Abstract The full dissection results from the right sides of 38 Large White pigs were used to examine the value of various methods of estimating the bone content of bacon sides. It was found that cannon bone and tibia-fibula measurements were significantly correlated with percentage bone in the bacon side, but the residual standard deviations (0.55% to 0.63%) were too large for their use in predicting percentage bone to be recommended. The trotters, cannon bone, and tibia-fibula to carcass weight ratios were more strongly correlated with percentage bone in the carcass side, and gave residual standard deviations of 0.49%, 0.52%, and 0.40% respectively. The inclusion of the C fat depth/carcass weight ratio, in multiple regression equations with the above trotters and bone weight ratios, lowered the respective residual standard deviations to 0.35%, 0.33%, and 0.26%. It is recommended that multiple regression equations of this type should be used for the estimation of whole carcass percentage bone. The earlie...
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