Today we're going to answer the common question, what kind of meat yield will I see from the Registered Meishan pig?
Over the past 3 years, I've processed dozens of registered Meishans for my farm store. Consistently achieving 200-350+ pound hanging weights.
Life and the store move quickly, so, I didn't stop to document hanging weights specific to cut yield and carcass breakdown. That's not a conversation my retail cut customers inquire about, in reality.
Recently, a fellow registered Meishan pig breeder and friend, Wendy Palmer of Imperial Meishans, asked if I could document the details.
It's information that she saw a need for in communicating with her customers and, we both agree that it will raise awareness and promote more great facts about the Meishan.
So, we partnered up and sent 2 barrows (neutered male pigs) to the processor. They were farrowed from her registered stock and sent through my federal processor. The end goal being to sell the products in my farm store, Jensen Reserve. Ages and hanging weights were tracked for purposes of this post.
Wendy fed them a dry/ pelleted feed daily and raised them largely on pasture with grass to graze.
Live weights are unknown as neither farm have scales to date.
Let's start with the specifics:
Age: Farrowed July 25, 2019 That's 17 months old or 510 days.
Parentage:
Boar:AMBA10051P CB Ming Shu Sow: AMBA10052P CB Boquin
Hanging Weight: 335.5 & 285.5
What is hanging weight? That's what the animal carcass weighs after slaughter with the organs & intestines removed, with the head and feet left on. Not all processors leave head and feet on so ask yours what they do for comparison.
Now for the 'meat' of it. Here's the breakdown by cut with some other numbers of interest at the bottom of the chart.
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You'll probably notice a difference in actual hanging weight vs total product accounted for at the bottom. That's typically from 2 things. 1) There is some moisture loss during hang time in the cooler. And 2) There are a few trim pieces that don't make the final cut.
From here, the cuts will go into our retail store. The hams and half of the coppa roasts will go into our cures for charcuterie work.
Next up - what's my gross carcass retail value?
