Pink in the middle: CT scans on rams
SCIENTISTS are putting rams through CT scanners to establish which will sire the tastiest offspring.
The scans measure fat and muscle content so that the best individuals are chosen to breed. The process causes no harm to the animals.
The idea is being tested by the Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board (AHDB) and Scotland’s Rural College.
Kirsty Mclean, manager of the college’s CT Scanning Unit, said: “The machines are accurate enough to measure everything from spine length, to eye muscle area, to intramuscular fat levels – all of which is taken into account when working out how to produce the besttasting meat.”
Kim Matthews, head of animal breeding and product quality at the AHDB, added: “Whilst CT scanning might appear a novel technology, future advancements hold great potential for the industry.”