Carcass ShowsCarcass Shows& &

UltrasoundUltrasound

Bernie O’Rourke Bernie O’Rourke & Ron Russell& Ron Russell

UW - MadisonUW - Madison

Gary Onan & Gary Onan & Dewey WachholzDewey Wachholz

UW – River FallsUW – River Falls

Types of EvaluationTypes of Evaluation

Visual Appraisal (What do they look Visual Appraisal (What do they look like) Estimation with our eye - like) Estimation with our eye - JudgingJudging

Carcass Merit – Carcass ShowsCarcass Merit – Carcass Shows• Actual measurementsActual measurements• Sometimes we can’t see carcass Sometimes we can’t see carcass

Machines to measure carcass traitsMachines to measure carcass traits• Carcass traits area highly heritable.Carcass traits area highly heritable.

Why collect carcass trait Why collect carcass trait information?information?

Youth project development of meat animal Youth project development of meat animal projects should include information on how projects should include information on how their animal is viewed as a food product their animal is viewed as a food product (too fat, too lean, didn’t grade (Beef), etc.(too fat, too lean, didn’t grade (Beef), etc.

Without carcass trait information, youth Without carcass trait information, youth will not know how to improve their project will not know how to improve their project in the futurein the future

Reminder that youth are a producer of Reminder that youth are a producer of food – should be as ideal as possible.food – should be as ideal as possible.

Method of EvaluationMethod of Evaluation

0 5 10 15 20 25 30

Carcass Show

Ultrasound

Both

Neither

Counties Reported (52 of 72)

Who ranks the data – UltrasoundWho ranks the data – Ultrasound

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14 16 18

Technician

Show committee

Sent to someone else

Counties Reported

Criteria Used Ultrasound - LambsCriteria Used Ultrasound - Lambs

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

%BCTRC

Lamb Carcass Index

Value gain/day

other

Counties Reported

Criteria Used Ultrasound - PorkCriteria Used Ultrasound - Pork

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

% fat free lean

lbs. lean gain/day

other

Counties Reported

Criteria Used Ultrasound - BeefCriteria Used Ultrasound - Beef

0 2 4 6 8 10 12 14

Combination QG & YG

Value gain/day

other

Counties Reported

Carcass Show - AdvantagesCarcass Show - Advantages

Provide the opportunity to educate youth of Provide the opportunity to educate youth of another segment /final segment of the another segment /final segment of the livestock industrylivestock industry

Presents the actual carcass on the rail Presents the actual carcass on the rail allowing the participants to truly see the allowing the participants to truly see the compositional traits of their animalscompositional traits of their animals

Provides objective evaluation of livestock via Provides objective evaluation of livestock via provision of absolute / accurate carcass provision of absolute / accurate carcass measurements (depending on expertise of measurements (depending on expertise of evaluation) allowing the assessment of evaluation) allowing the assessment of carcass valuecarcass value

Carcass Show - Advantages Carcass Show - Advantages cont.cont.

• Carcass composition is directly Carcass composition is directly assessable, allowing for more accurate assessable, allowing for more accurate and complete evaluation of lean qualityand complete evaluation of lean quality

• Develops more confidence in the Develops more confidence in the producer to consumer chain—producer to consumer chain—community developmentcommunity development

• Facilitates community development via Facilitates community development via two-way interaction with local business two-way interaction with local business operator / retaileroperator / retailer

Carcass Show DisadvantagesCarcass Show Disadvantages

Requires additional help—this can, Requires additional help—this can, however, be a great educational toolhowever, be a great educational tool

Requires the presence of and the Requires the presence of and the cooperation of one or more locker operatorscooperation of one or more locker operators

Can be traumatic to some individuals – Can be traumatic to some individuals – balance against value of reality education balance against value of reality education and experienceand experience

May be viewed as “evaluation” of live show May be viewed as “evaluation” of live show and judge quality while carcass shows only and judge quality while carcass shows only measure the “carcass”measure the “carcass”

UltrasoundUltrasound

A Live Animal Tool to measure VALUEA Live Animal Tool to measure VALUE Provides estimations of what the carcass Provides estimations of what the carcass

characteristics may be (characteristics may be (fat thickness, fat thickness, ribeye or loin eye measurements, etcribeye or loin eye measurements, etc…) …) without harvesting the animal.without harvesting the animal.

