Pig carcass grading in Czechia: seven methods for 60–120 kg carcasses — the new FOM II, updated formulas for ZP, the ultrasound IS-D-05 and the needle IS-D-15; the manual ZP method only in slaughterhouses killing up to 200 pigs a week
Commission Implementing Decision (EU) 2025/241, published on 10 February 2025, authorises seven methods for assessing the lean meat content of pig carcasses in Czechia and repeals Decision 2005/1/EC, which had authorised six. Fat-O-Meater II (FOM II) is new; updated formulas were approved for the Zwei-Punkte-Messverfahren, Ultra-sound IS-D-05 and Needle IS-D-15, while FOM, HGP 4 and Ultra FOM 300 remain. All formulas apply to carcasses weighing 60 to 120 kg.
- Manual methods and optical probes: ZP (ruler, measured on the split line) Y = 61.84184 − 0.46816·BF + 0.07998·MD, where BF is the minimum fat thickness including rind over the gluteus medius and MD the shortest distance from the cranial end of that muscle to the dorsal edge of the vertebral canal; FOM (6 mm probe, Siemens SFH 950/960 photodiode, range 3–103 mm, measured 6.5 cm off the midline between the second and third last ribs) Y = 70.28164 − 0.75376·S + 0.00270·M; HGP 4 (5.95 mm probe, 0–120 mm, 7 cm, between the third and fourth last ribs) Y = 69.11354 − 0.67804·S + 0.00432·M.
- Ultrasound: Ultra FOM 300 — 3.5 MHz probe, “P2” measurement 7 cm off the midline between the second and third last ribs, Y = 66.78382 − 0.80922·S + 0.04746·M; IS-D-05 — scanning with a set of 3 × 100 pulses at 4 MHz, BF and MD 7 cm off the dorsal midline, Y = 69.17386 − 0.83174·BF + 0.03530·MD. Needle probes: IS-D-15 — a needle inserted to about 140 mm with optics measuring reflected light and contactless depth measurement accurate to 46 µm, measured 7.5 cm off the midline, Y = 67.86508 − 0.74820·BF + 0.04786·MD; the new FOM II — optical probe with a knife, depth 0–125 mm, 6.5 cm, Y = 65.73183 − 0.75225·BF + 0.07957·MD.
- Carcass presentation (Article 2): carcasses without ears — hot carcass weight = weight without ears + 0.274 kg; with leaf fat — weight = 1.65651 + 0.96139 × weight with leaf fat; when both apply, the second formula is used and 0.274 kg added. The ZP method may be used only in slaughterhouses where the annual average weekly slaughter does not exceed 200 pigs. Any change to a method or instrument requires a Commission implementing decision.
- Basis for approval: Czechia presented in the protocol under Article 11(3) of Delegated Regulation (EU) 2017/1182 a description of the dissection trials and the equations. Under Annex V to that regulation the sample must comprise at least 120 carcasses (or 50 when dissection is combined with a national rapid method of proven at least equal accuracy), and a method is authorised when the RMSEP from full cross-validation or a test set of at least 60 carcasses is less than 2.5. Different carcass presentations in the test must not lead to differences in grading results.