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Some sources of error and possible bias in Danscan ultrasonic measurements of cattle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

J. P. Gibson
Affiliation:
ARC Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
J. C. Alliston
Affiliation:
ARC Animal Breeding Research Organisation, West Mains Road, Edinburgh EH9 3JQ
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Abstract

Photographs of ultrasonic images of 10 animals were taken. Two replicate photographs were taken at each of four body positions (10th rib, 13th rib, 3rd lumbar and hindquarter) on both sides of the body in the morning and the afternoon of the day of scanning. Several measurements were taken on each photograph by an experienced interpreter. Replicate photographs failed to account for all possible sources of measurement error. Since neither time of day nor side of the body affected the mean value, taking observations at different times of the day or on both sides of the body could permit most sources of measurement error to be taken into account. Variation due to errors of measurement and differences among animals are presented. The residual error distribution contained several extreme outliers.

It was concluded that a better understanding of all the sources of bias and error will be needed if ultrasonic measurements are to be more widely used.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1983

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References

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