Association of VCS2000-Measured Carcass Traits with Anatomical Site-Specific Fat Deposition and Appearance Acceptability of Pork Belly

The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the utility of automated carcass parameters (VCS2000) in reflecting site-specific fat distribution along the thoracic (TV) and lumbar vertebrae (LV) of pork bellies. Additionally, this study aimed to determine how VCS2000-derived carcass weight and fat proportion influence localized fat accumulation and the resulting visual acceptability of these distinct anatomical sites. Total fat content, evaluated via the VCS2000 system, showed a positive loading on principal component 1 along with carcass weight, backfat thickness at various sites, and fat percentages at anatomical belly sites, demonstrating a close association with specific belly traits. Considering the carcass weight, belly weight, and belly fat accumulation at anatomical belly sites, carcasses with a higher weight but a lower fat percentage exhibited more favorable belly traits among all evaluated carcasses (p < 0.05). Anatomical location significantly influenced visual acceptability, with panelists preferring leaner sections (the 13th and 14th TV) over those with heavy fat accumulation (the 10th and 11th TV; p < 0.05). These results suggest that visual acceptability may be primarily driven by the localized distribution and structural balance of fat and lean meat, rather than the absolute fat proportion of pork belly.