Frank Wood

Frank Wood, hog procurement manager for Conestoga Meat Packers Ltd., says the data seen in his plant has been fairly consistent.There was a noticeable spike in loin eye area in 2003 then it came back down again."We have gone through periods with spikes both up and down that appear to be associated with periods of circo, extreme weather changes and poor corn," he says.

Wood says he reviews this data on a monthly basis and also has a few producers that monitor it and alert him to any abrupt changes.If something strange shows up, there is a set of procedures that he follows in order to find out why.The first step is to check the probes, the techniques and the graders on the plant floor.

Wood explains that in a plant like Conestoga's, which only processes 300 pigs per hour, it is easier to do a visual examination of the carcasses than in larger plants with more animals going through the line at a faster rate.Conestoga works directly with the Ontario Pork Grading Authority to ensure that the grading is being done correctly.

Wood then looks at the ratio of gilts to barrows.
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Wood also considers various factors, including feed quality, animal health and weather to determine why the size of the loin might be higher or lower.He points out that there is a degree of seasonality to loin size."Year over year, muscle and fat levels seem to rise and fall at the same time every year," he says.He can tell when the pigs start eating new corn in the fall, as they tend to deposit more fat and less lean.In the summer, Wood sees bigger loins than in mid- winter.Loin sizes dip slightly in May and again in December. Health can also have a huge impact, Wood agrees.If disease hits young animals it affects their whole growth cycle.

If Wood sees a problem with one producer's animals in the plant, he first rules out any possible grading issues.If the yield is not great, Wood says he then invites the producer, genetics supplier and feed supplier in to work together and sort out the problem.If the problem is bigger than just one producer, Wood consults other industry people to try and identify what is happening.

Wood cautions against trying to pick one specific factor as being the cause of loin eye variations."It is so complex, I can't see anyone saying it is just one thing," he notes.Even farms that have a lot of labour changes can see an effect on loin eye.It takes time for new employees to learn when they start a new job and this can have an impact.In one example, Wood cites three barns finishing pigs from the same source.The pigs from two of the barns were putting pigs out with average loin size of 64 or 65 millimetres, while the pigs from the other barn were coming out at 56 millimetres.The difference was obviously not caused by genetics, but was a management problem, he notes.

Frank Wood, hog procurement manager for Conestoga Meat Packers, concurs.Damage done by the probe has not been an issue, he says.
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Before switching, Wood would have to be convinced that ultrasound would be fast enough, reliable, cost effective and easy to service.

Frank Wood, Conestoga Meat Packers Ltd.