Page 1 of 4
Title / Classify and grade beef carcasses
Level / 4 / Credits / 20
Purpose / This unit standard is for experienced people who are required to grade meat carcasses in a meat processing operation.
People credited with this unit standard are able to: demonstrate knowledge of beef grading classifications; assess beef carcasses; and grade beef carcasses in a meat processing operation.
Classification / Meat Processing > Meat Quality
Available grade / Achieved
Explanatory notes
1 Legislation relevant to this unit standard includes but is not limited to – Health and Safety in Employment Act 1992, Animal Products Act 1999.
2 Resource documents include but are not limited to – Industry Standard 5 – Slaughter and Dressing, Industry Standard 6/Industry Agreed Standard 6 (IS6/IAS6) – Processing of Edible Product, available from the Ministry for Primary Industries at http://www.foodsafety.govt.nz/industry/sectors/meat-ostrich-emu-game/meatman/index.htm,
Guide to beef carcass classification 2004, and subsequent amendments, form the basis for some of the evidence requirements in this unit standard and can be found on the website of Beef and Lamb New Zealand at http://www.beeflambnz.com/.
3 Definitions
Organisational requirements – instructions to staff on policies and procedures that are documented in memo, electronic, or manual format and available in the workplace.
Company specifications – product specifications set by the company relating to cuts, weights, presentation, and packaging.
Customer specifications – product specifications set by clients relating to cuts, weights, presentation, and packaging.
Classifications may include but are not limited to – steer, heifer, cow, vealer, bull.
Outcomes and evidence requirements
Outcome 1
Demonstrate knowledge of beef grading classifications in a meat processing operation.
Evidence requirements
1.1 Fat classifications are described in accordance with statutory and organisational requirements.
1.2 The fat depth for each class is described in accordance with statutory and organisational requirements.
1.3 The description of each muscling class meets statutory and organisational requirements.
1.4 Types of carcasses to which muscling classifications apply are described in accordance with statutory and organisational requirements.
1.5 The limits of carcass trimming are described in accordance with statutory and organisational requirements.
Outcome 2
Assess beef carcasses in a meat processing operation.
Evidence requirements
2.1 Dressing faults caused by mechanical and operator error are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.
2.2 Down-gradable conditions are identified in accordance with organisational and statutory requirements.
2.3 Disease indicator tags are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.
2.4 Company procedure identification tags are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.
2.5 Fat depth measurement is taken at the site in accordance with organisational requirements and company specifications.
2.6 Fat depth probes are used and read in accordance with organisational requirements and company specifications.
2.7 Beef carcasses meeting company muscling specification classifications are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.
2.8 Beef carcasses that do not meet company specifications are identified and reported in accordance with organisational requirements.
2.9 The total fat content of beef carcasses is visually assessed in accordance with organisational requirements or company specifications.
2.10 Beef carcasses are classified into age categories in accordance with Meat and Wool New Zealand specifications.
Range beef carcasses include but are not limited to – cow, heifer.
2.11 Beef carcasses are classified into sex categories in accordance with Meat and Wool New Zealand specifications.
Range sex categories include – female, bull, steer.
2.12 Probable quality status is assessed using grading implements in accordance with organisational requirements.
Range grading implements may include but are not limited to – intrascope, rule, reflectance meter, hennessy probe, greville probe.
Outcome 3
Grade beef carcasses in a meat processing operation.
Evidence requirements
3.1 Beef carcasses are graded using grading console keys or grade tickets in accordance with organisational requirements.
Range grading includes but is not limited to – type, fat class, muscling class, defect, damage, market identification.
3.2 Damaged beef carcasses are downgraded in accordance with company specifications.
3.3 Graded beef carcasses meet company or customer specifications and statutory requirements for grading accuracy.
3.4 Graded beef carcasses are identified in accordance with organisational requirements.
3.5 Records of graded beef carcasses are maintained in accordance with organisational requirements.
3.6 Grading speed meets company processing requirements.
3.7 Graded beef carcasses are dispatched for chilling in accordance with organisational and statutory requirements.
Replacement information / This unit standard replaced unit standard 2508 and unit standard 2512.Planned review date / 31 December 2019
Status information and last date for assessment for superseded versions
Process / Version / Date / Last Date for Assessment /Registration / 1 / 27 January 2015 / N/A
Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR) reference / 0033
This CMR can be accessed at http://www.nzqa.govt.nz/framework/search/index.do.
Please note
Providers must be granted consent to assess against standards (accredited) by NZQA, before they can report credits from assessment against unit standards or deliver courses of study leading to that assessment.
Industry Training Organisations must be granted consent to assess against standards by NZQA before they can register credits from assessment against unit standards.
Providers and Industry Training Organisations, which have been granted consent and which are assessing against unit standards must engage with the moderation system that applies to those standards.
Requirements for consent to assess and an outline of the moderation system that applies to this standard are outlined in the Consent and Moderation Requirements (CMR). The CMR also includes useful information about special requirements for organisations wishing to develop education and training programmes, such as minimum qualifications for tutors and assessors, and special resource requirements.
Comments on this unit standard
Please contact the Primary Industry Training Organisation if you wish to suggest changes to the content of this unit standard.
Primary Industry Training OrganisationCode 101558 / Ó New Zealand Qualifications Authority 2015