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College of Agriculture
> Dept. of Animal & Range Sciences
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Meat Science Lab >
Meat Judging
Department of Animal and Range Sciences
Pork Carcasses
Pork is generally placed on a combination of muscling
and trimness. Quality is of secondary importance UNLESS
there is a carcass that has PSE characteristics. The
student should first evaluate the fat thickness at the
first rib, last rib and last lumbar vertebra as well
as along the belly and navel edge. Muscling is evaluated
by observing the depth, thickness and plumpness of the
ham the prominence of the sirloin, the thickness of
the loin and the depth, width, and thickness of the
shoulder. The first place carcass should have the best
combination of muscling and trimness. In general if
muscling is equal than trimness is always the deciding
factor. Quality is usually evaluated best in cut lean
surfaces. If the loin is not ribbed than evaluate the
color of the lean in the lumbar lean and the belly.
Information on terminology
can be obtained from the American Meat Science Association,
Meat judging page.
Several valuable sources or information are available.
One source is the National Pork Producers Council. The
NPPC has a store where things may be purchased for teaching
purposes. One important piece of information is the
Fat Free Lean Index book. This publication includes
the regression equations for calculating fat free lean
index and the information used for these calculations.
The NPPC also has cards that show the different quality
characteristics. These standards evaluate color, firmness
and marbling. This is very important so students can
identify PSE and RSE carcasses.
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