ANNEX
GRADING METHODS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF PIG CARCASSES IN ITALY
PART I
Hennessy Grading Probe 7 (HGP7)
(1)
The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus known as ‘Hennessy Grading Probe 7 (HGP7)’.
(2)
The apparatus is equipped with a probe of 5,95 millimetres diameter (and of 6,3 millimetres at the blade of the top of the probe) containing a photodiode (Siemens LED of the type LYU 260-EO and photodetector of the type 58 MR) and having an operating distance of between 0 and 120 millimetres. The results of the measurements are be converted into estimated lean meat content by means of the HGP 7 itself or a by a computer linked to it.
(3)
The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formulas:
(a)
for carcasses weighing between 70 and 110 kg:
Ŷ = 69,8930 – 0,7338 × X 1 + 0,0279 × X 2
where:
Ŷ
=
the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcass,
X 1
=
the thickness of the back fat, including rind, in millimetres, measured at 8 cm off the midline of the carcass between the third and the fourth last ribs,
X 2
=
the thickness of muscle Longissimus dorsi in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as X 1;
(b)
for carcasses weighing between 110,1 and 180 kg:
Ŷ = 80,136492 – 14,021984 × ln(X 1 ) + 3,581997 × ln(X 2 )
Where:
Ŷ
=
the estimated lean meat percentage,
ln(X 1 )
=
natural logarithm of the thickness of the back fat, including rind, in millimetres, measured at 8 cm off the midline of the carcass between the third and the fourth last ribs,
ln(X 2 )
=
natural logarithm of the thickness of the muscle Longissimus dorsi in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as X 1 .
PART II
Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II)
(1)
The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus known as ‘Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II)’.
(2)
The apparatus is equipped with an ultrasonic transducer array at 3,5 MHz (U-Systems) with a probe of 6 millimetres diameter containing a photodiode of the Siemens SFH 950/960 type and having an operating distance of between 3 and 125 millimetres. The results of the measurements are converted into estimated lean meat content by a computer included in the apparatus.
(3)
The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:
(a)
for carcasses weighing between 70 and 110 kg:
Ŷ = 70,2193 – 0,7140 × X 1 + 0,0174 × X 2
Where:
Ŷ
=
the estimated lean meat percentage,
X 1
=
the thickness of the back fat, including rind, in millimetres, measured at 8 cm off the midline of the carcass between the third and the fourth last ribs,
X 2
=
the thickness of the muscle Longissimus dorsi in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as X 1 ;
(b)
for carcasses weighing between 110,1 and 180 kg:
Ŷ = 59,354157 – 0,550737 × X 1 + 0,092655 × X 2
Where:
Ŷ
=
the estimated lean meat percentage,
X 1
=
the thickness of the back fat, including rind, in millimetres, measured at 8 cm off the midline of the carcass between the third and the fourth last ribs,
X 2
=
the thickness of the muscle Longissimus dorsi in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as X 1 .
PART III
CSB Image Meater
(1)
The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus known as ‘CSB Image Meater’.
(2)
The apparatus is equipped with an online picture processing system where carcass halves are automatically filmed by a camera system. The pictures are then processed in a computer by a dedicated software capable of producing a set of 20 different measurements. Three selected measures will be converted into estimates of the percentage of lean meat by a computer.
(3)
The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:
(a)
for carcasses weighing between 70 and 110 kg:
Ŷ = 67,4309 + 0,1182 × X 1 – 0,0450 × X 2 – 0,5762 × X 3 – 0,1861 × X 4
where:
Ŷ
=
the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcass,
X 1
=
(MF) mean lean mass, measured in correspondence of the muscle gluteus medius, in millimetres,
X 2
=
(ML) length of the muscle gluteus medius, in millimetres,
X 3
=
(MS) medium fat mass, measured in correspondence of the muscle gluteus medius, in millimetres,
X 4
=
(WbS) medium fat mass, measured in correspondence of the second vertebra, detected starting from the front (cranial) end of the muscle gluteus medius (Vb);
(b)
for carcasses weighing between 110,1 and 180 kg:
Ŷ = 48,652593 – 0,465268 × X 1 + 0,169248 × X 2
Where:
Ŷ
=
the estimated lean meat percentage,
X 1
=
the minimal fat depth in millimetres (including rind) over the muscle gluteus medius (ZPF),
X 2
=
muscle depth in millimetres between the anterior extremity of the muscle gluteus medius and the dorsal part of the medullary canal (ZPM).
PART IV
Manual method (ZP)
(1)
The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by use of the ‘manual method (ZP)’.
(2)
ZP measurements can be taken manually by a ruler or by a Zoometer (ZM), on the split line on steady carcasses.
(3)
Zoometer is a device connected to a smartphone with an Android application (ZMAPP) which provides for the user interface which, through a laser rangefinder, is able to acquire distance measurements to carry out linear angular and surface measurements calibrated on images of pig carcass taken with the camera of the smartphone.
(4)
The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:
(a)
for carcasses weighing between 70 and 110 kg:
Ŷ = 58,4789 – 0,5697 × X 1 + 0,1230 × X 2
Where:
Ŷ
=
the estimated lean meat percentage,
X 1
=
the minimal fat depth in millimetres, including rind, over the muscle gluteus medius (ZPF),
X 2
=
muscle depth in millimetres between the anterior extremity of the muscle gluteus medius and the dorsal part of the medullary canal (ZPM);
(b)
for carcasses weighing between 110,1 and 180 kg:
Ŷ = 46,723946 – 0,472380 × X 1 + 0,188621 × X 2
Where:
Ŷ
=
the estimated lean meat percentage,
X 1
=
the minimal fat depth in millimetres, including rind, over the muscle Gluteus medius (ZPF),
X 2
=
muscle depth in millimetres between the anterior extremity of the muscle Gluteus medius and the dorsal part of the medullary canal (ZPM).
