Meat Evaluation and Grading Lecture PDF

MEAT EVALUATION, GRADING AND FABRICATION OF DRESSED CARCASSES INCLUDING POULTRY  Evaluation Grading and evaluation play important role in marketing and merchandizing of carcass. Carcass evaluation is a broader term which gives idea about carcass yield, meat processi...

MEAT EVALUATION, GRADING AND FABRICATION OF DRESSED CARCASSES INCLUDING POULTRY  Evaluation Grading and evaluation play important role in marketing and merchandizing of carcass. Carcass evaluation is a broader term which gives idea about carcass yield, meat processing character, palatability and overall quality of meat. Extension of grading that identifies carcass composition and value differences with greater precision than grades alone.  Carcass evaluation procedures Dressing Percent or Carcass Yield Dressing percent is calculated by dividing the chilled carcass weight by the live weight and multiplying by 100. Kind of animals Carcass yield (%) Cattle 50 to 54 Sheep and Goat 35 to 50 Veal 63 Pig 65 - 70  Carcass Length Measured before the carcass is ribbed. Carcass length is measured in a straight line from the forward edge of the first rib to the forward edge of the aitch bone. Carcass length has little or no relationship to lean yield.  Average Back fat Thickness Obtained by averaging the three measures of back fat deposited opposite the first rib, last rib, and last lumbar vertebra.  Ribbing the Hanging Carcass Ribbing is accomplished by cutting near the junction of the 10th and 11th thoracic vertebrae with a ribbing saw. The cut should be made perpendicular to the length of carcass just below the 11th rib. After sawing through the vertebra, use a knife to cut perpendicular across the long axis of rib eye.  Loin Eye Area (LEA) A term used to describe a cross section of the loin or longissimus dorsi muscle between 12th-13th rib (ruminants) and 10th -11th rib (pork) Measure of muscle development.  Fat Depth Using a back fat probe or other instrument graduated in 1/10 cm increments, measure the fat depth including the skin at the 3/4 point over the rib eye Fat depth  Grading On the evaluation of dressed carcass, carcasses are divided into different grades. It is defined as process of segregating meat and meat products based on palatability, yield or other economically important traits into standardized group with minimum common characteristics. There are generally two types of grades: 1)Quality grade (palatability and acceptability) 2)Quantity grade (Yield grade)  Importance of grading Producer can certify animal and carcasses for class, quality and condition through authorized agencies. Producer recognizes the quality he produced and paves ways for better planning to improve breeding programs and to produce high-grade animals and carcasses. Producer selects the required types according to the needs of the market and consumer. Processor adopt or decide methods and procedures for disposing animals and carcasses.  Consumers purchase assured quality of meat and gives satisfaction over the money spent on purchasing the meat. Consumer utilises meat most efficiently by preparing it in the manner for which it is best suited.  Factors used to establish grades In general the grade of an animal is determined based on three grades factors. 1. Conformation - Morphology of animal 2. Quality - Meat 3. Finish - Fatness of animal  Conformation It is the build, shape and outline (contour) of animal and its different primal cuts (wholesale cuts). It is largely due to shape and size of the bones and muscles and the fat covering. It is attributable to breeding, and care of the animal.  Quality It is the character of the muscle or the lean meat (without bone) of the animal and of the intermuscular (Seam fat) and intramuscular fat (marbling) contained in the meat. It refers to firmness of the texture, freedom from coarseness to a certain extent. External evidence of quality is found in the refinement of head, hide, hair, bone. It is important as it is related to eating desirability i.e., tenderness palatability, colour, juiciness, odour, water holding capacity, etc.  Finish It refers to one quantity, amount, colour and distribution of fat. This includes: External: Subcutaneous fat Intramuscular fat: Marbling Intermuscular fat: Seam fat MEAT GRADING SYSTEM- BOTSWANA  Grading specifications for beef There shall be seven grades of beef, namely, Prime Grade, Super Grade, First Grade, Second Grade, Third Grade, Fourth Grade and Canning Grade. The specifications of the various grades of beef shall be as follows:- (a)Prime Grade The carcasses shall be of any sex, having not more than two permanent incisors, good conformation and uniform light fat cover. Fat colour shall be white. (b) Super Grade The carcasses shall be of any sex, having not more than four permanent incisors, Good conformation, Uniform light fat cover. Fat colour shall be white only. (c) First Grade The carcasses shall be of any sex, having not more than four permanent incisors, of good conformation, of patchy fat cover or none. Or the carcasses shall be of any sex, having five to eight permanent