Abstract

Twenty-four frozen lamb sides were scanned in a medical dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scanner, producing measures of fat, lean and bone mineral content for each side. These sides were then partially dissected into muscle, fat and bone and the whole sides chemically analysed. DXA measurements correlated well with chemical analysis for % fat (r2 = 0.92, rsd = 1.2%) and fat mass (r2 = 0.97, rsd = 163 g), protein (r2 = 0.98, rsd = 232 g). DXA estimates of lean, fat and weight for the leg region of each side were correlated with dissected lean (r2 = 0.96, rsd = 115 g) and fat (r2 = 0.93, rsd = 66 g) and scale weight (r2 = 0.99, rsd = 92g). DXA estimates of side and leg mass mirrored scale measurement to within measurement accuracy (~ 100 g). These results indicate that DXA may be used as a reliable method for measuring carcass composition and distribution.

RD, Clarke, AH Kirton, CM Bartle, and PM Dobbie

Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production, Volume 59, , 272-274, 1999