Evaluation of carcass composition of intact boars using linear measurements from performance testing, dissection, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)

The objective of this study was to investigate non-invasive imaging methods to update the used regression equation for stationary tested boars. A total of 94 boars were examined. 20 boars were dissected to provide the reference LMP. Performance data (PD) from right carcasses were available from all groups. The left carcasses were studied by MRI & DXA. Based on the reference LMP and the MRI & DXA data, regression equations for LMP were developed. The estimates for LMP based on MRI & DXA data were used to calculate new regression equations for entire male carcass halves based on linear PD. Further 33 PD sets served as independent sample, which was included in a Monte Carlo simulation for imputing the missing reference LMPs (n = 74) and discussing the accuracy of the results. The LMP regression equation based on the combined MRI & DXA data is as accurate as the former regression equation, but needs only three instead of seven variables.