General information

INTRODUCTION- GRADING

  • Grading is defined as categorization and segregation of some items on the basis of stipulated norms. It is generally of two types 1) Quality grading 2) Yield grading.  In case of live animal grading, grading of carcasses and grading of meat and meat products.
  • Usually in animal grading traits of maturity (age), conformation and marbling are primarily considered.
  • Different countries have their own grading pattern and detailed specifications to suit their market and consumer requirements. Most of them have been adopted from USDA and modified as per the local needs.
  • Live grading is a guide to quality grading and quality grading is guide to preparation.
  • Grading is a guide to selection.
  • Grading is a guide to improve plans.
  • In general the grade of an animal is determined on the basis of three grades factors.
  • Conformation - Morphology of animal
  • Quality - Neat
  • Finish - Fatness of animal

Conformation

  • It is the build, shape and outline (contour) of animal and its different primal cuts (wholesale cuts).
  • It is largely due to shape and size of the bones and muscles and the fat covering.
  • It is otherwise attributable to breeding, and care of the animal.

Quality

  • It is the character of the muscle or the lean meat (without bone) of the animal and of the intermuscular and intramuscular fat (marbling) contained in the meat.
  • It refers to firmness of the texture, freedom from coarseness to a certain extent.
  • External evidence of quality is found in the refinement of head, hide, hair, bone.
  • It is important as it is related to eating desirability i.e., tenderness palatability, colour, juiciness, odour, water holding capacity, etc.

Finish

  • Refers to the fatness of an animal.
  • This includes 
  • The fat on the outer surface of the carcass and
  • Inside of abdominal and thoracic cavities and also,
  • Inter and intramuscular fat.
  • It involves the quality, quantity and inherited factors, breeding and to a large extent on
  • Kind and quality of the animal,
  • Age and sex of the animal,
  • Methods of handling.
Last modified: Wednesday, 12 October 2011, 11:52 AM