V.TEC.2400 - Re-accreditation of Lamb DXA for the prediction of fat %, lean %, and bone %
DEXA is now fully accredited to measure LMY in sheep and lamb carcases.
| Project start date: | 01 May 2024 |
| Project end date: | 15 April 2025 |
| Publication date: | 24 February 2025 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Sheep, Lamb |
| Relevant regions: | National, Cold wet, Dry, Mediterranean, Tropical warm season wet, Sub-tropical moist, Sub-tropical sub-humid, Temperate, Temperate sub-humid, Tropical Moist, International, Tropical wet |
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Summary
The Scott Automation and Robotics (SAR) lamb DXA system installed in six Australian sheepmeat abattoirs has achieved accreditation from AUS-MEAT and AMILSC in 2023, and as per the requirements or objective carcase measurement accreditation, must repeat this in the 12 months following the initial accreditation. This involves the collection of a minimum of 240 carcases across a range of carcase weights and carcase fatness, which was achieved for the accreditation in 2023. The collection of carcases, and the DXA scanning, will be performed at WAMMCO (Katanning, WA) over the course of 2024, which will produce the DXA predictions of carcase fat %, lean %, and bone %. These will be compared to the computed tomography (CT) determined carcase fat %, lean %, and bone %, scanned at Murdoch University (MU). To meet the accreditation requirements set out for objective carcase composition devices, 67% of DXA predictions must fall within 3% of the CT fat % and lean % values, and 1.6% of the CT bone % values, and 95% of DXA predictions must fall within 6% of the CT fat % and lean % values, and 3.2% of the CT bone % values.
Objectives
The objective was to seek re-accreditation of the online lamb DXA device against the AMILSC accreditation standards of measuring CT Fat %, CT Lean % and CT Bone %, by demonstrating the same level of accuracy as the original accreditation.
Key findings
A total of 269 lamb carcases were DXA and CT scanned for the purpose of re-accreditation, between March 2023 and October 2024. The device accuracy easily achieved the minimum requirements as set out by AUS-MEAT. The reaccreditation report was submitted to AMILSC in October 2024, and the re-accreditation was accepted in December 2024, the specific accreditation grid can be found in the attached report.
Benefits to industry
The acceptance of the re-accreditation report by AMILSC allows the sheepmeat industry to use the LEAP DXA system as a means of trading upon sheep carcase composition through this objective carcase measurement tool. The use of this device proves to be far superior to HCWT and GR measures as a means of predicting carcase composition.
MLA action
MLA is consulting with industry, and where priorities align, funding the above future research for the betterment of the lamb industry.
Future research
The ongoing and future research for the lamb DXA devices includes, but are not limited to:
• using the DXA bone values as a method of predicting consumer eating quality scores
• predicting the objective composition of three distinct sections of the carcase through virtual dissection by DXA
• predicting cut weights that would be obtained based on HCWT and DXA section composition predictions.
More information
| Project manager: | Jack Cook |
| Contact email: | reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | MURDOCH UNIVERSITY |
