Relationships between certain carcass measurements, weights of wholesale joints and sample joint composition of Hereford cross-bred steers

Abstract

1. In a population of Hereford crossbred steers carcass conformation was measured by weighing wholesale joints cut in London and Home Counties fashion and dissecting a single rib sample joint. Correlations were calculated between weight of joints and certain linear carcass measurements.2. Weights of individual joints in a group of good cuts were studied in relation to carcass composition estimated from sample joint dissection. Carcass fatness at constant carcass weight was correlated positively with some joints and negatively with others. A thigh width measurement was related to the weight of these joints in a similar fashion. This accounted for the low value of thigh width as an index of the proportion of good cuts.3. The weights of joints, and many of the measurements, were highly correlated with carcass weight. When carcass weight was allowed for, partial correlations were too low to support the use of linear measurements to predict weight of joints in individual carcasses.