Use of ultrasound technology in the genetic improvement of U.S. lamb composition

Ultrasound technology allows in vivo estimation of carcass composition. Successful genetic evaluation of ultrasonic measures depends upon technician certification guidelines and a viable common-endpoint adjustment strategy for field data. Four technicians and three image interpreters ultrasonically evaluated 172 lambs to determine accuracy and repeatability of loin eye area (LEA), backfat thickness (BF), and body wall thickness (BW) estimations. Correlations between ultrasonic and carcass measurements were 0.66, 0.78, and 0.73 for LEA, BF, and BW, respectively. Performance was similar among technicians and interpreters. Mean bias ranged from -1.30 to -2.66 cm2, -0.12 to -0.17 cm, and 0.14 to -0.03 cm, for LEA, BF, and BW, respectively; prediction standard errors ranged from 1.86 to 2.22 cm2, 0.12 to 0.14 cm, and 0.35 to 0.38 cm, respectively. Repeatability standard errors ranged from 1.61 to 2.45 cm2, 0.07 to 0.11 cm, and 0.36 to 0.42 cm for LEA, BF, and BW, respectively. Changes in ultrasonic measurements were evaluated using seven serial scans on 24 growing Suffolk ram lambs. All equations had similar goodness of fit. Equations were tested on other populations, including similarly-managed rams across breeds and years and ewe lambs fed for slower gain. Correlations between predicted and actual measures ranged from 0.78 to 0.87 for BF and 0.66 to 0.93 for LEA in winter-born rams, were only slightly lower in fall-born rams, and ranged from 0.72 to 0.74 for BF and 0.54 to 0.76 for LEA in ewe lambs. Of the equations tested, linear and allometric forms appear best for general use.

Name thesis:degree_name

Master of Science

Level thesis:degree_level

masters

Discipline thesis:degree_discipline

Animal and Poultry Sciences

Department dc:contributor.department

Animal and Poultry Sciences

Grantor dc:publisher

Virginia Tech

Year dc:date.issued

2009

Author dc:creator

• Emenheiser, Joseph Carl

Chair dc:contributor.committeechair

• Notter, David R.

Committee members dc:contributor.committeemember

• Greiner, Scott P.
• Lewis, Ronald M.

• endpoint adjustment
• growth
• ultrasound
• composition
• carcass
• lamb

Statement dc:rights

• In Copyright

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/

Dc Identifier Other

etd-02082009-143828

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:vtechworks.lib.vt.edu:10919/31178