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How much of a pig's weight is typically yielded as meat?
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meat processing
A butcher cutting beef.
When a hog is slaughtered at a typical market weight of approximately 108 kilograms (240 pounds), it yields a carcass weight of about 76 kilograms. This represents a dressing percentage, or yield of live weight, of approximately 70 percent.1
It is important to note that this figure refers to the weight of the carcassāthe body of the animal after the removal of internal organs, head, and hairārather than the final weight of retail meat cuts available for consumption, which would be lower after further fabrication and trimming. Proper preslaughter handling is essential during this process to ensure meat quality and to facilitate efficient processing.12