@conference {40361,
	title = {The New Zealand Society of Animal Production - After the Jubilee},
	booktitle = {Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	volume = {52},
	year = {1992},
	month = {Jan},
	pages = {1-2},
	publisher = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	organization = {New Zealand Society of Animal Production},
	abstract = {Rib-eye muscle (M. longissimus lumborum) area (REA) and depth  (B) at the 12th rib were ultrasonically measured on 89 ram lambs from 3  sire breeds. The lambs were then slaughtered and these live measures  plus carcass weight were evaluated as predictors of the corresponding  carcass measures and the following two measures of muscling, based on  four muscles surrounding the femur bone and the femur itself: 1.  Muscle:Bone ratio (M:B), and 2: Muscularity (MUSC), defined as an index  of muscle depth (square root of the weight of the four muscles per unit  femur bone length) relative to a skeletal dimension (femur length).  Prediction of carcass REA and B from ultrasonic REA and B, after  adjusting for carcass weight, was more effective for B (partial r=0.40)  than REA (partial r=0.18). The main problems with prediction arose with  higher values (B>33mm), when ultrasonic values underestimated actual  carcass values. REA and B (ultrasonic live and direct carcass)  significantly (p<0.001) improved the prediction of MUSC or M:B over  carcass weight alone, but did not account for the highly significant  (P<0.001) breed effect on these traits. It is concluded that ultrasonic  and carcass measures of REA and B provide useful but limited information  on lamb leg muscularity.  },
	issn = {1176-5283},
	author = {Nicol AM}
}
