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Title / Classify and grade pig carcasses
Level / 4 / Credits / 20
Purpose / This unit standard is for experienced people who are required to grade meat carcasses in a meat processing operation.
People credited with this unit standard are able todetermine probable quality status, calculate lean meat yield,assess, and grade pig carcasses in a meat processing operation.
Classification / Meat Processing > Meat Quality
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to – Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Animal Products Act 1999.
2Resource documents include but are not limited to –NewZealand Pork Industry Board PQIP 03 Standard for pig killing plants for pork & bacon weight pigs, available from the New Zealand Pork Industry Board at
3Definitions
Organisational requirements – instructions to staff on policies and procedures that are documented in memo, electronic, or manual format and available in the workplace.
Company specifications – product specifications set by the company relating to cuts, weights, presentation, and packaging.
Customer specifications – product specifications set by clients relating to cuts, weights, presentation, and packaging.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Determine probable quality status and calculate lean meat yield of pig carcasses in a meat processing operation.
Evidence requirements
1.1The Pale Soft Exudative (PSE) is identified using a reflectance meter and/or a pH meter.
Rangemeasurement window, suspect PSE.
1.2The lean meat yield for a pig carcass is calculatedusing areflectance meter.
Outcome 2
Assess pig carcasses in a meat processing operation.
Evidence requirements
2.1Dressing faults caused by mechanical and operator error are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.
2.2Downgradable conditions are identified in accordance with organisational and statutory requirements.
2.3Disease indicator tags are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.
2.4Company procedure identification tags are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.
2.5Fat depth measurement is taken at the site in accordance with organisational requirements and company specifications.
2.6Fat depth probes are used and read in accordance with organisational requirements and company specifications.
2.7Pig carcasses are identified as meeting company muscling specification classifications in accordance with organisational requirements.
2.8Pig carcasses that do not meet company specifications are identified and reported in accordance with organisational requirements.
2.9The total fat content of carcasses is visually assessed in accordance with organisational requirements or company specifications.
2.10Pig carcasses are classified into age categories in accordance with company specifications.
2.11Pig carcasses are classified into sex categories in accordance with company specifications.
Rangesex categories include – boars, sows, gilts.
2.12Probable quality status is assessed using grading implements in accordance with organisational requirements.
Rangegrading implements may include but are not limited to – intrascope, rule, reflectance meter, hennessy probe, greville probe.
Outcome 3
Grade pig carcasses in a meat processing operation.
Performance criteria
3.1Pig carcasses are graded by weight and fat depth in accordance with company and customer specifications.
Rangegrading includes but is not limited to – weight code, fat depth, Z class, defect, damage, market identification.
3.2Damaged pig carcasses are downgraded in accordance with company specifications.
3.3Graded pig carcasses meet company or customer specifications and statutory requirements for grading accuracy.
3.4Graded pig carcasses are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.
3.5Records of graded pig carcasses are maintained in accordance with organisational requirements.
3.6Grading speed meets company processing requirements.
3.7Graded pig carcasses are dispatched for chilling in accordance with organisational and statutory requirements.
Replacement information / This unit standard replaced unit standard 16472 and unit standard 16473.Planned review date / 31 December 2019
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for AssessmentRegistration / 1 / 27 January 2015 / N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0033
This CMR can be accessed at
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Primary Industry Training you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Primary Industry Training OrganisationCode101558 / New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2018