Marcel Marcoux

Research professional

My role is to develop tools and objective methods for assessing the quality of carcasses used in scientific and commercial environments; to assess the body composition of pork, beef and lamb carcasses using direct (dissection) and indirect (instruments) methods; and to validate and develop carcass classification and producer payment systems. I also have the role of evaluating the relationship between the various quality criteria for carcasses and their market value.

Assessing the effects of various production parameters (diet, genetics, farming method, etc.) on the body composition of carcasses and cuts of meat.

I also have the role of providing advice on biological research to a range of internal and external clients and to scientific and network managers.

Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada

2000 College Street, Sherbrooke, Quebec

Current research and/or projects

- Use of novel technologies to optimize pig performance, welfare and carcass value Swine Innovation Porc, Cluster 2.

- Precision of dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements obtained on pork half-carcasses.

- The relationship between different pork carcass lean yield definitions and the market carcass value.

Research and/or project statements

- Assessing the conformation and body composition of pig, beef, cull cow and lamb carcasses using direct dissection methods and indirect measurements using instruments;

- Validating and developing carcass grading and producer payment methods;

- Establishing systems to evaluate the quality of carcasses in relation to their market value;

- Developing tools integrating various measurement technologies (X-rays, bioimpedance, 2D and 3D imaging, ultrasound and optical probes) used to assess carcass quality;

- Establishing the influence of diet, genetics or production methods on variations in the weights of cuts of meat and their muscle and fat content and on the economic return on marketing the meat