DEGREE OF MARBLING IN THE PORCINE M-LONG- DORSI - USE OF COMPUTER-SUPPORTED VIDEO PICTURE ANALYSIS FOR DETERMINATION

It was hoped to determine by comparative investigations how accurately the intramuscular fat content can be assessed by means of video pictu re analysis using various photographic techniques. A 3-chip RGB camera was compared with an S-VHS camera under laboratory conditions. As exp ected the best results were obtained with the 3-chip RGB camera with a degree of certainty of 73% in 130 animals. For the S-VHS camera the v alues were 46% for 21 animals. The latter photographic method would st ill be sufficient for slaughter performance testing as it is superior to the subjective method still in use. It presupposes however that the re is sufficient variation in this characteristic in the population. F or routine use the reflections produced by exuding water and illuminat ion must be avoided as far as possible.