Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/241 of 7 February 2025 authorising grading methods for the classification of pig carcasses in Czechia and repealing Decision 2005/1/EC (notified under document C(2025) 745)

• CELEX: Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/241
• Articles: 6

Article 1

The use of the following grading methods is authorised for the assessment of the lean meat content of pig carcasses pursuant to Section B.IV, point 1, of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013 in Czechia:

(a)

the grading method ‘Zwei-Punkte-Messverfahren’ and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part I of the Annex;

(b)

the ‘Fat-O-Meater (FOM)’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part II of the Annex;

(c)

the ‘Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 4)’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part III of the Annex;

(d)

the ‘Ultra FOM 300’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part IV of the Annex;

(e)

the ‘Ultra-sound IS-D-05’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part V of the Annex;

(f)

the ‘Needle IS-D-15’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part VI of the Annex;

(g)

the ‘Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II)’ apparatus and the assessment methods related thereto, details of which are set out in Part VII of the Annex.

The grading method ‘Zwei-Punkte-Messverfahren’ may be applied only in slaughterhouses which do not exceed a weekly slaughtering of 200 pigs in annual average.

Article 2

Notwithstanding the standard presentation referred to in Section B.III of Annex IV to Regulation (EU) No 1308/2013, pig carcasses in Czechia may be presented:

(a)

without ears, ears having been removed before the carcass is being weighed and graded. In the case of such presentation the recorded hot carcass weight shall be adjusted in accordance with the following formula:

hot carcass weight = weight of hot carcass without ears + 0,274 kg;

(b)

without the flare fat having been removed before being weighed and graded. In the case of such presentation the recorded hot carcass weight shall be adjusted in accordance with the following formula:

hot carcass weight = 1,65651 + 0,96139 × weight of the hot carcass with the flare fat;

(c)

without the flare fat having been removed and without ears, ears having been removed before the carcass is being weighed and graded. In the case of such presentation the recorded hot carcass weight shall be adjusted in accordance with the following formula:

hot carcass weight = 1,65651 + 0,96139 × (weight of the hot carcass with the flare fat and without ears + 0,274 kg).

Article 3

Modifications of the authorised grading methods or apparatuses thereof referred to in Article 1 shall be authorised by Commission Implementing Decision.

Article 4

Decision 2005/1/EC is repealed.

Article 5

This Decision is addressed to the Czech Republic.

Schedules & Appendices

ANNEX GRADING METHODS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF PIG CARCASSES IN CZECHIA

ANNEX

GRADING METHODS FOR THE CLASSIFICATION OF PIG CARCASSES IN CZECHIA

PART I

Zwei-Punkte-Messverfahren (ZP)

(1)

The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the method known as ‘Zwei-Punkte-Messverfahren (ZP)’.

(2)

This method may be implemented using a ruler, with the grading determined by a prediction equation. It is based on the manual measurement of the midline of the split carcass.

(3)

The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

Y = 61,84184 – 0,46816 × BF + 0,07998 × MD

Where:

Y

=

the estimated lean meat percentage,

BF

=

the minimum thickness in millimetres of visible fat (including rind) covering the muscle gluteus medius on the midline of the split carcass,

MD

=

the thickness of muscle in millimetres measured as the shortest connecting line of the cranial edge of the gluteus medius muscle and the dorsal edge of the vertebral canal.

This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 120 kg.

PART II

Fat-O-Meater (FOM)

(1)

The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the method known as ‘Fat-O-Meater (FOM)’.

(2)

The apparatus is equipped 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 103 millimetres. The results of the measurements are converted into estimated lean meat content by means of a computer.

(3)

The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

Y = 70,28164 – 0,75376 × S + 0,00270 × M

Where:

Y

=

the estimated lean meat percentage,

S

=

the thickness of back-fat (including rind) in millimetres, measured at 6,5 centimetres off the midline of the carcass, between the second and third last ribs,

M

=

the thickness of muscle in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as S.

This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 120 kg.

PART III

Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 4)

(1)

The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the method known as ‘Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 4)’.

