Live Hog Probes at Various Sites, Weights, and Ages as Indicators of Carcass Merit

Abstract

The measurement of backfat thickness on the pigs at a live weight of about 210 lb. by an average of six probes was more highly correlated with percent primal cuts, carcass index, and ham specific gravity than was backfat thickness measured on the carcass. The correlations between the thickness of backfat on the carcass and the live hog measurements taken at various ages were all positive and showed a definite upward trend with increasing age. The predictive value of probes taken prior to 112 days of age was very low. The intra-breed and intra-sex correlation of average probe at slaughter weight with average carcass backfat was 0.69. Patterns of fat deposition as measured by probe backfat at different ages are shown for two lines and their reciprocal crosses.