Teys Australia are planning to introduce objectively-measured MSA and AusMeat chiller assessment grading in the near future. While some measurements like ossification will continue to be assessed manually, chiller assessment criteria like marbling, meat colour, fat colour and fat depth will be assessed using cameras.
The American meat scientist who built the computer algorithms that are now in use in the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) visited Australia last year. This scientist gathered the data that is now being used to build an algorithm to drive camera-based MSA grading in Teys’ plants. A prototype of the system will be submitted to MSA and AusMeat for approval in May or June – we are confident that this system will pass MSA and AusMeat scrutiny.
Once approved, we plan to install these grading cameras at our Wagga plant is NSW, followed closely by our Beenleigh plant. A short working trial will be followed by routine MSA assessment of all eligible carcases, and all cameras will be operated and managed by qualified MSA graders who are experts at manually grading carcases.
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