Chosen indicators of meat performance of 98 bulls of Czech Spotted cattle bred in elevation above 720 m above sea-level in the mountain region of Šumava are presented in the article. The fattening ...was realized in a barn with a deep litter. The feed ration consisted of haylage throughout the year. The bulls were divided into three groups according to their genotype - C100, C75-85R (CxR) and C75-85A (CxA). The highest live weight at slaughter was achieved in the group C100 with 650 kg with the average age of 726 days and the weight of the carcasses of 363.8 kg. On the other hand, the worst results were achieved in the group CxA. For comparison a group of 14 bulls of the Holstein breed was created (H100), which was fattened in the same conditions. The bulls achieved their highest live weight before slaughter (664.6 kg), but at the highest age (743 days). Statistically significant differences were proven in the meat performance after individual fathers – the best results were documented with the offspring of the bull BO-837. After the separation of the set of bulls according to live weight at the end of fattening, the highest results were achieved by the group above 700 kg. The best class using the SEUROP method was achieved by the group with slaughtering live weight between 650 kg and 700 kg.
In the European Community, conformation and fat cover of bovine carcasses is assessed using the SEUROP grading system. In this study we pursued the development of an application software (App) based ...on Visual Image Analysis, useful for SEUROP and Fat Cover grading of bovine carcasses using a smartphone. The App was trained using 500 bovine carcasses. Carcass conformation and Fat Cover classes were assessed in parallel by expert evaluators and by App. Overall, a high correspondence was found between the measurements of carcasses parameters by operators and by the App, as high as 84.2% for SEUROP and 86.4% for the Fat Cover. In the 15.8% of samples with discordant SEUROP evaluation, and in the 13.6% of samples with discordant Fat Cover evaluation, the operators' and App measurements deviated by only one class. All values also aligned with the requirements expected by the current legislation for the use of automated and/or semi-automated systems able to determine the market value of carcasses.
This study sought to evaluate pig carcass grading, describing the existing approaches and definitions, and highlighting the vision for overall quality grading. In particular, the current state of pig ...carcass grading in the European Union (SEUROP system), its weaknesses, and the challenges to achieve more uniformity and harmonization across member states were described, and a broader understanding of pig carcass value, which includes a vision for the inclusion of meat quality aspects in the grading, was discussed. Finally, the noninvasive methods for the on-line evaluation of pig carcass and meat quality (hereafter referred to as pork quality), and the conditions for their application were discussed. As the way pigs are raised (especially in terms of animal welfare and environmental impact), and more importantly, their perception of pork quality, is becoming increasingly important to consumers, the ideal grading of pigs should comprise pork quality aspects. As a result, a forward-looking “overall quality” approach to pork grading was proposed herein, in which grading systems would be based on the shared vision for pork quality (carcass and meat quality) among stakeholders in the pig industry and driven by consumer expectations with respect to the product. Emerging new technologies provide the technical foundation for such perspective; however, integrating all knowledge and technologies for their practical application to an “overall quality” grading approach is a major challenge. Nonetheless, such approach aligns with the recent vision of Industry 5.0, i.e. a model for the next level of industrialization that is human-centric, resilient, and sustainable.
•Pig carcass classification and grading are needed for trade and fair remuneration.•European grading system considers lean meat content and neglects pork quality.•Grading system needs to consider consumer expectations for pork quality.•Grading based on “Overall Quality” may be possible thanks to technological advances.
•Zinc nanoparticles supplementation of weaned piglets did not affect final carcasse quality.•Zinc bioaccumulation was not significantly affected in experimental groups compared to the control group.
...High doses of zinc have been used as a prevention against weaned piglets' diarrhea for many years. Nevertheless, since 2022 high doses of zinc oxide have been banned in EU. Currently, there are several studies about the potential of zinc nanoparticles in lower doses which could maintain a preventive effect. Several concerns about nanoparticles' toxicity and bioaccumulation have been raised in many other fields of research. The aim of this short follow-up study is focused on the impact of zinc nanoparticles used as a prevention of diarrhea for weaned piglets, on the classification of slaughtered pigs’ carcasses and on zinc retention in muscle tissue. Seventy piglets (10 groups of 7 piglets) were fed a standard diet. The treated groups’ diets were supplemented with zinc oxide (ZnO), and phosphate-based nanoparticles: spherical- shaped type A (ZnA) and irregular-shaped: type C (ZnC), at the doses of 500, 1000 and 2000 mg Zn equivalent per kilogram of diet. The control group´s diet was not treated with zinc in any form. The feed experiment started when the piglets were 28 days old and lasted for 10 days. Experimental animals were grown to the final weight 120 ± 10 kg and slaughtered in a slaughterhouse. The pig carcasses were evaluated according to S/EUROP standards: the pigs’ weight, back fat thickness and lean meat content were monitored. Moreover, zinc concentrations in M. longissimus dorsi et thoracis were analyzed. The results have not proved significant changes in S/EUROP standard classification and zinc bioaccumulation in muscle tissue. This follow-up experiment was carried out as part of maintaining a precautionary approach to the use the nanoparticles in piglet fattening. In our study we did not confirm their effect on the assessment of carcass classification and their bioaccumulation in muscle tissue.
