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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #103580
Title: TECHNIQUES FOR THE MEASUREMENT OF BODY COMPOSITION OF SWINE

Author
item Mitchell, Alva
item SCHOLZ, A. - LUDWIG-MAXMILLIANS UNIV.

Submitted to: Book Chapter
Publication Type: Review Article
Publication Acceptance Date: 9/30/2001
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary: This chapter provides a review of traditional and newer or modern techniques for measuring the composition of the body or carcass of the pig. The chapter also includes a brief discussion of factors that influence body composition of the pig and the chemical and physical basis for composition measurement. The various techniques are discussed under the following headings: subjective methods, physical and chemical methods, dilution methods, metabolic analysis, tissue interaction (molecular level), atomic analysis, and image analysis. The primary emphasis of this chapter is on the newer techniques that were not discussed extensively in the previous edition. This chapter also includes 5 tables, 17 figures and 311 references.

Technical Abstract: Advances in techniques for body/carcass composition analysis are based on the development of electronic/computer based methods, thus avoiding destructive, labor intensive, or subjective approaches. Those techniques that are discussed in this chapter include: bioelectrical conductivity, total body electrical conductivity, X-ray absorptiometry, near-infrared interactance, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging and spectroscopy, total body potassium counting, neutron activation, X-ray computed tomography, ultrasound, and video imaging. The choice of a particular technique will depend on the purpose or application, i.e., research, production (breeding and selection), or processing (carcass evaluation). Beyond that, selection will be based on both technical and practical aspects of the technique. Technical aspects include: accuracy, reliability, and the type of information needed (live or carcass, whole body or specific area, fat, bone, lean - muscle, protein, organs, total body water). Practical aspect include: cost (to purchase and operate), portability, need for restraint or anesthesia, speed (sampling or scan time + analysis time), ease of use or training required, safety (i.e., exposure to X-rays), and size of the animal to be measured.