New formulas and methods for classifying pig carcasses will come into effect from 2016

On Tuesday, December 15, the government approved the amendments developed by the Ministry of Agriculture to the Cabinet Regulation No. 307 of June 16, 2015 "Regulations on the Classification of Animal Carcasses", adopting the methods approved in the European Commission (EC) Implementing Decision of November 18, 2015 for the classification of pig carcasses in Latvia.

In Latvia, three new formulas were developed for the three existing methods of grading pig carcasses for determining the percentage of lean meat – with the equipment 'Pork Grader 200', intrascope (Optical Probe) and manual two-point ZP method (pig carcasses are graded manually using a ruler or caliper), as well as a formula was developed for a new grading method with the equipment 'OptiGrade-MCP'. In addition, a formula was developed for the two-point ZP method using an electronic data entry system connected to a computer program. This improved manual ZP method was developed in Latvia and can be used in slaughterhouses with an average annual slaughter capacity of 200 to 500 pigs per week. Currently, the existing manual two-point ZP method is allowed to be used in slaughterhouses with an average annual slaughtering capacity of 200 to 500 pigs per week.

In order for the newly developed formulas and the new method to be applied in Latvia, the EC has approved it and the new formulas and methods for classifying pig carcasses must be applied from January 1, 2016.

More information about the Cabinet of Ministers regulations is available On the Cabinet website.
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Information prepared by:
Dagnija Muceniece,
Head of the Press and Public Relations Department of the Ministry of Defence