ABOVE: Calculating carcass value solely using P2 fat measurements poorly reflects lean meat yield in the fore, belly and hind sections of the carcass and fails to quantify the full variation in carcass value in pork. Photo: DAFWA
New sensor technology is now at hand for pork processors to accurately predict lean meat yield, potentially opening the way to capture more value from each carcass.
The Advanced Livestock Measurement Technologies research program has assessed three potential candidates for measuring pork carcass attributes, with the Danish AutoFom III system delivering accurate predictions for lean meat yield that stood up to comparison with the gold standard of computed tomography carcass scanning.
One of the lead ALMTech researchers on the project Dr Fiona Anderson said, “AutoFom was the best performed technology for representing whole carcass lean meat percentage, giving this technology improved capacity to differentiate pork carcass value.”
The AutoFom III also does a good job of estimating lean percentage in specific carcass sections, such as the loin, fore, hind and belly sections and “as such, is a good option for abattoir prediction of pork composition,” Dr Anderson said.
The ALMTech program was established to develop advanced measurements of meat quality and quantity that will enhance the Australian beef, lamb and pork industries’ ability to respond to demands and capture value-chain price differentials.
It was supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry as part of its Rural Research and Development for Profit programme, in partnership with Meat and Livestock Australia, Australian Meat Processor Corporation, Australian Pork Limited, commercial companies, state departments and universities.
APL research and innovation program manager Dr Vaibhav Gole said the involvement of pork processing companies SunPork, Rivalea and Linley Valley Pork during the data collection process by Murdoch University researchers had ensured the evaluation of the new carcass assessment technologies was relevant to real-world operating systems.
“The research has delivered the pork processing sector a viable new option for measuring lean meat yield and considering new ways of evaluating carcass value,” Dr Gole said.
“The research has shown that calculating carcass value solely using P2 fat measurements poorly reflects lean meat yield in the fore, belly and hind sections of the carcass and fails to quantify the full variation in carcass value in pork.”
Dr Gole said the findings also presented challenges for the sector when trying to balance the pursuit of higher lean meat yield with loin intramuscular fat levels – a key indicator of tenderness and eating quality.
“There is a negative relationship between lean meat percentage and loin IMF, indicating that balanced selection is required to optimise both lean meat yield and IMF, and therefore eating quality.”
“The ability to maintain selection pressure on lean meat yield while improving meat quality through increases in IMF will rely on the precise and independent measurement of these two traits,” Dr Gole said.
Any enquiries can be directed to Michael Thomson at CQUniversity on m.thomson@cqu.edu.au or 0408 819 666.
