USA - ASTM committee creates two new livestock standards

ASTM International Committee F10 on Livestock, Meat, and Poultry Evaluation Systems and/or Devices has recently created two new standards that will aid in livestock evaluation. These standards are F 2343, Test Method for Livestock, Meat and Poultry Evaluations Devices, and F 2340, Specification for Developing and Validating Prediction Equations or Models Used in Connection with Livestock, Meat and Poultry Evaluation Devices or Systems to Determine Value. According to James A. Vanderwielen, business manager for Packers and Stockyard Programs, USDA, chairman of Subcommittee F10.20 on Device Performance Criteria, ASTM F 2343, Test Method for Livestock, Meat and Poultry Evaluations Devices, has been developed in response to changes in the livestock, poultry and meat industry that point to an increase in the use of electronic evaluation devices that allow buyers and sellers to be more responsive to product requirements demanded by the consumer. Accurate evaluation devices are essential to this process. "By standardizing the method to test evaluating devices, manufacturers, buyers and regulators will perform uniform testing to determine accuracy," Vanderwielen said. "Everyone will understand the specific requirements that must be met and will be able to duplicate the test. Standard testing methods reduce the confusion that can occur if testing is done without guidance, causing unfair or inconclusive results." Vanderwielen stresses that Committee F10 encourages any manufacturer of electronic evaluating devices under development to participate in upcoming revisions to F 2343. "New technology is being developed that needs to be incorporated into the standard." He said. "By working with the committee in the development stages, industry representatives can ensure that a method for uniform testing between manufacturers and users can be established." In order to fill the need for universally-accepted consistency in livestock evaluation devices, ASTM Committee F10 on Livestock, Meat and Poultry Evaluation Systems has developed ASTM F 2340, Specification for Developing and Validating Prediction Equations or Models Used in Connection with Livestock, Meat and Poultry Evaluation Devices or Systems to Determine Value. This new specification is under the jurisdiction of Subcommittee F10.40 on Predictive Accuracy. According to David Meisinger, assistant vice president of educational service, National Pork Board, F 2340 will be useful to evaluators when working with a number of instruments, including optical probe, ultrasound or vision imaging technology. "There are also many new technologies being developed for measuring or estimating meat quality and composition," Meisinger said, "The standard is generic and can hopefully be utilized for future technologies. These standards address the instrument, the users and the use of the collected data in regression equations for prediction." Interested parties are invited to contribute to future versions of F 2340. "This standard is dynamic," says Meisinger. "Not only are new devices being developed, but there is also use in other species. Much of the early attention was given to pigs because they are currently measured for more traits. However, there is a need to apply new knowledge and findings to the current standards to keep them fresh." More information can be obtained at http://www.astm.org.