The Equation for Prediction of Lean Meat Percentage by Hennessy Grading Probe in Croatia

• Published in: Agriculturae Conspectus Scientificus Vol. 76; no. 4; p. 329
• Main Authors: Maltar, Zlata, Petričević, Antun, Radišić, Žarko, Lukić, Boris, Đurkin, Ivona, Kušec, Goran
• Format: Paper
• Language: English
• Published: Agronomski fakultet Zagreb 04.10.2011
• Subjects: HGP probe; lean meat percentage; pigs; prediction
• ISSN: 1331-7768; 1331-7776

The dissection experiment was carried out on 120 swine carcasses slaughtered in several Croatian slaughterhouses. The carcasses were selected on the basis of rather large sample of backfat measurements obtained by method for lean percentage prediction approved in Croatia, regardless of the carcass weight. After 24 hours of cooling, left sides of the carcasses were dissected according to EU reference methods (Commission Regulation No 3127/94; Walstra and Merkus, 1996). Dissected lean percentage was assessed according to the Commission Regulation (EC) No 1249/2008. The aim of the present study was to construct a formula for online classification of the pig carcasses by Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP), an approved referent device in Republic of Croatia. The formula for HGP device was assessed according to the prediction ability i.e. the standard error of prediction-RMSEP (root mean square error of prediction) that is estimated using cross-validation “leave-one-out”. The obtained equation was: M% = 59.603676 - 0.864 * S + 0.192 * M, having RMSEP 2.21 that is satisfactory according to European regulations. Mean values of the fat depth and muscle thickness in the data set used for the construction of the formula was 16.41 ± 4.11 mm and 61.19 ± 9.05 mm, respectively. Mean lean percentage obtained by dissection was 57.17 ± 4.86% that did not differ statistically from the lean percentage estimated by the formula which was 57.72 ± 4.38%.