incisors, of good conformation, at the most with a uniform light fat cover. Fat shall be white or cream only. (d) Second Grade The carcasses shall be of any sex, have up to eight permanent incisors, of fair conformation, at the most with a uniform light fat cover; Or the carcasses shall be of any sex, age, or fair to good conformation, with patchy or uniform light fat cover. Fat colour shall be of any normal colour. (e) Third Grade The carcasses shall be of any sex and age, of poor conformation, and no fat cover. (f) Fourth Grade The carcasses shall be of any sex and age, of very poor conformation, and either none or patchy fat cover whose meat is fit for manufacturing purposes. (g) Canning Grade The carcasses shall be of any sex and age and of very poor conformation with oedema whose meat is suitable only for canning Grading specifications for mutton There shall be four grades of mutton, namely, Prime Grade, Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3. The specifications for the various grades of mutton shall be as follows- (a) Class A (i) Prime Grade: The carcasses shall be of a proper finish, well-fleshed, of a good quality and derived from wethers or ewes. Or the carcasses may be somewhat deficient in finish but must be very well-fleshed, of good quality and derived from wethers or ewes: Provided that- (i) carcasses in this grade shall show at least a fairly even distribution of fat; and (ii) no carcass of the fat-tail type shall be included in this grade. (ii) Grade 1: The carcasses shall be of a fair finish, reasonably fleshed, and derived from wethers or ewes: Provided that moderately over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade. (iii) Grade 2: The carcasses shall be either of a fair finish and poorly fleshed or reasonably fleshed and of a poor finish, and derived from wethers or ewes or from rams of better carcass quality (considered based on the quality of ram carcasses): Provided that moderately over-fat but not grossly over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade. (iv) Grade 3: Carcasses which do not comply with the requirements as prescribed for the grades. (b) Class B Grade 1: The carcasses shall be of a fair finish, reasonably fleshed, of a fair quality and derived from wethers or ewes: Provided that moderately over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade. Grade 2: The carcasses shall be either of a fair finish and poorly fleshed or reasonably fleshed and of a poor finish, and derived from wethers or ewes or from rams of better carcass quality (considered based on the quality of ram carcasses): Provided that moderately over-fat but not grossly over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade.  Grade 3: Carcasses which do not comply with the requirements as prescribed for the aforementioned grades. Grading specifications for lamb There shall be four grades of lamb, namely, Super Grade, Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3. The specifications for the various grades of lamb shall be as follows- Super Grade The carcasses shall be of a proper finish, well-fleshed, of a good quality and derived from wether or ewe lambs or from ram lambs whose carcasses show little masculine character;  Or the carcasses may be somewhat deficient in finish but should be very well- fleshed, of good quality and derived from wether or ewe lambs Or from ram lambs whose carcasses show little masculine character: Provided that- (i) carcasses in this grade shall show at least an even distribution of fat; and(ii) no carcass of the fat-tailed type shall be included in this grade. Grade 1 The carcasses shall be of a fair finish, reasonably fleshed and derived from wether or ewe lambs or from ram lambs, whose carcasses show no marked masculine character: Provided that moderately over-fat carcasses may be included in this Grade 2 The carcasses shall be either of a fair finish and poorly fleshed or reasonably fleshed and of a poor finish and derived from wether, ewe or ram lambs: Provided that moderately over-fat but not grossly over-fat carcasses may be included in this grade. Grade 3 Carcasses which do not comply with the requirements as prescribed for the aforementioned grades. Grading specifications for chevon There shall be four grades of goat meat, namely, Super Grade, Grade 1, Grade 2 and Grade 3. The specifications for the various grades of goat meat shall be as follows:- (a) Class A (i) Super Grade: The carcasses shall be of a proper finish and reasonably well-fleshed and derived from goat ewes showing no permanent incisors. Grade 1: The carcasses shall be of a fair finish and reasonably fleshed and derived from goat castrates and goat does showing not more than two permanent incisors. Grade 3: Carcasses which do not comply with the requirements as prescribed for the aforementioned grades. (b) Class B (i) Grade 1: (ii)The carcasses shall be of a proper finish and reasonably well-fleshed and derived from goat castrates and does. (ii) Grade 2: The carcasses shall be of a fair finish and reasonably fleshed and derived from goat castrates and does: Provided that carcasses which are over-fat but not grossly over-fat may be included in this grade. (iii) Grade 3: Carcasses which do not comply with requirements as prescribed for the aforementioned grades.  