Monitoring lean meat percentage predictions from optical grading probes by a commercial cutting pattern

Abstract

The lean meat percentage (LMP) classification in Norwegian slaughterhouses is obtained by Hennessy Grading Probe 7 (HGP7), an optical tool. Even though the HGP7 method is validated frequently, there is industrial and legislative demand to reconsider the applied LMP equation, typically due to the introduction of new breeds. A deboning pilot plant generates precise yield data using cutting and deboning stratified pork carcasses by a specific commercial cutting pattern (CCP) at an annual rate of approximately 250 slaughter pigs. This paper shows how results obtained by CCP can be used to measure LMP in pork and how these results can be used for monitoring the quality of LMP predicted by HGP7. The effect of gender, maternal- and paternal lines on validity of HGP7 predictions was evaluated. The effect of introducing a new maternal line (TN70) seems to be substantial, whereas the effects of the tested paternal lines are small to negligible.

Keywords: Commercial cutting; Lean meat percentage; Optical probe; Pork.