Correlation between the Korean pork grade system and the amount of pork primal cut estimated with AutoFom III.

ABSTRACT

It is impossible to know the amount of pork primal cut by pig carcass grade which is determined only by carcass weight and backfat thickness in the Korean Pig Carcass System. The aim of this study was to investigate the correlation between the pig carcass grade and the amount of pork primal cut estimated with AutoFom III. A total of 419,321 Landrace, Yorkshire, and Duroc (LYD) pigs were graded with the Korean Pig Carcass Grade System. Amounts of belly, neck, loin, tenderloin, spare ribs, shoulder, and ham were estimated with AutoFom III. Regression equations for seven primal cuts according to each grade were derived. There were significant differences among the three carcass grades due to heteroscedasticity variance (p < 0.0001). Three regression equations were derived from AutoFom III estimation of primal cuts according to carcass grades. The coefficient of determination of the regression equation was 0.941 for grade 1+, 0.982 for grade 1, and 0.993 for grade 2. Regression equations obtained from this study are suitable for AutoFom III software, a useful tool for the analysis of each pig carcass grade in the Korean Pig Carcass Grade System. The high reliability of predicting the amount of primal cut with AutoFom III is advantageous for the management of slaughterhouses to optimize their product sorting in Korea.