Live body, carcass, and abdominal fat data from 67 male broilers of two strains reared in cages and in pens in two separate experiments were evaluated for use in predicting carcass fat, protein, ash, and water. Chemical component weights were predicted more accurately than percentages, R2 = .75 to .98 vs. .54 to .67. Best predictions were for weights of carcass protein and water and for carcass percentages of fat, protein, and water. In this study, traits predicting chemical component weights included either live broiler or carcass weight, either weight or percentage abdominal fat, and either shank length or carcass specific gravity. Traits predicting chemical component percentages included either weight or percentage of abdominal fat plus carcass specific gravity and percentage back of the carcass. Carcass and abdominal fat measurements predicted weights of chemical components other than ash better than live measurements in this study; however, the differences may not justify the slaughter of the broiler to obtain carcass measurements. Except for ash, abdominal fat measurements predicted component percentages better than other carcass or live broiler measurements; however, additional predictor traits appear to be required before chemical component percentages of the carcass could be predicted accurately. Prediction of percentages was improved, R2 = .35 to .66 vs. .13 to .45 for protein and .29 to .54 vs. .16 to .42 for ash, by expressing these components as percentages of carcass dry matter.
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Chambers et al. (1984) studied this question.
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