Application of Video Image Analysis in the slaughter value estimation of live Simmental bulls (short communication)

A Video Image Analysis (VIA) was used for slaughter value analysis. The equipment was composed of a Cannon Stil Video Camera ION RC-260, IBM PC 486 DX, SVGA video card, V- Media Frame grabber and original software, The images were obtained from 63 dual- purpose Simmental bulls at the age of 15 months (536 kg live weight). Three images of each animal were taken from above, from the left side and from the rear. Twelve VIA- processed traits of body conformation, live weight and three characteristic of slaughter value indicators were correlated. Live weight before slaughter, cold carcass weight, weight of meat in carcass, weight of meat in valuable cuts were found to be highly correlated with the animals shoulder width, lumbar protuberance in the body width, body area from above, thigh rear area (r = 0.43 - 0.75). Certain body conformation characteristics with the highest correlation coefficient were used to construct a stepwise linear regression model for estimating the slaughter value of live bulls. The coefficients of determination of such a model were high (R-2 = 0.80 - 0.94) and showed the feasibility of using the method for predicting the slaughter value of live bull. It could also be applied as a selection criterion base on individual performance test. Other advantages of the method are its low cost and high speed of operation.