Comparison of Multiple Techniques to Determine Saleable Lean Yield in Pork Carcasses
Date
Authors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Abstract
Pork grading is a feedback system that provides limited information to producers for helping them market lean carcasses at an optimum weight for increasing financial returns for both producers and packing plants. This study evaluated an advanced ultrasonic system (AutoFom III) for pork grading in order to acquire more information about carcass quality than the current system using the Destron PG-100 probe to evaluate carcasses at only one site. Use of AutoFom III improved accuracy (R2 = 0.77, RMSE = 1.83) for determining carcass lean yield with the advantage of accurately predicting whole shoulder and loin weights compared to grading with the Destron PG-100. This study also examined relationships between longissimus muscle (loin) ultimate pH and colour measurements with corresponding values for ham and shoulder muscles. Loin colour and pH were generally weakly to moderately correlated (r = -0.10 to 0.58) with corresponding measurements for ham and shoulder muscles.