4.6. Implementation of the new formulas
In February 2008, considering that all statistical requirements were
met, EC approved the use of the OGP and FOM equipment for grading
pig carcasses in Romania,with the prediction equations and assessment
methods related thereto (Commission Decision 2008/169/EC). The
Romanian Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development transposed
the EC decision into the national legislation (Ordinul 460 din 17 iunie
2008 al Ministrului Agriculturii şi Dezvoltării Rurale). The compulsory
use of the new OGP and FOM prediction equations officially started on
21 August 2008.
Fig. 7 shows the historical evolution of the lean meat content predictedwith
the two classification devices used on the Romanian market,
before and after the implementation of the prediction equations
resulting from the dissection experiment for the calibration of the
devices.
The application of the newprediction equations reduced the gap between
the lean meat percentage measured with the OGP and FOM
probes, from 2.43% (average for the period Q3/2006–Q2/2008) to
0.10% (average for the period Q3/2008–Q4/2014), providing the basis
for a fair payment system between slaughterhouses classifying with
the two different devices.
5. Conclusions
It can be concluded that the calibration of the two probes fulfilled the
requirements for the EUlegislation.Moreover, there is a standardization
of the two optical grading probes for the determination of lean meat
percentage that would allow a fair payment to the producers, independently
on the probe used for the classification of the carcasses.
Acknowledgment
This work was supported by the strategic grant POSDRU/159/1.5/S/
133255, Project ID 133255 (2014), co-financed by the European Social
Fund within the Sectorial Operational Program Human Resources Development
2007–2013.
The authors thankMr. Valentin Diaconu, Romanian Carcass Classification
Association, for valuable information provided for this
manuscript.