PORK CARCASS COMPOSITION - II - USE OF INDICATOR CUTS FOR PREDICTING CARCASS COMPOSITION

Right sides of 30 pork carcasses were fabricated into indicator cuts ( Boston butt, picnic, anterior belly, posterior belly, anterior loin, p osterior loin, and ham) and used to determine carcass composition by p hysical dissection and chemical analysis of soft tissue. Linear measur es and chemical composition of whole-side grind were collected from le ft sides. Dissection of indicator cuts to predict dissectable composit ion of the side were much better indicators than linear measures (R-2 = .70 to .94). Chemical analyses of soft tissue (lean + lipid) from th e loin and anterior belly were better predictors of fat-free lean and extractable lipid composition of the side than linear measures; 89% of the variation in dissectable lean of the side was explained by the us e of dissectable components of the anterior loin. The loin served as t he best overall indicator cut across the various end points evaluated; 92% of the variation in dissectable lean of the side was explained us ing dissectable components of the shoulder. The anterior belly was a g ood indicator for percentage of dissectable lean, fat, fat-free lean, and extractable lipid.