Methods for computer assisted optimization of meat cuts from carcasses
AssigneeInternational Telephone and Telegraph Corporation
InventorsCharles H. Wallace, Richard W. Moncure
Life of this patent
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Abstract
There is disclosed herein a method for optimizing the cuts produced from a carcass, for example a pork carcass, which is an improvement over the subject matter of U.S. Pat. No. 3,940,998. The improvements described are achieved by identifying each carcass with an indicia at the time of the kill; making physical measurements and a subjective evaluation score of the carcass, after dressing, which are automatically input as data to a computer programmed to determine the optimum cutting instructions for each carcass in order to achieve maximum value from the resulting cuts in accordance with market conditions.
Claims19
A method for optimizing the value of finished cuts obtained from each individual carcass in a series of carcasses to be processed in a given period of time into said finished cuts, where said series of carcasses progress through a killing department, a chilling department and a cutting department in that order, said method comprising the step of:
- identifying each of said carcasses with at least one different alphanumeric type indicia promptly after the kill in said killing department;
- measuring selected predetermined physical variables of each of said carcasses in said killing department;
- coupling said indicia and said measurements of each of said carcasses to a computer for storage therein;
- determining current market indicators and production information when said carcasses are in said chilling department;
- coupling said market indicators and production information to said computer for storage therein;
- employing said computer to determine from said measurements and the results of said determining step optimum carcass cutting instructions for each of said carcasses;
- and
- utilizing said indicia of each of said carcasses in said cutting department to retrieve said cutting instructions from said computer for each of said carcasses to effect optimization of said value of said finished cuts produced from each of said carcasses and thereby optimize said value of said finished cuts produced from said series of carcasses.
A method according to claim 13, wherein
- said step of measuring includes weighing each of said carcasses side before and after dressing,
- measuring the ham circumference and carcass length,
- measuring the backfat thickness, and
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.