Journal of Central European Agriculture (Apr 2005)
SLOVENIAN EXPERIENCE IN PIG CARCASS CLASSIFICATION ACCORDING TO SEUROP DURING THE YEARS 1996 TO 2004
Abstract
Slovenian results on pig carcass classifi cation according to SEUROP (average lean meat percentage, carcass weight, measurements of fat and muscle and their variability) are presented for years from 1996 to 2004. In these years, an important increase of average lean meat percentage was noted (51.9 % in year 1996 vs. 55.9 % in year 2004). As a consequence the percentage of pig carcasses being graded into S and E classes was almost tripled from 1996 to 2004 (21.3 to 58.2%, respectively). This improvement was initiated by the payment according to the lean meat percentage, to which pig breeders responded by better management of herds and partly by increased use of pietrain breed. Potential for further improvement remains in attaining genetically more uniform herds and reduction of carcass weight variability. A new method, introducing an optic probe Hennessy, adapted to changes of the EU legislation, is expected to shift up the average meat percentage close to 57%, which places Slovenian pigs into the EU average.