Appeals against grading (1) If the owner of any carcass or the agent of such owner is not satisfied with the decision of a meat grader regarding the grading of that carcass he shall be entitled to appeal to the Director against that decision: Provided that his intention to do so is conveyed to that meat grader before such carcass is removed from the place where it has been graded. (2) The meat grader may apply to the carcass, in respect of which he has under sub-regulation (1) been informed that an appeal is contemplated, a mark which he considers necessary for identification purposes  MEAT GRADING SYSTEMS –SOUTH AFRICA The meat grading systems of mutton and lamb in South Africa are in place to ensure quality meat production. Meat carcasses are graded after slaughtering to indicate the age and fat content of the meat. It also helps to determine the price of meat and makes it easier for consumers to identify their preferred quality of meat.  For example, for many consumers a carcass of A2 will be the ideal meat quality; a young‌‌lean animal with a slight layer of fat. Other consumers may prefer more flavour and more fat and may want to choose a more economical grading such as C4. Grading a carcass is done with a rollermark using food- grade vegetable-based ink that is totally safe and breaks down on cooking.  The same grading system is used for beef, mutton, lamb and goat, but the grading for pork is different due to different fat distribution on pork meat.  Meat Grading Markings The quality of meat is indicated on the carcass and stamped in letters in a certain colour, depending on the age of the animal, e.g. ABAB. The fat content of the meat is indicated in a square with a number inside and any damage on the carcass is indicated by a 1, 2 or 3. Carcasses will also be stamped with an abattoir identification code, e.g. ZWZ.  The Age of an Animal Sheep are divided into four age groups according to the number of adult teeth the animal has. At birth, lambs have eight baby teeth on their lower jaw. At approximately one year the central pair of baby teeth are replaced by two permanent incisors. The second pair of incisors appear around two years of age and at three and four, the third and fourth pairs of permanent teeth appear.  An A-grade carcass is the most tender meat and indicate a lamb – no permanent teeth - and is marked in purple. AB indicates two teeth (between one and two years of age) and is stamped on the carcass in green ink.  A brown mark is used for grading B, indicating an older sheep with four teeth and a carcass with a red grading of C will indicate an older animal (mutton) with six or more adult teeth. Gradings AB, B and C are considered adult animals, therefore considered ‘mutton’. The age class of an animal is indicated on the carcass with a row of three letters e.g. AAA.  Fat Content of Meat The fat layer and the distribution of fat on the carcass are determined by expert meat graders which classify a carcass into seven fat classifications. A fat classification of 0 means that the carcass has no fat, while a classification of 6 means that a carcass is excessively overfat. The fatness class of an animal is indicated by a triple number such as 222. On this carcass, the AAA means lamb, the 222 means it is relatively lean. GM1 is the abattoir code. The green '3' is the conformation classification, indicates a medium carcass. USDA Grades for Meat USDA Beef Quality Grades  BIS Grades for Meat According to BIS:IS 2537, six grades for beef and buffalo carcasses based on conformation, finish and quality. According to BIS, IS 2536: 1995, sheep and goat carcasses are divided into the main classes based largely upon age. They are Lamb (12 months or below) Yearling mutton (12 to 20 months) Mature mutton (above 20 months) The above three classes are divided into six grades based on conformation, finish and quality of the carcasses or cuts. Dressed chickens are graded on the basis of conformation, degree of fleshing, bruises, cuts and other quality attributes.  BIS Grades for Meat Species Grade name Buffalo/Beef Prime, Choice, Good, Carcass Commercial, Utility, Cutter and Canner Sheep/Goat Prime, Choice, Good, Carcass Commercial, Utility, Cull Dressed Chicken Grade 1 and Grade 2 FABRICATION OF CARCASSES OF FOOD ANIMALS The term meat cutting may aptly be defined as the art, skill or craft of separation of carcass wholesale primal cuts into different portions as to suit various needs in the meat trade and to facilitate easy handling by the butchers. The process of dividing of chilled carcass into various commercial parts is referred to as the cutting operation or fabrication of carcasses of food animals. FABRICATION OF BEEF CARCASSES Beef Carcass: Primal Cuts FABRICATION OF PORK CARCASSES Pork Carcass: Primal Cuts FABRICATION OF GOAT/LAMB CARCASSES Goat/Lamb Carcass: Primal Cuts (USDA) Goat/Lamb Carcass: Primal Cuts (BIS) FABRICATION OF POULTRY CARCASSES Poultry Carcass: Primal Cuts