The concepts of relating size and shape to weight are not new to
the field of animal science. According to Whittemore and Schofield
(2000), Hammond and Brody were already exploring these concepts
in the 1930s and 1940s, with Brody making connections
between surface area and live body weight (BW). Historically, consideration
of size and shape for evaluation of weight was rejected
in favor of direct measurement of live BW due to the difficulty in
obtaining the required measurements (Whittemore and
Schofield, 2000). More recently however, these concepts have been
revisited, as advances in technology make it possible to obtain the
required size and shape measurements under current pork production
practices.