Grading system improves quality and margins
The combination of intense competition in the meat industry , rising input costs and increasingly stringent retailer and consumer quality requirements means pig processors need to maximise the yield from every carcase .
According to food and drink IT specialist CSB-System , this has resulted in strong demand for its Image-Meater ® industrial vision device , which automates pig carcase grading . The company says the system delivers an objective result which can be used to accurately calculate the market value .
Offering a grading speed of up to 1,300 pig carcases per hour , the CSB Image- Meater ® uses proprietary software to identify and measure key muscle and fat cross sections from a photographic image and calculate the grading results according to a verified formula . Image-Meater ® displays and records the SEUROP grade , lean meat percentage ( LMP ) of the carcase - and the weight , percentage and LMP of key primals within the carcase .
As well as providing an accurate assessment of the grade and market value of carcases at the abattoir , the Image-Meater ® can also be used downstream for sorting carcases to optimise yields . According to CSB , this has delivered gains of around two Euros per pig .
“ In competitive markets , maximising yields while maintaining quality is vital ,” said Mathew Simpson of CSB-System . “ Image- Meater ’ s software driven solution delivers highly consistent results , as the error prone job of accurate probe placement is eliminated – along with the risk of repetitive strain injuries . And manual data recording can be removed so the results are more reliable as well as more accurate .”
36 FDPP - www . fdpp . co . uk
As well as providing an accurate assessment of the grade and market value of carcases at the abattoir , the Image- Meater ® can also be used downstream for sorting carcases to optimise yields .
All of the information from the classification process is automatically archived and can be reproduced in customisable reports . This includes the photograph , lean meat content , grade , date , grader code , slaughter line number and date of slaughter . This gives both farmer and processor end-to-end traceability and transparency .
The Image-Meater ’ s compact dimensions mean it can easily be integrated into most slaughter lines . It ’ s non-invasive measurement process ensures maximum hygiene , and the low-maintenance system means near-zero downtime . CSB says return on investment for carcase sorting and cutting optimisation projects can be less than one year .
The Image-Meater ® has been installed in factories across Europe and beyond , including Belgium , China , France , Italy , Portugal , Spain and the UK .
www . csb . com