Revised standards to allow for heavier pigs
UK - Given the move toward heavier pigs, it has been decided an agreed revision to carcase specification be brought forward and come into force from next month.
17 December 2003
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National
Pig Association  THE VOICE OF THE UK PIG INDUSTRY NPA is active on members' behalf in Brussels & White-hall, and with pro-cessors, supermarkets & caterers – fighting for the growth and pros-perity of the UK pig industry. |
Carcase grading
BPEX, in conjunction with MLC classification services, are investigating the feasibility of providing MLC carcase classification electronically to producers. This move follows a debate at the last BPEX meeting and subsequent discussion with members regarding the provision of independent pig carcase classification information.
The concept being investigated is to send automatically, via email, information currently collected by the MLC classification service that is currently available to producers on request. The proposal is to supply data in the form of a spreadsheet from those abattoirs where MLC Carcase Classification Services operate.
Clean Carcass Specification
Only carcasses which conform to the following specifications are eligible to carry the Quality Mark provided they conform in all other respects with the product specification.
Clause 30.3 of the BQAP standard will therefore read as follows:
| Weight Range (kg) | P2 Range (mm) | P1 & P3 Range (mm) |
| Less than 60 | 7 - 13 | 14 - 26 |
| 60.5 - 70 | 7 - 14 | 14 - 28 |
| 70.5 - 85 | 8 - 15 | 16 - 30 |
| 85.5 - 100* | 8 - 16 | 16 -32 |
| *Boars over 85kg and up to 100kg are acceptable subject to observance of EU legislation. | ||
Source: National Pig Association - 16th November 2003
