The pelvic bone was severed with
a bone saw at the narrowest part of the body of the ilium, followed
by cuts to detach vertebrae and all connective tissue between 6th
and 7th thoracic vertebrae and 5th and 6th lumbar vertebrae. Carcass
length was measured again on MOLAS-treated carcasses immediately
after skeletal separation. Carcass side length was measured on all carcass
sides 24 h post-slaughter before ribbing each side between the
12th and 13th ribs for carcass measures of grade fat thickness (mm; minimum
fat depth in the last quadrant over the longissimus), longissimus
muscle area