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Prediction of total body tissue weights in Scottish Blackface ewes using computed tomography scanning

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  18 August 2016

N.R. Lambe ,
M.J. Young ,
K.A. McLean ,
J. Conington  and
G. Simm
N.R. Lambe*
Affiliation:
SAC, Hill and Mountain Research Centre, Kirkton Farm, Crianlarich, West Perthshire FK20 8RU, UK
M.J. Young
Affiliation:
Sheep Improvement Ltd, PO Box 66, Lincoln University, Canterbury, New Zealand
K.A. McLean
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College (SAC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
J. Conington
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College (SAC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
G. Simm
Affiliation:
Scottish Agricultural College (SAC), West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JG, UK
*
†E-mail: n.lambe@ed.sac.ac.uk
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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).

Keywords

body compositioncomputed tomographyewes.
Type
Growth, development and meat science
Information
Animal Science , Volume 76 , Issue 2 , April 2003 , pp. 191 - 197
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 2003

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