Carcass Ultrasound Workshop

1. UrbanShepherds.org
Using Loin Eye
Ultrasound Scanning
This product was developed with support from the Sustainable Agriculture Research and
Education (SARE) program, which is funded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture — National
Institute of Food and Agriculture (USDA-NIFA). Any opinions, findings, conclusions or
recommendations expressed within do not necessarily reflect the view of the SARE program or
the U.S. Department of Agriculture. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.
Laura DeYoung Minnig

2. UrbanShepherds.org
Agenda
• Value of using ultrasound
– For selecting breeding stock
– To set required muscle quality attributes necessary to produce a higher
quality product
• Scanning Demonstration

3. UrbanShepherds.org
• Lambs need to capture
premiums/avoid discounts when sold
Profitability Goals
Production Maternal Lambing Health
Growth Rate Daughters’
Mothering Ability
Lambing Ease Footrot
Carcass Traits Lambing Ease Survivability Fecal Egg Count
Days to Slaughter Efficiency of
Finishing Progeny

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Yield Grade
Yield
Grade
Fat
thickness
(inch)
% Carcass as BCTRC
(leg, loin, rack, shoulder)
1 0.15 and less 47.4 or greater
2 0.16 to 0.25 45.6 to 47.3
3 0.26 to 0.35 43.8 to 45.5
4 0.36 to 0.45 42.0 to 43.7
5 > 0.46 41.9 or less

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Fat Lamb: Yield Grade 5

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Lean Lamb: Yield Grade 1

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Loin Eye as Indicator

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Processor Profitability
Loin Eye Back Fat Frame

10. UrbanShepherds.org
Equivalent Breeding Values
• Started in 1990.
• Quality issues were identified as a problem as wool market was decreasing.
• Research and selection resulted in increased carcass weight and increased
economic value.
• Most of the increase was due to improved performance (growth).
• A common industry goal of improved meat quality was part of the success.
• LAMBPLAN was key to allowing producers to improve selection
effectiveness.

11. UrbanShepherds.org
≥
NSIP Values vs Visual Confirmation
Source: Shultz

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Heritability of Traits
Traits Percentage
Number Born 10%
60 day weight 10%
120 day weight 20%
240 day weight 40%
Fat Thickness 30%
Rib-Eye Area 35%
Carcass Weight 40%
Weight of Trimmed Cuts 45%

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Carcass Traits
• Fat Depth
– Predicts differences in offspring performance
in carcass eye muscle depth between the 12th
and 13th rib.
– It is derived from ultrasound measurements of
loin muscle depth in live animals and adjusted
to standard post weaning weight of 120
pounds.

14. UrbanShepherds.org
Carcass Traits
• Loin Muscle Depth
– Predicts differences in offspring performance
in carcass eye muscle depth between the 12th
and 13th rib.
– It is derived from ultrasound measurements of
loin muscle depth in live animals and adjusted
to standard post weaning weight of 120
pounds.

15. UrbanShepherds.org
Carcass EBV =
5.06 x PWWT EBV
– 13.36 x Fat Depth EBV
+ 7.83 x Muscle Depth
EBV

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Opportunity for Improvement
Table 2: Leeds et al.
Table 1: Emenheiser et al.
2.5𝑖𝑛2 = 16.1 𝑐𝑚2
3.0𝑖𝑛2
= 19.4 𝑐𝑚2

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Among breeds:
–Very few documented differences in
flavor
–Excessive fat at slaughter is the most
important problem
–Increased muscling has some potential
to increase value

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Source: David Notter

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Source: David Notter

20. UrbanShepherds.org
Source: David Notter

21. UrbanShepherds.org
Administrative and
technical support for
the Co-Op will be
provided by Urban
Shepherds.
Open to any
producers to join

22. UrbanShepherds.org
Co-Op Goals
• To provide quality lamb to local restaurants and
groceries.
• To recruit producers to participate in selling lamb
locally.
• To assist members in producing the
required product demanded: consistent quality
lamb.

23. UrbanShepherds.org
American vs. Australian/New
Zealand
• Average lamb ribeye areas:
– American = 2.9 𝑖𝑛2
– Australian/New Zealand = 2.9𝑖𝑛2
– 80% of American lambs ≥2.5𝑖𝑛2
– 15% of Australian/New Zealand ≥ 2.5𝑖𝑛2
• American lambs tended to produce heavier carcass weights,
greater subprimal/primal cut sizes, and larger ribeye areas than
are, reportedly, produced by New Zealand and Australian lambs
(Genho 2002)

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Measure Muscle Eye and Back Fat
Source: OSIA Lamb 509

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Our Solution
• Set required muscle quality attributes
necessary to produce a higher quality
product.
• Use carcass ultrasound of lamb crops for
market acceptance and to measure
muscle quality deficiencies for
improvement

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Carcass Scanning for Value-Priced Lamb
• Used for selection of seedstock
– NSIP Certified Ultrasound Scanner
Source: Cup Lab Training

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• Ultrasound images can be collected and
read for rib-eye area (REA), rib fat
thickness (Fat), and percent intramuscular
fat (% IMF) which relates to marbling
levels.

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Scanning
• A trained technician can
capture an ultrasound
image in about 30 seconds
with reasonable accuracy.
• The images estimate traits
that influence the carcass
value of market lambs—
such as loin muscle area,
loin muscle depth, and
back-fat thickness.

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Lamb Scanning Ages
• Lambs should be scanned at around 5 months
of age and be around 90 lbs, this is to ensure
that there is good variation in the lambs
measurements, especially the fat depth which is
often difficult to measure in the more lean
breeds. The date of births should already be
entered on the database and the breed recorded
when the lambs will be ready to be recorded.

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• Farmers must have an accurate weighing create there
on the day and the technician will verify the scales with a
measured weight.
• All lambs must have their ID tags recorded on the
database before scanning can occur.
• Breeders should have their lambing notebooks present
on the day in order to clear up any issues that may arise
on the day.
• Ideally lambs should be housed at least an hour before
the technician starts to scan to ensure lambs are under
as little stress as possible at the time of scanning.

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Random Sample
• Breeders present all their lambs for
scanning even if they do not plan on
scanning all their lambs as the lambs must
be selected at random by the technician,
both males and females. The technician
will exclude any late born lambs or any
lambs that are thriving very poorly due to
some medical or nutritional problem.

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• The Co-op will conduct carcass ultrasound
of lamb crops for acceptance (as well as
for NSIP EBVs). The expected outcome,
will be better meat quality and marketing,
leading to increased profitability and
competitiveness for Ohio regional
producers.

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Demonstration

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Thanks to:
• For more information: www.northcoastlambcoop.org