Central Iowa Based Company Works To Revolutionize Pork Industry

Biotronics, Inc. releases first of its kind image capturing system

Ames, IA - Biotronics, Inc. announces the roll-out of the BioSoft Toolbox for Swine, an ultrasound image capturing and interpretation system that is the first program of its kind to accurately predict the percentage of intramuscular fat in live swine.

Doyle Wilson, Ph.D. and President of Biotronics, has been working with Dr. Viren Amin, Chief Scientist of Biotronics since the summer of 2005 to create the program. This new technology opens up the opportunity for swine breeders of all sizes and levels to compete with relatively equal resources while working towards improving pork quality in the industry. The program enables swine geneticists, breeders and others in the pork industry to scan live hogs using real-time ultrasound to predict the amount of intramuscular fat, or fat marbling, in the loin eye muscle.

"Intramuscular fat percentage (IMF) has been determined as a very important meat quality trait," says Dr. Tom Baas, Associate Professor of Animal Science at Iowa State University. "The ability of pork producers to accurately predict intramuscular fat percentage will allow them to make important progress in the pork industry."

Through the selection of consecutive generations, swine producers will be able to restore marbling in the modern hog, and possibly begin to rival the beef industry for a larger share of the high-profile restaurant trade. The general public and backyard grillers will certainly love the opportunity to serve juicier and more flavorful pork chops.

SOURCE: Biotronics, Inc.