 |
    |
Animal Science Abstract
Prediction of total body tissue weights in Scottish Blackface ewes using computed tomography scanning
N. R. Lambe1,A, M. J. Young2, K. A. McLean3, J. Conington3 and G. Simm3
AE-mail: n.lambe@ed.sac.ac.uk
1SAC, Hill and Mountain Research Centre, Kirkton Farm, Crianlarich, West Perthshire FK20 8RU, UK2Sheep Improvement Ltd, PO Box 66, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand
3Scottish Agricultural College (SAC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
Abstract
Thirty cull Scottish Blackface ewes were scanned three times over a period of 1 week using X-ray computed tomography (CT). Cross-sectional CT reference scans were taken at seven anatomical sites per ewe : ischium (ISC), femur (FEM), hip (HIP), 5th lumbar vertebra (LV5), 2nd lumbar vertebra (LV2), 8th thoracic vertebra (TV8) and 6th thoracic vertebra (TV6). Ewes were then slaughtered and dissection measurements collected.
Results of multiple regression analyses suggested that five reference scans allow accurate prediction of total weights of bone, muscle and fat (carcass and internal). The most informative cross-sectional scans were ISC, HIP, LV5, LV2 and TV8, from which prediction equations were derived. Fat and muscle weights were predicted accurately (R2 = 80 to 99%) but bone weight was predicted less accurately (R2 = 56%). Repeatabilities were high for the CT measurements used to predict fat and muscle (0.82 to 0.99) but lower for those used to predict bone (0.19 to 0.86).
| Search for papers on a specific subject | |
|---|---|
 |
|