Livestock Grading
Livestock Grading- Korea Institute for Animal Products Quality Evaluation has established a grading system for indicating the quality of a livestock product, including eggs, the carcasses of cattle, swine, horses, and poultry (slaughtered, with head and entrails removed), and chicken parts, to improve the quality and distribution of livestock products, and promote livestock enhancement (Paragraph 1 of Article 35 of the Livestock Industry Act and Article 38 of the Enforcement Regulations of the Livestock Industry Act).
Grading of Beef Carcasses- Beef carcasses are divided according to meat quality into the 5 grades of 1++, 1+, 1, 2, and 3, and by meat quantity into the 3 grades of A, B, and C. Meat quality/quantity grades are indicated together (Paragraph 1 of Article 4 and Paragraph 1 and Article 5 of the Detailed Standards of Livestock Product Grading).
- The standards for the final grading of beef carcasses by meat quality can be found in Attached Table 3 of the Detailed Standards of Livestock Product Grading.
Grading of Pork Carcasses- In the grading of pork carcasses, only hot-carcass grading is used. However, cold-carcass grading by meat quality can be allowed for purposes such as the improvement of breeding pigs or academic research (Paragraph 1 of Article 8 of the Detailed Standards of Livestock Product Grading).
- Based on the result of grading, a grade of 1+, 1, or 2 is indicated on the pork carcass. "Substandard" is indicated on a pork carcass found to be substandard (Article 13 of the Detailed Standards of Livestock Product Grading).
Grading of Chicken Carcasses- Grading of chicken carcasses is based on quality and weight (Paragraph 1 of Article 14 of the Detailed Standards of Livestock Product Grading).
- The criteria of grading by quality are shown in Attached Table 13 of the Detailed Standards of Livestock Product Grading. Grading of chicken carcasses by weight is based on the weight suggested by the grading applicant and on Attached Table 15 of the Detailed Standards of Livestock Product Grading (Paragraph 1 of Article 15 and Paragraph 1 of Article 16 of the Detailed Standards of Livestock Product Grading).
- The quality and weight grades of a chicken carcass are indicated on the inner and outer packaging along with a grading date and the name of the grader. However, if the grade indicated on the inner packaging can be checked due to the use of an unsealed container, indication of a grade on the outer packaging can be omitted (Paragraph 1 of Article 18 of the Detailed Standards of Livestock Product Grading).