Accuracy of virtual partial dissection by computed tomography as predictor of beef carcass composition

Abstract

[EN] Dissection is the reference method to measure carcass composition, which is one of the attributes that defines carcass value. Full carcass dissection is an expensive and time-consuming procedure, and therefore only suitable for a limited number of applications such as research trials involving a relatively small number of animals. Partial dissection using a sample joint was one of the first methods to be considered to reduce costs and increase the number of carcasses to be assessed. X-ray computed tomography (CT) is a non-invasive method recently evaluated as a predictor of beef carcass composition. Carcass tissue weights were assessed with R2 values between 0.96 and 0.97 based on the CT scanning of all primal cuts (Navajas et al., 2009). The aim of this study was to compare the potential of the compositions of a forerib sample joint measured by CT and dissection as predictors of beef carcass composition.