Carcass Evaluation and Grading: Step Forward to Ensure Meat Quality

INTRODUCTION The part of the food animal body that remains after commercial dressing procedures is popularly called carcass.

- Hamna Vahab, Ipseeta Nanda, lalrohlui, Anand TS and S. Talukder

Evaluation and constant maintenance of carcass quality is the measure of output which paves the way for upbringing trade in meat sector which in turn pays the efforts of farmers and uplifts their living standards. According to Polkinghorne et al. (2010) carcass classification affects the price determination and is responsible for meeting the consumer expectations, which is a concept called “consumer grading system”. It helps the farmer to recognize quality of animal which they are producing and hence can have improved and better planning to have high grade animals and carcasses. In addition, it can certify their animals and carcasses for class, quality and condition through authorized agencies. It also helps the meat processing sector to select the different meat grades on the basis of market and consumer demands. The classification depends upon the description of carcasses using specifically defined anatomic features which are simultaneously important to the sellers as well as buyers (Sather et al., 1991). Thorough knowledge, how this grading system can help in upbringing the output of meat sector in upgrading quality as well as for meeting consumer demands is very much necessary.

EVALUATION OF CARCASS

Evaluation of carcass simply means to evaluate all those factors which determine the average value per unit weight of carcass (Purchas, 2012).

Evaluation of carcass primarily depends on the carcass weight, dressing out percentage and the composition of carcass. According to Jones (1989), evaluation of carcass has at two significant functions; that are evaluation of carcass composition as a part of scientific experiments and a system for evaluation of commercial carcasses based on lean meat content.