Anatomy - Gracey's Meat Hygiene - page 40

Pigs
Differentiation must be established between the carcase
of the boar, hog, gilt and sow.

2 The thoracic cavity is longer in the horse; this animal
possesses 18 pairs of ribs, whereas the ox has 13 pairs.
3 The ribs in the horse are narrower but more markedly
curved.
4 The superior spinous processes of the first six dorsal
vertebrae are more markedly developed in the horse
and are less inclined posteriorly.
5 In the forequarter, the ulna of the horse extends only
half the length of the radius; in the ox, it is extended
and articulates with the carpus.
6 In the hindquarter, the femur of the ox possesses no
third trochanter; the fibula is only a small pointed
projection, but in the horse, it extends two-thirds the
length of the tibia.
7 In the horse, the last three lumbar transverse processes
articulate with each other, the sixth articulating in a
similar manner with the sacrum. They do not articu-
late in the ox.
8 The horse carcase shows considerable development of
soft, yellow fat beneath the peritoneum, especially in
the gelding and mare, but in the stallion, the fat is gen-
erally of a lighter colour and almost white. In the ox,
the kidney fat is always firmer, whiter and more abun-
dant than in the horse.
9 Horse flesh is dark bluish red, beef lacking the bluish
tinge. Horse meat has a pronounced sweet taste and
well-defined muscle fibres.

Boar
The boar possesses an oval, strongly developed area of
cartilage over the shoulder region which may become
calcified in old boars and is known as the shield . The
scrotum is removed in the dressing of the carcase, the
area of removal being apparent on the inside of the thigh.
The cut gracilis muscle is triangular, while the root of the
penis will be present on one of the sides when the carcase
is split and a strongly developed bulbocavernosus mus-
cle will then be apparent. Strong, curved canine teeth
(the tusks) are present in the boar.
Castration of the adult boar produces an animal known
as a stag , which is both heavier and fatter and commands
a higher price than the boar carcase. Stag pigs show some
reduction in the density of the shield as a result of castra-
tion, but as both boars and stags may be used only for
manufacturing purposes, being skinned and boned out,
this reduction of the shield is not of great importance, and
the chief advantage is the diminution of the boar odour.

Hog
The differentiation of the hog and gilt carcases frequently
presents difficulty, as teats are present in both male and
female pigs, though in the male they are small and under-
developed. Evidence of castration in the hog is seen as
two puckered, depressed scars, and in both the hog and
the boar, there is evidence of the removal of the preputial
sac. The belly fat on one side of the abdominal incision is
grooved, and on the floor of this incision, the retractor
penis muscle can be seen, which is long, thin and pale red
in colour. When the carcase is split, remains of the bulbo-
cavernosus muscle can be seen, while the gracilis muscle
is covered with connective and fatty tissue.

Debasement of food (adulteration
and substitution)
The EU Standing Committee on the Food Chain and
Animal Health was established following the adoption of
Regulation (EC) No. 178/2002 which set out the general
principals and requirements of food law in the EU.
The Food Standards Agency is responsible in the
United Kingdom for food safety and standards under the
Food Standards Act 1999.
Under the Food Safety Act 1990 (as amended), it is
an offence to sell any food which is not of the nature or
substance or quality demanded by the purchaser.
The term ' wholesome ' is defined as 'promoting or con-
ducive to good health or well-being. It was recognised
many centuries ago that food must be sound and entirely
fit for human consumption. Meat must be derived from
healthy animals reared and slaughtered under high
standards of welfare and hygiene, and their products
processed with due attention to cleanliness.
Continuous control of operations from livestock produc-
tion to the consumer's home is essential if a safe quality
product is to be created and enjoyed . Regrettably, many
opportunities exist from the farm to retail outlet for
adulteration, accidental or malicious, and misrepresen-
tation to occur.

Gilt
In the gilt, the space left below the tail after removal of the
anus and vulva is greater than in the hog, the abdominal
incision is straight and uninterrupted, and the cut surface of
the gracilis muscle is bean-shaped. In sows, there is greater
development of the udders and teats, and though canine
teeth are present in the female pig, they do not develop.

Horse and ox differentiation

Carcases of the horse and ox may be differentiated by the
following details:

1 In the horse, the unusual length of the sides is notice-
able, together with the great muscular development of
the hindquarters.