S.I. No. 216/1994 - European Communities (Pig Carcase (Grading)) (Amendment) Regulations, 1994.

1. Grading of pig carcases is carried out by means of the method termed "Introscope/midline".

2. The Introscope shall be equipped with a hexagonal shaped probe of a maximum width of 12 millimetres (and of 19 millimetres at the blade on top of the probe) containing a viewing window and light source, a sliding barrel calibrated in millimetres and having an operating distance of between 8 and 50 millimetres.

3. The lean meat content of the carcase shall be calculated according the following formula

y

=

67.57- 0.459x

1

+ 0.310x2

Where

y

=

the estimated percentage of lean meat in the carcase,

x

1

=

the thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres, measured 6 centimetres off the midline of the split carcase between the third and fourth last ribs,

x

2

=

the minimum thickness of backfat (including rind) in millimetres, measured on the midline of the split carcase covering the lumbar muscle (M: glutaeus medius).

This formula shall be valid for carcases weighing between 40 and 100 kilograms."

GIVEN under my Official Seal, this 14th day of July, 1994.

JOE WALSH,

Minister for Agriculture, Food

and Forestry.

EXPLANATORY NOTE.

These Regulations replace Annex II of the Pig Carcase (Grading) Regulations, 1988 by a new Annex, putting in place a new set of formulae for calculating the lean meat percentage of pig carcases.

The Regulations also amend the definition of "pig carcase" as laid down in the Pig Carcase (Grading) Regulations, 1988, by the exclusion of flare fat, kidneys and diaphragm.

4. Regulation 5 of the Principal Regulations is hereby revoked.

5. Regulation 6 of the Principal Regulations is hereby amended by the substitution for "Annex II" of "the Annex".

6. The Principal Regulations are hereby amended by the substitution for Annex I and Annex II (inserted by the (No. 2) Regulations of 1993) of the following Annex

"Annex

Methods for Grading Pig Carcases in Ireland

Part I

Fat-O-Meater (FOM)

S.I. No. 216 of 1994.

EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES (PIG CARCASE (GRADING)) (AMENDMENT) REGULATIONS, 1994.

I, JOE WALSH, Minister for Agriculture, Food and Forestry, in exercise of the powers conferred on me by

section 3

of the

European Communities Act, 1972

(No. 27 of 1972), and for the purpose of giving effect to Commission Decision 87/293/EEC of 18 May 1987,

(1)

as amended by Commission Decision 89/52 EEC of 21 December 1988,

(2)

Commission Decision 93/320/EEC of 6 May 1993,

(3)

and by Commission Decision 94/362/EC of 20 June 1994,

(4)

and Council Regulation (EEC) No. 3220/84 of 13 November 1984,

(5)

as amended by Council Regulation (EC) No. 3513/93 of 14 December 1993,

(6)

hereby make the following Regulations

(1)

O.J. No. L146, 6-6-1987, p66.

(2)

O.J. No. L20, 25-1-1989, p33.

(3)

O.J. No. L123, 19-5-1993, p34.

(4)

O.J. No. L159, 28-6-1994, p61.

(5)

O.J. No. L301, 20-11-1984, p1.

(6)

O.J. No. L320, 22-12-1993, p5.