Objektiv klassifisering av slakt

In Norway, sheep, cattle and pigs are slaughtered annually with a total slaughter weight of approx. 240 thousand tonnes (45 kg per capita), with a first-hand value of around NOK 9 billion. All carcasses, i.e. without skin, head and entrails, are graded by certified personnel. In the project OBKLAS = «OBjective CLASsification», efforts are undertaken in order to develop objective, i.e. not discretionary and verifiable methods for carcass grading. The main purpose of carcass grading is the basis for the monetary settlement between the slaughterhouse and the farmer. In addition, grading results are important in order to achive an optimal utilization of the carcasses when they are commodified to sale items. Finally, carcass grading serves as valuable feedback for breeding work in livestock populations. OBKLAS has two main goals; (i) The carcass grading of pork, beef and lamb shall be improved and (ii) the extent to which grading reflects the real commercial value of the carcass is to be evaluated. Carcass grading in Norway takes place in accordance with EU rules, the so-called EUROP system. Cattle and sheep are assessed on two scales, one for conformity (shape) and one for fat group (fatness), while pigs are given one grade; lean meat percentage (LMP). Improvements in carcass grading might be achieved in at least three different ways; (i) objectivity, (ii) cost-saving and (iii) increased precision. Preferably these effects will occur simultaneously. It is an independent objective that the methodology is made objective. This is an advantage for the farmers who deliver slaughter, for fair distribution/ competition for raw material (carcasses) among the slaughterhouses, as well as equal assessment of slaughter nationally and internationally. The main findings of the OBKLAS project are that: - The EUROP class for cattle can be set precisely, objectively and with low investment costs using a laser instrument for measuring the length of the carcases. - The value/ yield of cattle slaughter can largely be predicted based on the classification. - The value/yield of pig slaughter is also largely explained by the classification if the yield is assessed as proportions of the tissue types meat, fat and bone. The classification that has traditionally been used in Norway, using an optical probe, however, gives little to negligible information regarding the proportions of the main cut commercial cuts shoulder, loin, belly and ham, cuts that vary significantly in price/value per kilo, and which in themselves are important merchandise. - Both cattle and pigs are divided into different breeds. Ideally, both the carcase grading and the yield, under assumption that grading is known, should be unaffected by breed. Through the project, it has been shown that this is not the case, neither when it comes to cattle nor pigs. - For pigs, a completely new method was developed to determine breed combination based on DNA analysis under the auspices of the OBKLAS project. This method proved important both for performing yield analyzes in pigs in the OBKLAS project, but which also has potentially significant value beyond the OBKLAS project. In the project, work has been done regarding cattle and pigs, but not sheep. The major topic has been to evaluate to which extent the meat yield of slaughtered cattle and pigs can be predicted based on the carcase grading. In that context, decisive emphasis has been placed on how (meat) yield should be defined. Many definitions are possible, in the project the emphasis has been on finding expressions for yield that are complex enough to capture variation both in tissue types, i.e., meat, fat and bone, and quality within the tissue types. For cattle, the slaughter yield was defined as weight proportions of i) steaks and fillets, ii) 5% trimmings (5 % fat), iii) 14% trimmings, iv) 21% trimmings, v) fat and vi) bones and waste. For pigs, a slightly different definition was applied, where the tissue types i) meat, ii) fat and iii) bone and waste in the entire carcase, as well as proportions of the main cuts iv) shoulder, v) loin, vi) belly and vii) ham were used to define the yield. This definition was used since the four main cuts are important merchandise by themselves with substantial variations in value, i.e., price per kilo. The main source of the data that was worked with is data from Animalia's pilot plant, where slaughter of cattle, pigs and sheep is conducted in a similar way to larger slaughterhouses, but where the weight and content of the various products are carefully recorded. This provides a basis for defining yields as outlined above for single carcases. The analyzes have been carried out by combining this data with classification data from the slaughterhouses, as well as breed data from DNA.

I prosjektet ble det vist at klassifisering av EUROP klasse, men ikke EUROP fettgruppe for storfe kan gjøres effektivt, objektivt og presist ved hjelp av laser lengdemåling. Dette har en direkte nytte for næringslivet siden denne klassifiseringsmetoden nå benyttes på alle norske slakterier. Andrew Heggli har innlevert sin PhD avhandling i løpet av prosjektet, noe som bidrar til viktig kompetanseutvikling hos Animalia. Gjennom prosjektet har man styrket koblingen mellom Animalia og Fakultet for Kjemi-, Miljø og Biovitenskap (KBM) ved Norges Miljø og Biovitenskapelige Universitet. Dette er viktig både for Animalia, men også for KBM som har økt sin kompetanse innenfor kjøttvitenskap. Kjøtt er fremdeles et svært viktig næringsmiddel. For bønder og slakteri har prosjektet tilført viktig kunnskap ved at slakt kan utnyttes bedre på slakteriet, og at man har fått dokumentert sammenhengen mellom verdien på produktet bøndene leverer (slakt) og verdifastsettelsen (klassifisering).

Klassifiseringen av slakt har to hovedhensikter, det skal tjene som grunnlag for (1) det merkantile oppgjøret mellom produsent og slakteri og (2) hvordan slaktet best kan videreforedles. Animalia har, de senere årene, vært med å utvikle objektive metoder for klassifisering av slakt av storfe, rein og sau. Prosjektet skal øke presisjonen i klassifiseringen, styrke tilliten til resultatene for både slakteri og produsent (bonde), samt å redusere kostnader. De objektive klassifiseringsmetodene skal tilfredsstille EU sine krav til presisjon. For storfe (og rein) settes den objektive klassen ut fra slaktets vekt og lengde, samt andre kjente opplysninger om slaktet slik som kjønn, alder og rase. For fettmålingene hos storfe er et operatørstyrt system basert på mikrobølgeteknologi under utvikling. For sau har prosjektet MeatCrafter utviklet et helautomatisk instrument som bestemmer klasse og fettgruppe. Evaluering av instrumentets presisjon og stabilitet er en viktig del av OBKLAS. I Norge benyttes det optiske instrumentet GP7, operert av en sertifisert klassifisør, til fastsettelse av kjøttprosent (klasse) hos gris. Høsten 2019 har en Autofom blitt installert hos slakteriet Fatland Oslo. Autofom er det foretrukne klassifiseringsinstrumentet for griseslakt i store Europeiske slakterier. Evaluering av presisjon for Autofom og MeatCrafter er en sentral del av OBKLAS. For alle artene skal klassifiseringen gjenspeile de reelle verdiene. Klassifiseringsresultater skal evalueres mot resultatene fra Animalia sin skjæreavdeling som med mye høyere nøyaktighet viser slaktenes reelle verdi.