However, there is some errorHowever, there is some error• Good technicians correlations with carcass Good technicians correlations with carcass

measurements are typically .85-.90measurements are typically .85-.90• Marbling measurements typically result in Marbling measurements typically result in

same grade as carcass or 1/3 grade deviationsame grade as carcass or 1/3 grade deviation

UltrasoundUltrasound

Pork qualityPork quality• Ultrasound cannot measure color or Ultrasound cannot measure color or

firmnessfirmness• Some technicians can measure Some technicians can measure

intramuscular fat (marbling)intramuscular fat (marbling)

How does ultrasound work?How does ultrasound work? The probe puts out high frequency sound The probe puts out high frequency sound

waves which pass through tissues at waves which pass through tissues at different ratesdifferent rates

Air Air 330 m/s (meters/second)330 m/s (meters/second) FatFat 1430 m/s1430 m/s Water Water 1500 m/s1500 m/s MuscleMuscle 1620 m/s1620 m/s BoneBone 3500 m/s3500 m/s

At each change in tissue density, some waves At each change in tissue density, some waves reflect back and some continue through the reflect back and some continue through the animal.animal.

Frequency and intensity of the reflected waves Frequency and intensity of the reflected waves generates an image portrayed on the screen.generates an image portrayed on the screen.

B-mode Ultrasound systemB-mode Ultrasound system

Moving animalsMoving animals Dirty animals Dirty animals

don’t get a good don’t get a good imagineimagine

Applications for UltrasoundApplications for Ultrasound

Breeding StockBreeding Stock• Tool for making genetic improvementTool for making genetic improvement• Select superior animalsSelect superior animals• Generate Expected Progeny DifferencesGenerate Expected Progeny Differences

FeedlotFeedlot• Sorting cattle into market groupsSorting cattle into market groups• Estimate days on feedEstimate days on feed• Maximize economic returnsMaximize economic returns

County FairsCounty Fairs

Carcass Measurements

Summary of UltrasoundSummary of Ultrasound AdvantagesAdvantages

• Doesn’t require meat plant Doesn’t require meat plant • No need for further fair staff work the No need for further fair staff work the

following weekfollowing week• Results available for market animal saleResults available for market animal sale• Results may be more accurate in situations Results may be more accurate in situations

where the: where the: plants strip significant fat during hide, skin or pelt plants strip significant fat during hide, skin or pelt

removalremoval plants must hot-ribplants must hot-rib

• Results may be more comparableResults may be more comparable shows where multiple plants are usedshows where multiple plants are used

Summary of UltrasoundSummary of Ultrasound

Disadvantages:Disadvantages:• Significant time required at fair to collect Significant time required at fair to collect

data—especially for cattledata—especially for cattle• Increases cost of show—technician feesIncreases cost of show—technician fees• Results may be inaccurateResults may be inaccurate• Pork quality is not determinedPork quality is not determined• Exhibitors have no opportunity to see Exhibitors have no opportunity to see

carcassescarcasses• Limited opportunity for explanation of data Limited opportunity for explanation of data

to exhibitorsto exhibitors

Things to think about…Things to think about… What are your program goals?What are your program goals?

• Carcass data rankingCarcass data ranking• Performance/”Value added” ranking Performance/”Value added” ranking

Carcass winners and value added winners Carcass winners and value added winners will seldom be the same carcasswill seldom be the same carcass• Carcass champions may not come from Carcass champions may not come from

efficient/productive market animalsefficient/productive market animals• ““Value added” champions may not exhibit Value added” champions may not exhibit

“ideal” carcass characteristics.“ideal” carcass characteristics.

Comments from surveyComments from survey

Don’t hand out information before Don’t hand out information before the live judge evaluates the showthe live judge evaluates the show