U.S. Army Medical Correspondence Course: Poultry II, Chicken, Turkey, Ducks, Geese, Inspection, Identification Marks, Class and Quality, Grade and Rating

This subcourse is a continuation of the advanced correspondence course for the Veterinary Food Inspection Specialist. Subcourse MD0728 reviews the information in the basic level subcourse MD0712, Poultry I, and provides additional information. You may want to review material in MD0712 prior to starting this subcourse. Upon completion of this subcourse, you should have gained the knowledge needed to verify grades of poultry, a task necessary for determining the identity of poultry. Additional information in this lesson, although related to verifying grade, will also be helpful in the surveillance inspection of poultry products and also assist you in training others.

CHAPTER 1 - INTRODUCTION TO POULTRY * Section I. Poultry Inspection * Section II. Grading and Inspection Programs * Section III. Official Identification Marks for Ready-to Cook Poultry * Exercises * CHAPTER 2 - CLASSES, CONDITION, AND QUALITY OF POULTRY * Section I. Determining Class * Section II. Condition and Quality * Exercises * CHAPTER 3 - VERIFYING GRADES OF POULTRY * Section I. Examining Poultry For Quality Factors * Section II. Determining Quality Grade (Rating) * Section III. Grading Poultry Parts

The primary reference for the grading of poultry is the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Title 7. The USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service, has prepared the Poultry Grading Manual as a guide for the uniform application of the United States (US) classes, standards, and grades of poultry as found in the CFR. For veterinary food inspection specialists to understand the proper grade verification process, it is essential for them to have knowledge of the structure of the bird and to know the different classes of poultry and the terminology used to designate these classes. The information in the Poultry Grading Manual is designed to help attain these objectives. In fact, much of the information presented in this subcourse is derived from this manual.