Porcine somatotropin to improve meat quality of pigs

Muscle quality of pigs normally susceptible to porcine stress syndrome is improved by administering to the pigs in conjunction with their daily feed ration, a small amount of porcine somatotropin

Prediction of Loin Muscle Area with the Autofom

An active contour algorithm for prediction of loin eye area (LEA) in the transectional Autofom images has been developed and implemented. The results of 75 carcasses measured at Hatfield Quality Meats indicate a standard error below 1 square inch by combining the algorithm with the current 127 Autofom features. Future studies of more carcasses, optimization of the algorithm, and better energy functions are expected to improve the results. With a speed optimization of the algorithm, there is potential for using the Autofom for on-line sorting of loins based upon loin muscle are

Evaluation of Real-time Ultrasound and Carcass Characteristics for Assessing Carcass Composition in Swine

Results of this study indicate that correlations between real-time ultrasound loin depth and carcass loin muscle area and between carcass loin depth and carcass loin muscle area are high. However, using carcass loin muscle area as the true value, the standard error of prediction for real-time ultrasound loin muscle area was lower than those for loin muscle areas predicted from either real-time ultrasound loin depth or carcass loin depth. Real-time ultrasound and carcass depth or length or a combination thereof is a less accurate predictor of carcass loin muscle area than simply real-time ultrasound loin muscle area alone

How Land Surface Characteristics Influence the Development of Flash Drought through the Drivers of Soil Moisture and Vapor Pressure Deficit

As global mean temperature rises, extreme drought events are expected to increasingly affect regions of the United States that are crucial for agriculture, forestry, and natural ecology. A pressing need is to understand and anticipate the conditions under which extreme drought causes catastrophic failure to vegetation in these areas. To better predict drought impacts on ecosystems, we first must understand how specific drivers, namely, atmospheric aridity and soil water stress, affect land surface processes during the evolution of flash drought events. In this study, we evaluated when vapor pressure deficit (VPD) and soil moisture thresholds corresponding to photosynthetic shutdown were crossed during flash drought events across different climate zones and land surface characteristics in the United States. First, the Dynamic Canopy Biophysical Properties (DCBP) model was used to estimate the thresholds that define reduced photosynthesis by assimilating vegetation phenology data from theModerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to a predictive phenology model. Next, we characterized and quantified flash drought onset, intensity, and duration using the standardized evaporative stress ratio (SESR) and NLDAS-2 reanalysis. Once periods of flash drought were identified, we investigated how VPD and soil moisture coevolved across regions and plant functional types. Results demonstrate that croplands and grasslands tend to be more sensitive to soil water limitations than trees across different regions of the United States. We found that whether VPD or soil moisture was the primary driver of plant water stress during drought was largely region specific. The results of this work will help to inform land managers of early warning signals relevant for specific ecosystems under threat of flash drought events

Comparison of Methods for Evaluation of Chemical Lipid Content in the Longissimus Muscle

For the range of fat content found in pork, the two chemical procedures studied for the estimation of intramuscular fat (IMF), Soxhlet and total lipid (TL), are highly correlated and values for the Soxhlet procedure are slightly lower. No significant (P\u3c.05) differences existed between the two methods. Hence, both methods can be recommended for the determination of IMF in pork. The Soxhlet method, however, may be more indicative of marbling than the TL procedure

Stress in Swine

Stress appears to be increasing in swine and its toll ranges from death of animals to undesirable meat characteristics. The authors review the problem and list some preventive measures you can take

Variation of Muscle Quality Parameters within the Longissimus Muscle

Results of this study indicate that significant variation exists for muscle quality traits within the longissimus muscle. It is important to follow a rigidly standardized protocol when obtaining samples for use in pork quality research. The decision on which section to use as an estimate of the composite is not as important as is procedure. Relationships among sections with composite values are high for most quality traits

Efficacy of Using Real-time Ultrasound to Predict Intramuscular Fat in the Longissimus Muscle of Live Swine

Results of this study indicate that real-time ultrasound can be useful in predicting intramuscular fat (IMF) in the longissimuss muscle of live swine. The addition of tenth rib backfat measurements and sex as independent variables to IMF prediction equations increases prediction accuracy. Improvements in data collection and image analysis should further enhance prediction accurac

Performance and Body Composition of Gilts from Differing Genetic Lines as Affected by Nutritional Program

Gilts restricted fed a high-protein ration were slower growing (P\u3c.05) than gilts ad libitum fed a high- and moderate-protein diet. Gilts ad libitum fed a moderateprotein diet with added fat had significantly (P\u3c.05) more fat accretion than gilts ad libitum fed and restricted fed a high-protein diet. A genetic line by diet interaction (P\u3c.05) was observed for average daily gain. Also, gilts with the presence of a terminal breed in their ancestry were leaner and heavier muscled (P\u3c.05) than gilts with no presence of a terminal breed in their ancestry