Leptin is a hormone that affects the regulation of feed intake, energy balance and body composition in mammals. Several polymorphisms in the bovine leptin gene have been associated with phenotypic variance of these traits. We evaluated two known single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the leptin gene of 253 grazing Brangus steers. Brangus is a 5/8 Angus-3/8 Brahman composite. Data were collec...

Korean traditional meat patties (Tteokgalbi) were prepared by replacing part of the lean meat content with either pork backfat or canola oil and the effect of substitution on sensory quality of the meat patties was investigated. Compared to the control patties, pork-loin Tteokgalbi with 10% pork backfat or 10% canola oil had significantly higher overall acceptability and higher perceived intens...

To examine a high culling rate problem, data were collected on 2154 sows culled from a commercial 5400-sow farrow-tofinish unit in New South Wales, Australia, during a 12-month period. Data recorded were parity, body weight, P2 backfat depth, and reason for culling. Additionally, body weights and backfat depths were recorded for a cross-section of the herd (3378 sows) in order to provide contro...

An experiment was conducted to determine the impact of pre-mating body condition score of gilts on performance of their litters. Eighteen (18), seven-month old Large White x Landrace crossbred gilts were selected and randomly assigned to three body condition scores; 1 (thin; <15mm backfat), 3 (normal; 15 to 18mm backfat) and 5 (fat; >18mm backfat) respectively. The gilts were mated and their pr...

A study was conducted to evaluate differences in performance, carcass composition, and eating quality characteristics of pigs sired by purebred Duroc boars currently available and pigs sired by purebred Duroc boars from the mid 1980’s. Two lines were developed by splitting and randomly allocating littermate and 1⁄2 sib pairs of females to matings by current (CTP) or old (OTP) time period boars....

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary energy levels on the physiological parameters and reproductive performance of gestating first parity sows. A total of 52 F1 gilts (Yorkshire×Landrace) were allocated to 4 dietary treatments using a completely randomized design. Each treatment contained diets with 3,100, 3,200, 3,300, or 3,400 kcal of metabolizable energy (ME)/k...

Mass selection for an index of increased postweaning average daily gain and decreased backfat thickness was practiced for five generations. Litter size and weight for 221 gilt litters, birth weight and nipple number for 2,242 piglets and weaning weight at 42 d of age for 2,111 pigs were recorded. Carcass measurements were taken on 331 pigs. Differences between means of the lines (select control...

Th is study investigated the relationships between ultrasound measurements of backfat thickness (UBF) taken on live heavy pigs and several carcass composition and ham quality traits. Before slaughter 240 pigs were weighed (average BW: 167 ± 10 kg) and assessed for UBF using an A-mode ultrasonic device (placed above the last rib at approximately 5.5 to 8.0 cm from midline, with increasing distan...

A search for genomic regions affecting birth characters and accretion of weight and backfat was conducted in a Meishan-White Composite reciprocal backcross resource population. Birth traits analyzed (n = 750) were vigor score, number of nipples, and birth weight. Subsequent measures on gilts and barrows (n = 706) analyzed were weaning weight, 8-wk weight, ADG from 8 to 18 wk of age, ADG from 18...

The development of regression equations to predict carcass composition typically assumes that the independent variables, such as backfat depth, are measured without error. However, technological and operator-specific types of measurement errors do exist. To evaluate the impact of measurement error for backfat depth, Monte Carlo simulation was used to model carcass fat-free lean mass (FFLM) in p...