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Stock judging: finished pigs and pig carcase
When stock judging finished pigs, the points below should help you to understand what to look for.
Find out more about stock judging
What to look for in finished pigs
Remember
You are looking for a ‘brick on legs’ capable of producing top-quality meat for the consumer and providing a profit for the butcher
Pay more attention to the most expensive cuts, i.e. ham and loin, with less attention to the ‘cheap cuts’, i.e. shoulder and neck.
Look for a pig that is well balanced and appears healthy.
Finished pigs
Good |
Poor |
Light jowl |
Heavy jowl |
Good |
Poor |
Short and neat |
|
Good |
Poor |
Broad |
Too wide |
Neat and compact |
Soft to touch (fat) |
|
Unbalanced |
Good |
Poor |
Long |
Short |
Wide |
Narrow |
Slightly arched back |
Dipped back |
Good |
Poor |
Long |
Narrow |
Deep |
Short |
Full and firm |
Shallow |
|
Soft to touch (fat) |
Good |
Poor |
Deep |
Flat |
Full |
|
Wide |
|
Well-sprung |
|
Good |
Poor |
Well-rounded |
Soft to touch (fat) |
Firm |
Lacking fleshing |
Good fleshing development to the hocks |
|
Pig carcase
Conformation
Overall
Good |
Poor |
High proportion of meat to fat |
Low proportion of meat to fat |
Firm, white fat |
Yellow fat |
Bruised appearance |
Leg/ham
For pork pigs, refer to the ‘leg’ as in a leg of pork. For bacon pigs, refer to the ‘ham’.
Good |
Poor |
Well rounded with meat, not fat |
Sloping |
Round with fat, not meat |
Chump
Good |
Poor |
Convex |
Concave |
Loin
Good |
Poor |
Long |
Narrow |
Deep |
Short |
Full |
Shallow |
Shoulder
Good |
Poor |
Neat and compact |
Heavy |
Flat |
Useful links
Download our guide to stock judging
If you would like a hard copy of A guide to stock judging please contact publications@ahdb.org.uk or call 0247 799 0069.
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