title: Estimation of the muscle to bone ratio of the bovine pelvic limb using a morphometric method.
abstract: Conformation is an indicator of carcass composition. The aim of this study was to derive an equation for estimating the composition of the bovine pelvic limb using morphometric variates. From a mixed group of 38 French bred bovines, the sample was chosen to have a wide range of conformation. The muscle to bone ratio (M B ) was used as an index of composition. The carcasses were weighed and the other variates of the equation were measured on carcass photographs: M B  = 6.2 + 0.005W -  0.62EF AB  + 12GH  with W: carcass weight (kg); GH: medio-lateral diameter of the distal part of the leg (cm); EF AB : medio-lateral diameter of thigh (cm)/leg length(cm); (R(2) = 0.91 and rsd = 0.27).
authors: INRA-Laboratoire de Recherches sur la Viande 78352 Jouy-en-Josas, Cedex, France.
authors: E
authors: E
authors: Laville
authors: T
authors: T
authors: Astruc
authors: V
authors: V
authors: Martin
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Bousset