Data processing: measuring – calibrating – or testing – Measurement system – Dimensional determination
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-21
2003-07-08
Barlow, John (Department: 2863)
Data processing: measuring, calibrating, or testing
Measurement system
Dimensional determination
C702S158000, C702S173000, C702S155000, C702S160000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06591221
ABSTRACT:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a method of assessing an animal's size through measurement of animal pelvic height with weight so as to enable extrapolation to estimate tissue composition of protein and fat. The method may be used to assess an animals' suitability for entry into a feeding program and/or slaughter. The present invention is also related to a device which may be used to assess animal size and relative body composition. The present invention is particularly directed towards assessing the suitability of beef cattle for entry into feeding programs and/or slaughter.
The present invention will be described with particular reference to beef cattle but it is understood that the method and device of the present invention may be used to characterize other suitable animals and no limitation is intended thereby.
BACKGROUND ART
In the meat industry, carcass quality is typically graded to a number of factors including weight, muscle shape (which corresponds to retail cut size) and fat distribution including subcutaneous, intra-muscular and kidney and pelvic fat. Animals younger than 20 months of age and/or less than 480 kg (i.e. equivalent empty body weight) are traditionally sold on subcutaneous fat deposition. Whereas, animals older than 20 months of age or greater than 550 kg (i.e. equivalent empty body weight) produce carcasses valued on quantity of intra-muscular fat. The primary fat content that infers meat quality is intramuscular rib-eye fat which is known as marbling.
An animals' genetics determines the potential quantity and distribution of fat deposition (i.e. subcutaneous, intra-muscular, kidney and pelvic fat). Expression of intra-muscular fat trait requires that the animal deposit a critical percentage of total body fat. Animals' slaughtered at an optimal percentage of total body fat content can potentially be more valuable than ones possessing a lower total body fat content and less marbling.
It is known that intramuscular fat deposition or marbling is enhanced as carcass fat increases to a certain level. Thus, an animal which is slaughtered at an optimal body fat content will be more valuable than an animal having lower total body fat and less marbling.
Animals are typically slaughtered at a target weight. Animal weight alone provides little or no information as to the factors referred to above. Thus by simply slaughtering an animal at a target weight, as is conducted presently in the industry, it is not possible to ascertain prior to slaughter the carcass quality. Carcass quality is only determined post slaughter.
A parameter that has been used to describe an animal's growth potential is frame size and/or frame score. This measurement describes an animal growth potential by pelvic height at age in months. It is typically used to describe frame size for breeding evaluation and experimental feeding programs. Frame score of an animal is described from its' sex, and pelvic height (cm ht) at a known age (i.e. month age). An animal maintains a frame score throughout life if allowed to consume adequate quantities of nutrients for potential growth. If age is approximated prior entry, pelvic height measurement can be obtained from entry and continued through the feeding program to assign an animal a frame score.
Physical measurements including pelvic measurement can be used to estimate animal characteristic such as skeletal and muscle development. Typical parameters used in such estimates are hip height and width, shoulder width and body length, Measurements of these parameters can be used to calculate shoulder muscle to bone ratio, rump muscle to bone ratio and musculoskeletal development per unit height and length. From these values, information about the relative amount of muscle to bone can be obtained. However, these values do not provide information about the extent of intramuscular fat deposition or marbling.
Animal feed performance (entry to finished weight) is measured through days on feed (DOF), average daily gain (ADG), and dry matter conversion (DMC). Animals' fed for similar days on feed possessing different growth patterns (i.e. referred to as large versus small frame animals) and body composition (i.e. percentage of total body protein and fat) upon entry to a feeding program can result in varied carcass traits. Animals are characterized as large frame because they possess greater growth potential (i.e. kilogram protein deposition) than small frame animals. The animals initial body composition upon entry to the feeding program and nutrient consumption influences feed performance followed by carcass quality.
Purchase requirement of animals includes sex, breed, weight and age. Animals are recognized by these parameters, however they are purchased on a weight basis and fed to a specified weight and/or number of days prior slaughter. Purchasing an animal by weight fails to describe frame size of animal. Describing and feeding animals based on frame size would have a large impact on achieving desired carcass quality. Example, animals enter the feedlot at a similar body weight, but possess different body composition (i.e. protein and fat). In order to achieve similar finished body tissue composition for uniform or specified carcass quality, animals must be fed to different finished weights. Animals that achieve similar percentages of total body fat and or protein produce uniform quality carcasses. Increasing carcass conformance to abattoir carcass specification or “grid” decreases monetary discounts and increases profitability. Decreasing required number of days on feed to obtain desired carcass quality end point increases profitability.
In view of the relationship between total body fat, carcass quality and feeding performance, the present inventor has recognised the desirability for a cattle farmer or feed lot manager to be able to estimate the total body fat of an animal prior to purchase or slaughter. As mentioned above, simple weight measurements which are currently used to asses cattle are quite inadequate for this purpose.
Many academic studies have been conducted on the body fat characteristics of animals and in particular cattle. Numerous methods have been used in these studies to measure animal total body protein and fat. Ultrasound units have been widely used for estimating subcutaneous fat at specific anatomical points and intra-muscular fat content at rib-eye area. Typically, an ultrasound transducer is placed on specific anatomical points to conduct signals. Protein, fat and bone content at these particular points are measured through differences of ultrasound wave signals. In order to describe subcutaneous and/or intra-muscular fat content of animal, a large number of individual measurements would be required at different anatomical points. Thus it would be quite time consuming and labor intensive to measure body fat by this method. Anatomical site preparation necessitates additional time required for the removal of loose hair, dirt and manure. Measuring animals with an ultrasound transducer requires prolonged restraint, stressing the animal.
Other information as to body fat of an animal may be obtained by surface fat measurements conducted using calipers. Fat content measurements of various organs and muscles may also be accomplished post slaughter.
Whilst the above methods for estimating fat may be suitable under research or limited commercial application, they are unsuitable for commercial operations such as saleyards or properties for monitoring large numbers of animals. Multiple ultrasound measurements of an animal are time consuming, labour intensive and require specialised personnel and equipment. Carcass quality measurements are obviously inappropriate for selecting animals for feeding programs and/or their suitability for slaughter.
Relationship between frame score, weight and total body fat or protein has been previously described in science literature. Example, observing animals of similar weights, large frame score has less total body fat or more protein whereas a small fram
Barlow John
Walling Meagan
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