Fat partition and distribution in the carcasses of cattle, sheep and pigs: A review

Results from recent Meat and Livestock Commission studies on fat partition and distribution are reviewed, together with those from other published work. Attention is drawn to the commercial importance of these characteristics and to the fact that little is known about their variability, in particular the extent to which fat partition is influenced by environmental factors. Information available from breed trials indicates that there is substantial genetic variation for all three species in the partitioning of fat between depots, although there is less variation in the way in which a given weight of subcutaneous fat or intermuscular fat is distributed through the carcass.