PIG CARCASS EVALUATION BY SAMPLING - AN A LTERNATIVE APPROACH

An alternative approach for pig carcass evaluation is presented in thi s paper based on sampling techniques. Such sampling procedures are gen erally used in the quality control of foods providing consistent and u nbiased estimates for finite populations (lots) with respect to the ch aracteristic studied. Carcasses derived from any pig producer will be taken as a lot. The elaboration and general acceptance of a rather sim ple and rapid referee method (substitute reference method) for the ass essment of the lean meat content of carcasses is an indispensable cond ition to introduce such sampling techniques. Moreover, these estimates may be very precise if the sample size is sufficiently large and if r ation estimates are used instead of ''mean per unit'' estimates. Simpl e random, stratified random, two-stage and systematic sampling methods are briefly discussed showing the priority of the stratified sampling size. The selection of individual carcasses as sample units should be regulated with a computer system at the big slaughterhouses.