoulder blade, shoulder picnic, belly, loin, and ham. In addition, AutoFom III's ability to predict the weight of the commercial cuts of spare rib, jowl, false lean, back rib, diaphragm, and tenderloin was investigated. Each cut was manually prepared by local butchers and then recorded. Results: The cross-validated prediction accuracy ($R^2cv$) of the calibration models for deboned shoulder blade, shoulder picnic, loin, belly, and ham ranged from 0.77 to 0.86. The $R^2cv$ for tenderloin, spare rib, diaphragm, false lean, jowl, and back rib ranged from 0.34 to 0.62. Because the $R^2cv$ of the latter commercial cuts were less than 0.65, AutoFom III was less accurate for the prediction of those cuts. The root mean squares error of cross validation calibration (RMSECV) model was comparable to the root mean squares error of prediction (RMSEP), although the RMSECV was numerically higher than RMSEP for the deboned shoulder blade and belly. Conclusion: AutoFom III predicts the weight of deboned shoulder blade, shoulder picnic, loin, belly, and ham with high accuracy, and is a suitable process analytical tool for sorting pork primals in Korea. However, AutoFom III's prediction of smaller commercial Korean cuts is less accurate, which may be attributed to the lack of anatomical reference points and the lack of a good correlation between the scanned area of the carcass and those traits.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.247-254
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• 2008

A total of 40 pigs were used to investigate the feeding effects of supplementary wild grape wine by-product on pork quality of American Berkshire breed in the swine farm of Hamyang area. Treatments were C that was basal diet, and T that was treated by dietary wild grape wine by-product(5%) were added in feed. About 70 kg pigs were bred a period of 88 days, and slaughtered. The pork quality characteristic were measured in pork loin. In chemical composition, moisture and crude fat were not significantly different between C and T, but T were lower(p<0.05) than C. There were no difference in crude protein and crude ash(p<0.05). pH and water holding capacity(WHC) were not significantly different between C and T, whereas the cholesterol and fat shear force of T were lower(p<0.05) than C. There were no different in the meat color, but the Hunter’s L* and W value of T were higher(p<0.05) than C. Oleic acid(C18:1), linoleic acid(C18:2, n-6), arachidonic acid(C20:4, n-6), Essential fatty acid(EFA), and EFA/unsaturated fatty acid were significantly(p<0.05) different between C and T, in the fatty acid compositions of loins. Also, the total amino acid composition of pork were not significantly different between C and T, but essential fatty acid of T was significantly higher(p<0.05) than that of C. This observation suggests that wild grape wine by-product supplements may have some beneficial effects on improving backfat color, shear force, cholesterol and essential fatty acid content of pork loin.