Our Partner
ALMTech facilitates the development, calibration, accreditation & commercialisation of objective carcase measurement technologies … we design & undertake experiments in direct collaboration with industry end-users, providing them with first-hand experience of the technologies being tested & encouraging future adoption
Program 1
Lean Meat Yield Measurement Technology
Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA). The DEXA system generates high and low energy X-ray images, and used the ratio of their values to determine the quantity of lean meat, fat and bone in a carcase. DEXA technology can determine the LMY% of entire lamb and beef sides with high accuracy and precision, and can also predict commercial cut weights. DEXA systems have already been installed and calibrated in 5 Australian lamb abattoirs. One commercial beef DEXA system has been installed, capable of scanning beef sides at abattoir line speed, is currently being calibrated.
Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry (DEXA)
Livestock 3D Imaging. This system uses RGBD cameras to create a real-time 3D reconstruction of the hindquarter region of cattle as they stand in a race. The process is non-invasive; the cattle does not need to be physically restrained. The shape and curvature of the hindquarter region is extracted and analysed to provide an estimate of P8.
Livestock 3D Imaging
PorkScan Plus. This system uses 3D laser technology to scan the external surface of pig carcases on the kill floor to predict P2 fat depth and whole carcase LMY. It was developed to enable Australian pork processors to predict LMY and P2 for a relatively low capital hardware cost.
PorkScan Plus
Carcase 3D Imaging. This system uses an array of RGBD cameras and a scanning rig to create an accurate full 3D reconstruction of each carcase side. The shape and curvature of several regions on the carcase are extracted and analysed to provide an estimate of lean meat yield.
Carcase 3D Imaging
Hand-held, portable microwave device. ALMTech has innovated, prototyped, and is now commercialising this device to measure single-site subcutaneous fat depth in both live animals and carcases. In Australia, fat depth is a key component of live animal trading and determining finishing time for slaughter, yet currently fat scoring is via a visual or palpated estimate, which is subjective and imprecise. Microwave is a non-invasive technology that uses low power, non-ionizing electromagnetic waves to determine fat depth. The technology takes advantage of the differing dielectric properties (permittivity and conductivity) of biological tissues whereby an antenna transmits pulses that produce a frequency-dependent diversion and scattering at tissue boundaries, enabling estimation of depth. The measurement is instantaneous and requires no specific training of the operator, aside from accurate placement of the antenna at the desired site of measurement. The low power frequencies are non-destructive, hence it poses no health risk to living or dead tissues.
Hand-held portable microwave device