Comparison of pig classification using Fat-O-Meater in Slovakia

Pig carcass classification is based on instrumental prediction of lean meat content and application of the common SEUROP scale. Each member country uses an authorised apparatus with respective regression equation to predict the lean meat content. These equations may differ between countries since they are calculated on different populations. Differences in equations may lead to different predictions of lean meat content. In Slovakia, a significant portion of slaughtered fatteners come from abroad, especially from the Czech Republic and Hungary. Since the same apparatus is approved in neighbouring countries, our study was aimed on the Fat-O-Meater and the comparison of lean meat prediction using three equations from neighbouring countries. Overall, the Slovak equation overestimated the lean meat content by 2.1% compared to the equation from Czech Republic and 2.56% compared to the equation from Hungary. Higher differences were observed in the R, O, P classes and lower differences were observed in the S, E, U classes when individual classes were considered. Different predicted lean meat content led to different carcass distribution over the SEUROP classes. Most visible changes were in the S and E classes. These changes suggest that the inclusion of carcasses from different suppliers should be considered in the authorisation trial.