The measurement of backfat in pigs is an important tool for evaluating the carcass of meat pigs. The advantages of this method in live pigs are directly related to the accuracy of ultrasound measurement in the breeding process. The backfat ultrasound machine equipped with a 3.5 MHz linear array probe has high accuracy, clear images, and the function of one click automatic measurement of backfat. The difference in backfat thickness measured by an ultrasound machine between the arched posture (P<0.01) and the posture of standing with the mouth in contact with the ground (P<0.05) is statistically significant in terms of true carcass backfat thickness.

Schematic diagram of pig backfat detection

What is obtained from the posture of the pig is that when standing naturally, the backfat thickness and the area of the opposing muscles are at most close to the true values. During the operation of the ultrasound machine, the backfat thickness value recognized by inexperienced technicians is statistically significantly different from the true value (p<0.01). Therefore, in this process, the use of ultrasound to measure back fat thickness and muscle area, the type of machine, the posture of the pig standing, and the skill level of the technicians were verified to affect the acquisition of true value. In summary, the results indicate that ultrasound measurement accuracy can be improved through appropriate machines and probes to obtain images and skilled technicians when pigs stand naturally.

Backfat meter measures the position of pig backfat

The accuracy of measurement personnel, backfat meter, and pig posture have a significant impact on the measurement accuracy of ultrasound body shape measurement and carcass measurement. Choosing appropriate instruments and probes with higher accuracy (deviation of 0.336 cm) results in the best three-dimensional measurement accuracy for pig natural stations (backfat deviation of 0.042 cm, eye muscle area of 2.036 cm2). There is no significant difference compared to slaughter measurements (p<0.05), and the highest correlation coefficient (backfat of 0.996, eye muscle area of 0.905). There is a significant difference in image recognition among less trained surveyors (p<0.05). Differences between personnel can be reduced by strengthening image recognition training to further improve the accuracy of personnel measurements. Therefore, improving the proficiency of technicians, appropriate instruments, and frozen images of pigs standing naturally can effectively enhance the accuracy of physical measurements.

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