Swine Extension Program

Recommended Carcass Standards for Montana

by Wayne F. Gipp

Genetic evaluation programs often adjust data to a common animal weight, age or other end-point. Carcass evaluation events or programs are generally designed to determine the value (or rank) of carcasses as they hang at the time of slaughter. Therefore, carcasses are not adjusted to a common weight in carcass contests or for carcass evaluation at commercial plants associated with determination of payment price.

A. Minimum Contest Standards

It is desirable to establish a set of minimum standards that each carcass must meet in order to avoid disqualification. Comparing carcasses of uniform weight is more accurate than comparing carcasses widely divergent in weight. Additionally, some carcasses may be too extreme in weight, fatness, or amount of muscle to be acceptable for available markets. These minimum standards are different from a more rigorous set of standards (such as those for the Montana SOE Program) that carcasses must meet in order to receive special recognition.

Establishing criteria and standards is somewhat arbitrary. The following market hog standards are believed to represent criteria and values that would make hogs unsaleable or result in severe discounts in normal markets available for Montana producers. Officials for each county event are responsible for establishing minimum standards. However, it is recommended that animals or carcasses not meeting any of the qualification standards listed below be removed from consideration in the final ranking.

Carcasses should meet the following minimum standards:

Evaluated using procedures presented in "Pork Composition & Quality Assessment Procedures," 2000, NPPC.

B. Montana Swine Symbol of Excellence (SOE) Standards

The Montana SOE Program is a joint program of Montana State University and Montana Pork Producers Council. The program recognizes youth (and producers providing pigs to youth) that have raised a market hog that yields a high quality carcass meeting the SOE Standards. The standards are designed to identify ideal carcasses in high demand by markets available to Montana producers.

Carcasses must meet the following SOE standards:

Evaluated using procedures presented in "Pork Composition & Quality Assessment Procedures," 2000, NPPC.

NOTE: The evaluation procedures, Fat Free Lean Equations, photos and Quality Standards in this factsheet were adapted with permission from "Pork Composition & Quality Assessment Procedures," published in 2000 by National Pork Producers Council, Des Moines, Iowa.