• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.603-611
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to analyze the contribution factors (backfat thickness, eye muscle area, carcass weight, marbling score, and feeding period) affecting meat unit price (South-Korean Won / Kg of meat). The best slaughtering age to maximize unit price was also assumed. All data used in this study were acquired from the Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation from 2010 to 2014. Contributions to the estimated unit price of cows by the following factors, backfat thickness, eye muscle area, carcass weights, feeding period, and marbling score were 2.65%, 0.04%, 1.58%, 1.58%, and 95.72%, respectively. Contribution to estimated unit price of steers by the same factors (backfat thickness, eye muscle area, carcass weights, feeding period, and marbling score) were 7.88%, 1.24%, 0.07%, 90.81%, and 95.72%, respectively. Slaughtering ages ranged from 26 to 36 months and the data were separated into each month for an 11 month period. The unit price of meat from Hanwoo slaughtered at 30 months was highest among groups. The lowest unit price was observed in the group belonging to the Hanwoo slaughtered at 36 months. In conclusion, of all contributing factors, marbling score affected unit price the most. Based on our results, it is recommended that the optimal slaughtering age be set at 30 months to maximize unit price. Moreover, the feeding of beef cattle past 30 months of age is not recommended because of the increase in feeding costs.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.26 no.10
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• pp.1388-1398
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• 2013

The present study investigated the contribution of carcass traits on carcass prices of Holstein steers in Korea. Phenotypic data consisted of 76,814 slaughtered Holsteins (1 to 6 yrs) from all over Korea. The means for live body weight at slaughter (BWT), chilled carcass weight (CWT), dressing percentage (DP), quantity grade index (QGI), eye muscle area (EMA), backfat thickness (BF) and marbling score (MS), carcass unit price (CUP), and carcass sell prices (CSP) were 729.0 kg, 414.2 kg, 56.79%, 64.42, $75.26cm^2$, 5.77 mm, 1.98, 8,952.80 Korean won/kg and 3,722.80 Thousand Korean won/head. Least squares means were significantly different by various age groups, season of slaughter, marbling scores and yield grades. Pearson's correlation coefficients of CUP with carcass traits ranged from 0.12 to 0.62. Besides, the relationships of carcass traits with CSP were relatively stronger than those with CUP. The multiple regression models for CUP and CSP with carcass traits accounted 39 to 63% of the total variation, respectively. Marbling score had maximum economic effects (partial coefficients) on both prices. In addition, the highest standardized partial coefficients (relative economic weights) for CUP and CSP were calculated to be on MS and CWT by 0.608 and 0.520, respectively. Path analyses showed that MS (0.376) and CWT (0.336) had maximum total effects on CUP and CSP, respectively; whereas BF contributed negatively. Further sub-group (age and season of slaughter) analyses also confirmed the overall outcomes. However, the relative economic weights and total path contributions also varied among the animal sub-groups. This study suggested the significant influences of carcass traits on carcass prices; especially MS and CWT were found to govern the carcass prices of Holstein steers in Korea.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.663-669
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• 2017

This study were estimated the contribution of carcass traits to unit price, to analyze the marbling score as a categorical variable rather than a numerical variable, and to develop an optimal model that also includes the holiday effect and the raising period. The data for this study were acquired from the Quality Evaluation of the Korea Institute for Animal Products, and consisted of the trading records of 1,613,699 heads at 12 wholesale markets from 2010 to 2014. The unit price of a cow was estimated from the following parameters: -52.50 Won/mm, $8.93Won/cm^2$, 7.20 Won/kg, and -1.04 Won/day for backfat thickness, eye muscle area, carcass weight, and raising period, respectively. Parameters for the dummy variables of marbling scores varied from 0 to 8328.74 Won/kg, which means that each marbling score grade had a different price value. The unit price of a steer was estimated from the following parameters: - 92.12 Won/mm, $20.22Won/cm^2$, 1.30 Won/kg, and -1.72 Won/day for backfat thickness, eye muscle area, carcass weights, and raising period, respectively. Parameters for dummy variables of marbling scores varied from 0 to 7338.80 Won/kg, which means that the grades of each marbling score had different price values. The unit price of sales during traditional holidays was significantly higher (827.71 Won/kg for cows, and 645.15 Won/kg for steers) than during non-holidays.We conclude that the use of categorical values for marbling scores would be needed to evaluate the price of Hanwoo beef using multiple regression analysis based on carcass traits and environmental factors.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.25 no.12
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• pp.1667-1673
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• 2012

The objective of this study was to estimate economic weights of Hanwoo carcass traits that can be used to build economic selection indexes for selection of seedstocks. Data from carcass measures for determining beef yield and quality grades were collected and provided by the Korean Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation (KAPE). Out of 1,556,971 records, 476,430 records collected from 13 abattoirs from 2008 to 2010 after deletion of outlying observations were used to estimate relative economic weights of bid price per kg carcass weight on cold carcass weight (CW), eye muscle area (EMA), backfat thickness (BF) and marbling score (MS) and the phenotypic relationships among component traits. Price of carcass tended to increase linearly as yield grades or quality grades, in marginal or in combination, increased. Partial regression coefficients for MS, EMA, BF, and for CW in original scales were +948.5 won/score, +27.3 $won/cm^2$, -95.2 won/mm and +7.3 won/kg when all three sex categories were taken into account. Among four grade determining traits, relative economic weight of MS was the greatest. Variations in partial regression coefficients by sex categories were great but the trends in relative weights for each carcass measures were similar. Relative economic weights of four traits in integer values when standardized measures were fit into covariance model were +4:+1:-1:+1 for MS:EMA:BF:CW. Further research is required to account for the cost of production per unit carcass weight or per unit production under different economic situations.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.280-289
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• 2011

Analyses were conducted to estimate the effect of backfat thickness (BFT) on carcass grade factors and carcass price in Hanwoo cows and steers. Data on grade factors and prices were collected from 69,159 Hanwoo carcasses (n = 13,376 cows, n = 55,783 steers) abtained at the Nonghyup Seoul slaughter house in 2009. Carcass BFTs were divided into nine categories from ${\leq}$ 3 mm to ${\qeq}$ 25 mm. The average BFTs were 11.93 mm in cows and 12.57 mm in steers. An increase in the BFT resulted in an increase in carcass weight, loin-eye area, skeletal maturity, fat color, but decreases in the yield index and yield grade (from grade A to C) in cows and steers. Carcass unit price (Won/kg) improved if the carcass was sold with a BFT of 13-15 mm in cows and 10-12 mm in steers. Marbling score and quality grade increased significantly to 21 mm BFT but decreased from a BFT of 22 mm in cows and steers. BFT was significantly correlated with yield index (cow, r = $-0.97^{**}$; steer, r = $-0.96^{**}$), marbling score (cow, r = $0.20^{**}$; steer, r = $0.14^{**}$), and carcass price (cow, r = $0.03^{**}$; steer, r = $-0.11^{**}$). These results could be used as a fundamental dataset for further research to increase the productivity of Hanwoo carcasses.