Stock judging: finished pigs and pig carcase

What to look for in finished pigs

You are looking for a ‘brick on legs’ capable of producing top-quality meat for the consumer and providing a profit for the butcher

Pay more attention to the most expensive cuts, i.e. ham and loin, with less attention to the ‘cheap cuts’, i.e. shoulder and neck.

Look for a pig that is well balanced and appears healthy.

Good	Poor
Light jowl	Heavy jowl

Good	Poor
Short and neat

Good	Poor
Well-rounded	Soft to touch (fat)
Firm	Lacking fleshing
Good fleshing development to the hocks

Good	Poor
High proportion of meat to fat	Low proportion of meat to fat
Firm, white fat	Yellow fat
	Bruised appearance

For pork pigs, refer to the ‘leg’ as in a leg of pork. For bacon pigs, refer to the ‘ham’.

Good	Poor
Well rounded with meat, not fat	Sloping
	Round with fat, not meat

Good	Poor
Convex	Concave

If you would like a hard copy of A guide to stock judging please contact publications@ahdb.org.uk or call 0247 799 0069.

Topics:

Selection and carcase classification

Sectors:

Pork

Tags:

Young Farmers YFC stock judging pigs