S.I. No. 313/1993 - European Communities (Pig Carcase (Grading)) (Amendment) Regulations, 1993.

S.I. No. 313 of 1993.

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (PIG CARCASE (GRADING)) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1993.

I, JOE WALSH, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by section 3 of the European Communities Act, 1972 (No. 27 of 1972), and for the purpose of giving effect to Commission Decision 87/293/EEC of 18 May 1987,⁽¹⁾ as amended by Commission Decision 89/52 EEC of 21 December 1988⁽²⁾ and by Commission Decision 93/320/EEC of 6 May 1993,⁽³⁾ hereby make the following Regulations:

1. (1) These Regulations may be cited as the European Communities (Pig Carcase (Grading)) (Amendment) Regulations, 1993, and shall come into operation on the 1st day of January, 1994.

(2) The Principal Regulations and these Regulations may be cited together as the European Communities (Pig Carcase (Grading)) Regulations, 1988 and 1993.

2. In these Regulations "the Principal Regulations" means the Pig Carcase (Grading) Regulations, 1988 ( S.I. No. 365 of 1988 ).

3. Regulation 3 (1) of the Principal Regulations is hereby amended by the substitution for the definition of "the Commission Decision" of the following definition:

"the Commission Decision" means Commission Decision 87/293/EEC of 18 May 1987 as amended by Commission Decision 89/52 EEC of 21 December 1988 and Commission Decision 93/320/EEC of 6 May 1993;"

4. The Principal Regulations are hereby amended by the substitution of the following Annex for Annex II:

⁽¹⁾ O.J. No. 146, 6-6-1987, P66.

⁽²⁾ O.J. No. 20, 25-1-1989, P33.

⁽³⁾ O.J. No. 123 19-5-1993 P34.

"Annex II

Methods for Grading Pig Carcases in Ireland

Part I

Fat-O-Meater (FOM)

1. Grading of pig carcases is carried out by means of the apparatus termed "fat-O-Meater (FOM)".

2. The apparatus shall be equipped with a probe of 6 millimetres diameter containing a photodiode of the Siemens SFH 950/960 type and having an operating distance of between 5 and 105 millimetres. The results of the measurements shall be converted into the estimated lean meat content by means of a computer.

3. The lean meat content of the carcase shall be calculated according to the following formula:

y =	56,96 - 1,4976 x₁ + 0,0233 x₂ + 0,2714 x₃ where
y =	the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcase,
X ^₁₌	the thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres, measured 6 centimetres off the midline of the split carcase between the third and fourth last ribs,
X ₂₌	X₁2
X ₃ =	the thickness of muscle in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the sample place as x ₁

This formula shall be valid for carcases weighing between 40 and 100 kilograms.

Part II

Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP 2)

1. Grading of pig carcases is carried out by means of the apparatus termed "Hennessy Grading Probe (HGP2)".

2. The apparatus shall be equipped with a probe of 5.95 millimetres diameter (and of 6.3 millimetres at the blade on top of the probe) containing a photodiode (siemens LED of the type LYU 260 — EO and photodetector of the type 58 MR) and having an operating distance of between 0 and 120 millimetres. The results of the measurements shall be transformed in terms of estimated lean meat content by means of the HGP 2 itself as well as a computer linked to it.

3. The lean meat content of the carcase shall be calculated according to the following formula:

y =	53,25 - 1,2398 x₁ + 0,0139 x₂ + 0,3145 x₃
y =	the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcase,
x₁ =	the thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres, measured 6 centimetres off the midline of the split carcase between the third and fourth last ribs,
x₂ =	x₁²,
x₃ =	the thickness of muscle in millimetres, measured at the same time and in the sample place as x₁

This formula shall be valid for carcases weighing between 40 and 100 kilograms.

Part III

Introscope/midline

1. Grading of pig carcases is carried out by means of the method termed "Introscope/midline".

2. The Introscope shall be equipped with a hexagonal shaped probe of a maximum width of 12 millimetres (and of 19 millimetres at the blade on top of the probe) containing a viewing window and light source, a sliding barrel calibrated in millimetres and having a operating distance of between 8 and 50 millimetres.

3. The lean meat content of the carcase shall be calculated according the following formula:

y =	68,84 — 0,7995 x₁ + 0,0092 x₂ — 0,2728 x₃ where
y =	the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcase,
x₁ =	the thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres, measured 6 centimetres off the midline of the split carcase between the third and fourth last ribs,
x₂ =	x₁² ,
x₃ =	the minimum thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres, measured on the midline of the split carcase covering the lumbar muscle (M: glutaeus medius).

This formula shall be valid for carcases weighing between 40 and 100 kilograms."

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 20th day of October, 1993.

JOE WALSH,

Minister for Agriculture, Food

and Forestry.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations implement EC Regulations on the grading of pig carcases at slaughter plants.

They replace Annex II of the Pig Carcase (Grading) Regulation 1988 by a new Annex II, thus putting in place a new set of formulae for calculating the lean meat percentage of pig carcases.