prof ec webb symposium documents... · 7. red meat grading system in sa •marketing act of 1944...

Description of carcass classification goals and where we stand today

12th Meat Symposium Relevance of the Carcass Classification System

Prof EC Webb Head: Dept. Animal & Wildlife Sciences

University of Pretoria

Email: [email protected]

12th Meat Symposium, Novembner 2014

mailto:[email protected]

1. Carcass quality

• Significant variation exists in carcass composition and quality – Species

– Age / maturity type (& interactions with production system)

– Gender (& interactions with production system)

– Carcass fat content and composition (& interactions with production system)

– Breed / type (& interactions with production system)


2. Origin: beef and sheep production systems

• Understand livestock production cycles

• Livestock production

– Mostly farm bred and razed

– 70% of cattle sold as weaners and fattened intensively (different combinations of feeding systems)

– 30% of cattle kept as long weaners or oxen and sold at a later stage (different combinations of feeding systems)

• Most lambs fattened on the veld


3. Red meat supply chain

• Concept of ‘conception to consumption’, or from ‘farm to fork’ – a complex cycle


4. MANAGING MEAT SAFETY AND QUALITY IN SOUTH AFRICA


4(a). Act 40 of 2000

• Meat safety act, (Act 40 of 2000), provides guidelines for the conversion of livestock to meat to ensure a safe and wholesome product to consumers

– Maintain quality standards and provide guidelines

to ensure carcass and meat hygiene

– Not negotiable


4(b). Act 119 of 1990

• Agricultural Product Standards act (Act 119 of 1990), helps to control and sets specific product standards for local and export purposes

• Describe and manage variation in carcass and meat quality

• Manage conversion of carcass or muscle to meat for different consumer preferences. 1. Inspection, grading and sampling for quality control 2. Distinctive marks 3. Abattoir classification - Depends on type and size of

abattoir


Describe and manage variation


5. Carcass and meat quality

• Carcass quality affects meat quality

• Consumers differ in terms of their perceptions and expectations regarding carcass and meat quality, as well as the eating experience


6. Marketing & Grading/Classification

a) Effective marketing depends on minimum specifications or standards

b) Agricultural products have to be classified / graded because these products cannot be produced according to specifications

c) Too much variation in composition and quality, despite the best intentions to reduce the variation in meat quality

d) Consumer demand = consistent meat quality


7. Red Meat grading system in SA

• Marketing act of 1944 & 1964 – Red Meat Scheme of 1964, 1985-1992 a) Total control, based on grade and mass

b) Minimum prices (floor price) with auctioneering of carcasses

• Regulated by the Meat Board a) (Grades described as Super, prime etc.)

b) “Quality” indicated by grading system

c) Producer oriented


8. Red Meat classification (1992-)

• Merely classifies carcasses based on physical / compositional attributes

• Philosophical difference – consumer oriented 1. Age (A, AB, B & C) 2. Fatness (Codes 1-6) 3. Conformation (Codes 1-5) 4. Damage (1 to 3)

a) No indication of “best quality” b) Consumer decides about “best quality” c) Meat prices based on supply and demand


Implications of current system

1. 120 combinations of age, fat and conformation classes

2. Only 5-10% of the system is effectively used • E.g. A1-3, AB1-3, x2 conformation scores due to

market forces

3. Too much variation in just a few classes

4. Better description required, and therefore better classification

5. Current categories not adequate?


Why age, fat code and conformation in carcass classification system?

• The age of the animal – Affects meat quality and especially

tenderness of the meat

– Tenderness also affected by meat cut, and a range of intrinsic and extrinsic factors associated with the conversion of muscle to meat

• Animal ageing is associated with tougher meat – Due to the amount and cross-bridges of

connective tissue (collagen and elastin)

– Meat from younger livestock has collagen that is more soluble and immature and consequently more tender

– Differences exist between different cuts


Why age, fat code and conformation in carcass classification system?

• Carcass conformation

1. Carcass and lean meat yield

2. Bone, muscle and fat content

3. Organoleptic attributes

• Carcass fat content

1. Contributes to carcass conformation and yield (dressing percentage)

2. Contributes to eating quality (aroma, flavour, tenderness, juiciness)

3. Significant variation in preferences for these attributes

4. Classification of a meat cut (but initially perceived to be too complex and now no longer specifically indicated on labelling)

5. Personal / cultural preferences

6. Price


Factors that affect meat quality


Quality control *Inspection *Classification *HACCP *ISO-standards *GMP etc.

Traceability *Coding / tagging *Recording *M&E


SUPPLY

DEMAND

New classification system?

1. Factors that affect meat quality are more complex (multidimensional)

2. A number of intrinsic and extrinsic factors, in addition to age, fat code and conformation

3. Production system, feeding practices and growth promoting substances

4. Abattoir practices e.g. transportation, lairage, holding time and facilities, slaughter method, stunning, ES, cooling & freezing strategies, deboning

5. Interactions between factors that cause variation


Thank you


prof ec webb symposium documents... · 7. red meat grading system in sa •marketing act of 1944...

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