Patent ID: 6905404

Claim:
A method for harvesting portions of an animal carcass, comprising: (a) at a separation point on a first processing line, separating said animal carcass into a first portion and a second portion; (b) transporting said first portion on a first support means toward a first harvesting point; (c) transporting said second portion on a second support means toward a second harvesting point; (d) correlating the first support means and the second support means such that the first portion and the second portion are positively identified as originating from said animal carcass; (e) conducting an inspection of said second portion at an inspection point between said separation point and said second harvesting point to determine whether or not said second portion meets a predetermined standard; (f) harvesting said second portion at the second harvesting point, unless it is determined that the second portion does not meet said predetermined standard; and (g) harvesting said first portion at said first harvesting point unless one or more predetermined conditions exist, one of said conditions comprising a failure of the second portion to meet said predetermined standard as determined by said inspection.