PORK CHAIN QUALITY AUDIT SURVEY: QUANTIFICATION OF PORK QUALITY CHARACTERISTICS¹

Abstract

ABSTRACT As part of the Pork Chain Quality Audit, pork manufacturing companies were surveyed to identify and quantify factors influencing pork quality. Surveys were designed to evaluate the quality of pork at the slaughter and fabrication segments of the chain. Meat firms provided information based on 57% of the 88 million barrows and gilts slaughtered in federally inspected plants in 1992. All major hog‐producing areas of the U.S. were represented. Results of the survey indicated that the primary concerns about the quality of pork at the packing level were: (1) excessive fat; (2) inadequate muscle‐color/water‐holding‐capacity; (3) inconsistent live weights; (4) too many abscesses; and (5) excessive bruising. The results of the survey were used to determine costs associated with quality deficiencies. It was determined that $10.10 or approximately 10% of the live‐animal value is lost per slaughter barrow/gilt due to quality nonconformities.