(2)

The apparatus is equipped with a probe of 5,95 millimetres diameter (and of 6,3 millimetres at the blade on 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 shall be converted into estimated lean meat content by means of the HGP 4 itself or a computer linked to it.

(3)

The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

Y = 69,11354 – 0,67804 × S + 0,00432 × M

Where:

Y

=

the estimated lean meat percentage,

S

=

the thickness of back-fat (including rind) in millimetres, measured at 7 centimetres from the midline of the carcass, between the third and fourth last ribs,

M

=

the thickness of muscle in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as S.

This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 120 kg.

PART IV

Ultra FOM 300

(1)

The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the grading of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the method known as ‘Ultra FOM 300’.

(2)

The apparatus shall be equipped with an ultrasonic probe at 3,5 MHz. The ultrasonic signal is digitised, stored and processed by a microprocessor. The results of the measurements shall be converted into estimated lean meat content by means of the Ultra-FOM apparatus itself.

(3)

The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

Y = 66,78382 – 0,80922 × S + 0,04746 × M

Where:

Y

=

the estimated lean meat percentage,

S

=

the thickness of back-fat (including rind) in millimetres, measured at 7 centimetres off the midline of the carcass between the second and third last ribs (measurement known as ‘P2’),

M

=

the thickness of muscle in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the same place as S.

This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 120 kg.

PART V

Ultra-sound IS-D-05

(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 ‘Ultra-sound IS-D-05’.

(2)

The grading apparatus IS-D-05 is a device for measuring the lean meat and fat thickness based on response analysis of the range of ultrasonic impulses, which are transmitted sequentially into the carcass in the specified place. Ultrasonic probe scans treated carcasses with a set of 3 × 100 ultrasonic impulses at a frequency of 4 MHz at the time of scanning.

(3)

The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

Y = 69,17386 – 0,83174 × BF + 0,03530 × MD

Where:

Y

=

the estimated lean meat percentage,

BF

=

the thickness of the back-fat (including rind) in millimetres between the second and third to last ribs, 7 centimetres from the dorsal midline perpendicularly to the skin,

MD

=

the thickness of muscle in millimetres between the second and third to last ribs, 7 centimetres from the dorsal midline perpendicularly to the carcass.

This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 120 kg.

PART VI

Needle IS-D-15

(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 ‘Needle IS-D-15’.

(2)

The grading apparatus IS-D-15 uses a needle probe inserted into a given place of the carcass; the insertion depth is about 140 millimetres. An optical set is located behind the needle that, utilizing an optical channel, enlightens the surrounding tissue or area and scans the amount of reflected light energy with the defined wavelength. The terminal is also equipped with a precise contactless measuring device, which determines the actual insertion depth with 46 micrometre precision.

(3)

The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

Y = 67,86508 – 0,74820 × BF + 0,04786 × MD

Where:

Y

=

the estimated lean meat percentage,

BF

=

the thickness of back-fat (including rind) in millimetres between the second and third to last ribs, 7,5 centimetres from the dorsal midline, perpendicularly to the skin.

MD

=

the thickness of muscle in millimetres between the second and third to last ribs, 7,5 centimetres from the dorsal midline perpendicularly to the carcass.

This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 120 kg.

PART VII

Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II)

(1)

The rules provided for in this Part shall apply when the classification of pig carcasses is carried out by means of the apparatus ‘Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II)’.

(2)

The apparatus consists of an optical probe with a knife, a depth measurement device with an operating distance of between 0 and 125 millimetres, and a data acquisition and analysis board.

(3)

The lean meat content of the carcass shall be calculated in accordance with the following formula:

Y = 65,73183 – 0,75225 × BF + 0,07957 × MD

Where:

Y

=

the estimated lean meat percentage,

BF

=

the the thickness of back-fat (including rind) in millimetres between the second and third to last ribs, 6,5 centimetres from the dorsal midline perpendicularly to the skin,

MD

=

the thickness of muscle in millimetres between the second and third to last ribs, 6,5 centimetres from the dorsal midline perpendicularly to the carcass.

This formula shall be valid for carcasses weighing between 60 and 120 kg.