The aim of this study was to evaluate the length of eating and rumination time in young fattening bulls of different ages and also to evaluate the relationship of these parameters to the meat yield ...of these bulls. Monitoring was carried out on Czech Fleckvieh-Simmental bull breed. In the case of bulls, the length of eating time increases statistically from 117.62 minutes per day at 2 months of age to 314.93 minutes per day and also the length of rumination from 308.56 minutes to 515.88 minutes per day. The rumination time had an apperently positive effect on the classification of bulls according to carcass classification (SEUROP, P < 0.05) when bulls classified in the fleshiness class U achieved a longer rumination time during monitoring (439.48 minutes) compared to bulls who were classified in the fleshiness class R (419.43 minutes). In the case of eating time, there was an opposite trend, when bulls with a shorter eating time (212.10 minutes) were included in class U compared to class R (241.31 minutes), (P < 0.05). There is a positive relationship between the length of rumination and the net weight gain.
Slaughtering plants approved by the European Union have specific processes to guarantee that beef carcasses or halfcarcasses, of no less than eight months of age, are provided with health mark and ...then classified and identified according to the EU carcass classification grid. This classification is based on three criteria: i) Category, ii) Conformation (SEUROP) and iii) Fat Cover (FC). At the end of the classification process each carcass is given a code, consisting of two letters and a number: this operation is called Identification. The aim of our study was to evaluate how the European beef carcass quality classification is determined according to the experience of the personnel involved, then comparing the results with those yielded by the Android platform application. West Systems, through its West- Zootech division, has developed an Android platform application (SEUROP APP) that allows SEUROP and FC classification with a smart-phone. The photo taken with the smart-phone will yield the necessary angular parameters to determine the conformation class depending on the animal’s muscular mass and based on the convexity of some areas on the half-carcass. It also evaluates the ratio between surface of lean tissue and total carcass surface in order to determine the fat cover and complete the classification. The SEUROP APP was able to obtain objective measurements for as much as 84% of the assessments made during the research and development phase.
The objectives of the present work were (1) to compare pig carcass classification using different ZP (“Zwei-Punkt-Messverfahren”) equations approved in the EU, applied on the same dataset, and to ...discuss the origin of differences between member states; (2) to evaluate the effect of a possible common ZP equation from the combined dataset and analyse how do the different subsets perform; and (3) to discuss the consequences of different national equations within the EU in view of the harmonization of pig carcass classification. A dataset of 951 carcasses from Belgium, France, Germany, Slovenia and Spain was used, 12 approved ZP equations in Europe were applied and the results were compared. Observed differences can be due not only to differences in genetics and sexes, but also to differences in the ZP measurement and dissection trials performed to obtain national equations. Important differences between some equations (up to almost 5 lean meat percentage) indicate a low harmonization among them and a need for improvements.
•Carcass classification is needed for market transparency and regulation in EU.•ZP method is widely used in SEUROP pig carcass classification.•Different equations are approved in the EU for ZP method.•Discrepancies in lean meat content (%) using different EU national ZP equations exist.•Efforts are required to improve harmonization in assessment of lean meat content (%).
The aim of this work was to determine the accuracy of the lean meat share (LM) estimate with FOM instrumentation, in pigs. A total of 720 pigs were measured at slaughterhouses. The tests were carried ...out to determine the ability to measure the same value with repeated injections in the same point of the pig carcass, taking into account the operator, the equipment and the state. Based on the observed measurements it can be stated that the difference between measurements of the muscle and fat in the first and repeated injections is very low. The pigs LM estimation in the CR, compared to the SR is, for both punctures, higher. As regards repeatability, it is obvious that the pig measuring in the SR is performed more carefully. Also, CR operators, compared to SR, exhibit, in the case of repeated punctures, a greater variability.
In the last decade, the pig sector in Slovakia has been changing continuously, especially in regard to the proportion of pigs coming from foreign breeding programs. These changes lead to changes in ...carcass characteristics and to a change in the distribution of carcasses within the classes of the Union scale for the classification of pig carcasses. Therefore, this study was undertaken to analyse the actual state of pig carcass classification in the Slovak Republic and to investigate the needs of updating the equations for the classification methods and possible steps to improve the quality of pork produced within the country. Results showed that an increased number of pig carcasses originated from Danish breeding program, and also from the Czech Republic and Poland. When compared to carcasses in 2009, these changes resulted in lower backfat thickness and higher muscle thickness of the longissimus dorsi muscle and thus higher lean meat content of carcasses. This results in a higher number of carcasses classified in the S and E classes. Slight differences between two instrumental classification methods were calculated. The study showed the need for updating the equations for classification methods, and also suggested possible further steps in order to improve the quality of pork.
Meat composition and quality are not independent of the effects of animal production systems. This is important—especially as we transition into a future where meat production, quality, and value are ...considered within the context of sustainable feed and supplementation selection, the enhanced management of animal genetics and husbandry practices, and the improved processing and packaging of meat products. In this book, we have presented a curated collection of research investigating animal production systems and strategies for meat processing with innovative applications to the delivery of meat products that match consumer demands (i.e., from farm to fork). This book is a valuable resource to animal and food scientists, students of agricultural science, livestock producers and farmers, as well as readers with an interest in the efficient and ethical conversion of animals into meat products for human consumption.
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