Method of sorting beef carcasses
A method of sorting beef carcasses comprises determining the hot carcass weight and the Torso Section Thickness of a plurality of beef carcasses at a Standardized Location on the carcass torso; determining the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness of individual carcasses of the plurality of beef carcasses and, prior to processing of the carcasses into smaller portions, sorting the carcasses into a groups based on the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness. In another aspect, the sorting is carried out based on the lean point of the Torso Section of individual carcasses at a Standardized Location on the carcass torso of the plurality of beef carcasses.
1 . A method of sorting beef carcasses comprising:
a) determining the hot carcass weight of a plurality of beef carcasses; and
b) measuring a Torso Section Thickness of the plurality of beef carcasses at a Standardized Location on the carcass torso, the Torso Section Thickness being defined as a measurement of a distance from an outer surface of the beef carcasses to an abdominal cavity at the Standardized Location, and the Standardized Location being at a location between a first portion at (i) a point half of a distance from a spine to a sternum and (ii) the sternum and a second portion between a 5 th and a 13 th rib and having a subcutaneous fat thickness of less than about ½ inch; and
c) determining a ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness of individual carcasses of the plurality of beef carcasses; and
d) sorting the carcasses into a first sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is less than a first predetermined value and into a second sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value; and, thereafter,
e) processing the carcasses of the first sort group into smaller portions separately from the carcasses of the second sort group.
2 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the Standardized Location is within a defined area of about 25 square inches in size.
3 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the first predetermined value of the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is a value selected from about 0.003 cm/lbs to about 0.007 cm/lbs.
4 . The method of claim 1 , wherein sorting the carcasses further comprises sorting the carcasses into a third sort group, wherein the carcasses are sorted into the second sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value and less than or equal to a second predetermined value, and into the third sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is greater than the second predetermined value.
5 . The method of claim 4 , wherein the first predetermined value of the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is a value selected from about 0.002 cm/lbs to about 0.006 cm/lbs, and the second predetermined value of the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is a value selected from about 0.008 cm/lbs to about 0.01 cm/lbs.
6 . The method of claim 1 , wherein the carcasses of the first sort group are processed into the smaller portions and trim separately from the carcasses of the second sort group, such that a trim stream from the first sort group has a fat content of less than about 75%, and a trim stream from the second sort group has a fat content greater or equal to about 75%.
7 . The method of claim 4 , wherein after the sorting of the carcasses, the carcasses from the first sort group, the second sort group and the third sort group are processed into the smaller portions and trim separately from the carcasses of each of the other sort groups.
8 . The method of claim 4 , wherein after the sorting of the carcasses, the carcasses from the first sort group, the second sort group and the third sort group are processed into the smaller portions and trim separately from the carcasses of each of the other sort groups, such that a trim stream from the first sort group has a lean content of less than about 65%, a trim stream from the second sort group has a lean content greater than or equal to about 65% and less than or equal to about 75%, and a trim stream from the third sort group has a lean content greater than about 75%.
9 . A method of sorting beef carcasses comprising:
a) determining the hot carcass weight of a plurality of beef carcasses; and
b) measuring a Torso Section Thickness of the plurality of beef carcasses at a Standardized Location on the carcass torso, the Torso Section Thickness being defined as a measurement of a distance from an outer surface of the beef carcasses to an abdominal cavity at the Standardized Location, and the Standard Location being at a location comprising the Cutaneous trunci muscle between a first portion at (i) a point two-thirds of a distance from a spine to a sternum and (ii) a point four-fifths of a distance from the spine to the sternum, and a second portion between a 5 th rib and a 13 th rib; and
c) determining a ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness of individual carcasses of the plurality of beef carcasses; and
d) sorting the carcasses into a first sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is less than a first predetermined value and into a second sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value; and, thereafter,
e) processing the carcasses of the first sort group into smaller portions separately from the carcasses of the second sort group.
10 . The method of claim 9 , wherein sorting the carcasses further comprises sorting the carcasses into a third sort group, wherein the carcasses are sorted into the second sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value and less than or equal to a second predetermined value, and into the third sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is greater than the second predetermined value.
11 . A method of sorting beef carcasses comprising:
a) determining the hot carcass weight of a plurality of beef carcasses; and
b) measuring a Torso Section Thickness of the plurality of beef carcasses at a Standardized Location on the carcass torso, the Torso Section Thickness being defined as a measurement of a distance from an outer surface of the beef carcasses to an abdominal cavity at the Standardized Location, and the Standardized Location being at a location between a first portion at (i) a point half of a distance from a spine to a sternum and (ii) the sternum and a second portion between a 5 th and a 13 th rib and having a subcutaneous fat thickness of less than about ½ inch; and
c) determining a ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness of individual carcasses of the plurality of beef carcasses; and
d) sorting the carcasses into a first sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is less than a first predetermined value and into a second sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value; and, thereafter,
e) chilling the carcasses of the first sort group in one or more chilling areas that are separate from one or more chilling areas of the second sort group.
12 . The method of claim 11 , wherein the carcasses from the first sort group are chilled for a chill time that is different from a chill time of the second sort group.
13 . The method of claim 11 , wherein sorting the carcasses further comprises sorting the carcasses into a third sort group, wherein the carcasses are sorted into the second sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value and less than or equal to a second predetermined value, and into the third sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is greater than the second predetermined value, wherein after the sorting of the carcasses, the carcasses from the first sort group, the second sort group and the third sort group are chilled in one or more chilling areas that are separate from one or more chilling areas of each of the other sort groups.
14 . The method of claim 13 , wherein after the sorting of the carcasses, the carcasses from the first sort group, the second sort group and the third sort group are chilled for a chill time that is different from a chill time of each of the other sort groups.
15 . A method of sorting beef carcasses comprising:
a) determining the hot carcass weight of a plurality of beef carcasses; and
b) measuring a Torso Section Thickness of the plurality of beef carcasses at a Standardized Location on the carcass torso, the Torso Section Thickness being defined as a measurement of a distance from an outer surface of the beef carcasses to an abdominal cavity at the Standardized Location, and the Standard Location being at a location comprising the Cutaneous trunci muscle between a first portion at (i) a point two-thirds of a distance from a spine to a sternum and (ii) a point four-fifths of a distance from the spine to the sternum, and a second portion between a 5 th rib and a 13 th rib; and
c) determining a ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness of individual carcasses of the plurality of beef carcasses; and
d) sorting the carcasses into a first sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is less than a first predetermined value and into a second sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is equal to or greater than the first predetermined value; and, thereafter,
e) chilling the carcasses of the first sort group in one or more chilling areas that are separate from one or more chilling areas of the second sort group.
16 . The method of claim 15 , wherein the carcasses from the first sort group are chilled for a chill time that is different from a chill time of the second sort group.
17 . The method of claim 15 , wherein sorting the carcasses further comprises sorting the carcasses into a third sort group, wherein the carcasses are sorted into the second sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is greater than or equal to the first predetermined value and less than or equal to a second predetermined value, and into the third sort group if the ratio of hot carcass weight to Torso Section Thickness is greater than the second predetermined value, wherein after the sorting of the carcasses, the carcasses from the first sort group, the second sort group and the third sort group are chilled in one or more chilling areas that are separate from one or more chilling areas of each of the other sort groups.
18 . The method of claim 17 , wherein after the sorting of the carcasses, the carcasses from the first sort group, the second sort group and the third sort group are chilled for a chill time that is different from a chill time of each of the other sort groups.