Reliability of three sites for measuring fat depth on the beef carcass

Abstract

Over a 12-month period, damage at the P8 rump and 12thl13th rib sites was evaluated on 10 968 beef carcasses at 4 Tasmanian abattoirs. Damage at the 8th/9th rib site was monitored on 507 carcasses at 1 abattoir for 3 months. A biplot analysis showed a marked variation between and within abattoirs for the extent of damage at the P8 and 12th/ 13th rib sites. This demonstrated that the length of time over which evaluations were made was likely to influence subsequent interpretations. However, the percentage of carcasses measurable on one or other of the sides exceeded 90% for both the P8 and 12th/13th rib sites, with no evidence that 1 site was more reliable than the other. Factors such as worker technique influenced the extent of damage, demonstrating that conscientious management could reduce the problem. The method of mechanical hide removal was not found to have a bearing on the degree of damage. Under the conditions of this study, the extent of damage and difficulty of measurement precludes the use of the 8th/9th rib site as an alternative for measuring fat depth.