Enhancing Pork Quality and Value Using Live Animal Ultrasound Technology for Better Breeding and Marketing Decisions

Consumers and an ever growing segment of the pork industry know that more optimal levels of marbling must be put back into the high-value pork cuts. Biotronics, Inc. is developing technology to solve this problem by using real-time ultrasound to measure the percent of intramuscular (% IMF) fat in live pigs and hot carcasses. The premise of the project is that swine breeders can be rewarded financially for production of pigs resulting in higher levels of % IMF if the pork packing plant realizes premiums for their product. The project takes a twopronged approach, targeting both swine breeders and the pork packing industry. The platform for the instrument grading technology will be identical for the two segments of the industry. The project will refine research models to accurately characterize the % IMF levels in the pork longissimus dorsi muscle in live and hot carcasses, demonstrate an operational system using the technology in the packing plant, and document the anticipated economic impact of the technology for the packer and the swine breeder. Results of the project will allow swine breeders to make genetic selections for optimal levels of % IMF in their seed stock and will give the packing industry an accurate measurement of % IMF to sort and target higher value carcasses to niche markets. All segments of the pork industry will benefit, with the ultimate benefit to be realized by the consumer.