Table 2 Comparison of intramuscular fat (IMF) content and marbling characteristics in the groups categorized by coarseness of marbling fleck at the carcass grading site and longitudinal location of the longissimus thoracis muscle

Coarseness (C)	Low			High			Level of significance
Location (L)	Central (13/12T)¹	Thoracic (9/8T)	Front thoracic (6/5T)	Central (13/12T)	Thoracic (9/8T)	Front thoracic (6/5T)	C	L	C×L
IMF content (%)	20.9 (0.89)²	19.4 (0.89)	19.5 (0.89)	21.9 (1.62)	20.9 (1.62)	20.6 (1.62)	NS	NS	NS
Marbling characteristics
Marbling score	7.80 (0.19)	7.80 (0.19)	7.90 (0.19)	8.25 (0.31)	8.25 (0.31)	8.00 (0.31)	NS	NS	NS
Marbling area (cm²)	29.6^a (1.20)	27.0^b (1.20)	23.2^c (1.20)	32.6^a (2.18)	25.4^bc (2.18)	24.0^bc (2.18)	NS	***	NS
Loin-eye area (cm²)	105^a (2.43)	101^a (2.43)	86.9^b (2.43)	101^a (3.83)	88.8^b (3.83)	87.8^b (3.83)	NS	***	NS
Marbling area percentage (%)	30.2^ab (1.12)	28.3^b (1.12)	28.4^b (1.12)	34.0^a (2.04)	30.3^ab (2.04)	29.8^ab (2.04)	*	NS	NS
Number of marbling fleck	4177^a (430)	4,868^a (430)	4,933^a (430)	3,230^b (784)	3,297^b (784)	3,509^ab (784)	**	NS	NS
Fineness (F)	3.50 (0.10)	3.43 (0.10)	3.53 (0.10)	3.16 (0.16)	3.40 (0.16)	3.41 (0.16)	NS	NS	NS
Coarseness (C)	0.14^cd (0.01)	0.11^d (0.01)	0.10^d (0.01)	0.23^a (0.02)	0.19^ab (0.02)	0.17^bc (0.02)	***	***	NS
F/C ratio	26.5^b (3.71)	32.1^ab (3.71)	40.2^a (3.71)	13.7^c (6.77)	18.5^c (6.77)	20.8^bc (6.77)	***	NS	NS

Level of significance, NS, not significant
^* p<0.05
^** p<0.01
^*** p<0.001.
¹ T, thoracic vertebrae.
² Standard error of least square means.
^a-d Different superscripts in the same row represent significant differences (p<0.05).