What is PQA in swine?
Pork Quality Assurance® Plus (PQA Plus) is an education and certification program designed to help pig farmers and their employees continually improve production practices. It addresses food safety, animal well-being, environmental stewardship, worker safety, public health and community.
What does PQA stand for and what is its importance in pork quality and safety?
The National Pork Board’s Pork Quality Assurance (PQA) Program emphasizes good management practices in the handling and use of animal health products, leading to a higher quality, safe pork product free of violative drug residues.
How many good production practices are included in the pork industry PQA Plus program?
The PQA Plus® and Youth PQA Plus® programs use 10 Good Production Practices (GPPs).
What are the characteristics of good quality pork?
There are four major criteria used in measuring pork quality: color, marbling, water-holding capacity, and ultimate pH. Generally darker pink pork is preferable. The minimum is a bright reddish pink (3.0 on the scale shown), although some markets prefer slightly darker (4.0-5.0). A number scale often is used.
What is one of the six We Care ethical principles every member of the pork industry is asked to commit to?
“Our commitment to the six We Care ethical principles of food safety, animal well-being, the environment, public health, our people and our communities is stronger than it has ever been,” says Gene Noem, a NPB member and co-chair of the We Care task force.
Why is meat red?
The protein myoglobin stores oxygen in muscle cells, which use oxygen to extract the energy needed for constant activity. Myoglobin is a richly pigmented protein. The more myoglobin there is in the cells, the redder, or darker, the meat.
What is the best grade of pork?
USDA grades for pork reflect only two levels: Acceptable grade and Utility grade. Pork sold as Acceptable quality pork is the only fresh pork sold in supermarkets.
How do I teach PQA?
The general format is: ask a kid a question (looking straight into her eyes and smiling eagerly.) When she responds, STAY THERE and smile and repeat her response with a “I’m very interested in this” tone of voice. FOLLOW UP with another question to elaborate on her answer.
Which is white meat?
Generally, meat from mammals such as cows and calves, sheep, lamb and pigs is considered red, while chicken, turkey and rabbit meat is considered white. It’s all about the level of myoglobin – the iron-containing protein in muscle – giving meat its red colour.
What is the formula for pig quality grades?
(a) The grade of a barrow or gilt carcass is determined on the basis of the following equation: Carcass grade = (4.0 X backfat thickness over the last rib, inches) (1.0 X muscling score).
What are the 3 grades of pork?
U.S. No. 1 grade sow carcasses have about the minimum degree of finish required to produce pork cuts of acceptable palatability.
Which country produces best quality pork?
China
Pork Production – Source OECD
| # | 23 Countries | Thousand Metric Tons |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | #1 China | 42,550.00 |
| 2 | #2 United States | 12,542.41 |
| 3 | #3 Brazil | 4,060.60 |
| 4 | #4 Russia | 3,399.91 |
What does it mean when a site is PQA plus certified?
PQA Plus site status is granted to a production site identified by a Premise Identification Number (PIN) and associated with a PQA Plus certified producer once an on-farm site assessment has been completed. What happens if the PQA Plus Advisor finds an issue during the PQA Plus assessment?
Do I need to prepare for PQA?
Candidates do not require any specific preparation or knowledge to undertake PQA. The questions do not test academic knowledge and do not require any special understanding of science. Furthermore, training and practice in the test items is neither necessary nor advantageous. Full instructions are given with each test.
How do I get PQA Plus certification for my farm?
Second, farms can receive PQA Plus site status through an on-farm site assessment with a PQA Plus Advisor. PQA Plus certification can be completed through an online course or in-person training.