Feeding for carcass value: Grading system implications

Posted in: Economics, Energy, Meat Quality, Pork Insight Articles by admin on June 5, 2017

The grading system is back on the pork industry agenda. With renewed interest in developing a national grading system, it is important to understand the attributes that could be included in the grading system and how it could influence carcass value. There are two main pillars to describe the carcass in all grading systems, Quantity being total lean or salable yield and quality. Carcass leanness is one of the outcomes considered in selection of energy and amino acid densities in diets. The Canadian Pork industry is already using some technologies to in efforts to improve carcass leanness and yield. In contrast, there has been less focus on methods to improve other aspects of pork quality. However, with ta new grading system on the horizon, introduction of new technologies may bring financial rewards for improving pork quality attributes. The pork industry already has the tools to improve quality through nutritional changes that have a direct financial cost. Besides providing appropriate levels of dietary levels of energy and amino acids to improve leanness, targeted supplementation of other nutrients can be used to improve pork quality. The adoption of nutrition strategies is however waiting for economic incentive. Focusing on individual animal needs, and when nutritional intervention would be cost effective will, however be a key to improving the bottom line in the pig barn.

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