AnSc 1101 Meat Grading

Outline Retail yield Inspection vs. grading Carcass Anatomy Quality Grading Yield Grading

A 1200 lb. steer… How many lbs. of retail cuts??

Live Carcass Retail weight weight yield

1200 lb. x.62 = 774 lb. x.7 = 521 lb.

Live Carcass Retail weight weight yield 1200 lb. x.62 = 774 lb. x.7 = 521 lb. dressing percentage

Anatomy of a beef carcass Wholesale cuts Round Loin Rib Chuck Foreshank Brisket Short plate Flank

Round Loin Rib Chuck Foreshank Brisket Short plate Flank

Round Loin Rib Chuck Foreshank Brisket Short plate Flank

Round Loin Rib Chuck Foreshank Brisket Short plate Flank

Round Loin Rib Chuck Foreshank Brisket Short plate Flank

Round Loin Rib Chuck Foreshank Brisket Short plate Flank

Round Loin Rib Chuck Foreshank Brisket Short plate Flank

Round Loin Rib Chuck Foreshank Short plate Flank

Round Loin Rib Chuck Foreshank Short plate Flank

Meat Inspection – health and safety versus Meat Grading - Quality grading Yield grading

Inspection Ensured the safety of the product Includes checking before slaughter, during slaughter, the carcass, and all steps of meat processing.

Inspection Inspection is mandatory – USDA federal inspectors if meat will be shipped across state lines. State inspectors are sufficient if meat will not enter interstate commerce.

Inspection Inspection is paid for by the taxpayers.

Meat Grading USDA meat grading is not mandatory and is paid for by the processors that elect to get their meat graded. Quality grades reflect the eating qualities of the meat. Yield grades are based on percent of lean (muscle) in the carcass.

Beef Quality Grades Tenderness – determined by age of the animal.

Beef Quality Grades Tenderness – determined by age of the animal. Juiciness and flavor – determined by degree of marbling. Flecks of fat within the meat

Beef Quality Grades Tenderness – determined by age of the animal. Juiciness and flavor – determined by degree of marbling. Other considerations: color, sex, coarseness of grain (texture) of meat.

Steps to determine Quality Grade 1.Determine sex of animal 2.Determine age of animal 3.Score degree of marbling 4.May adjust for color or texture.

1.Determine sex of carcass primarily to be sure that a bullock, bull, or stag is not improperly graded. a. A bullock is a bull less than 30 mo. of age. It can be graded but must be rolled “bullock”. b. A bull can not be quality graded. c. A stag was a bull castrated late and is treated as if it is still a bull.

A. Kidney vs. diamond shaped muscle B. Smooth udder fat vs. C. Rough cod fat

A bull will have less fat in the cod area, a thicker neck, and darker meat.

2. Tenderness – determined by physiological age of the animal. Split between 12 th and 13 th rib. Vertebrate Cartilage tips at end of chine bones.

2. Tenderness – determined by physiological age of the animal. Split between 12 th and 13 th rib. Vertebrate Cartilage tips at end of chine bones. As an animal ages the cartilage tips are ossified to bone.

General order of degree of ossification: 1.Sacral 2.Lumbar 3.Thoractic

Relative to maturity carcasses are classified as: A < 30 months B between 30 and 42 mo. A and B are considered young beef. C (42 to 72 mo.), D (72 to 96 mo., and E > 96 mo. are considered mature beef

What are the quality grades? Young animals Mature animals Prime Commercial Choice Utility Select Cutter Standard Canner

Thoratic region: Note that there is some ossification (red) beginning in the white cartilage. This is indication of A/B borderline maturity.

Cartilage is about 40% ossified in the posterior most buttons. This would be classified as C maturity.

Note that the buttons are mostly ossified; only white “rings” remains. D maturity.

3. Beef Quality Grades Juiciness and flavor – determined by degree of marbling. Flecks of fat within the meat

The above standards are used to give a subjective marbling score.

Determine quality grade off of grid. 30 mo

4. May adjust for color or texture. Bright cherry Dark cutter red

Dark cutting beef 1.Low glycogen levels in muscle 2.Glycogen not converted to lactic acid 3.pH remains above Meat tastes drier and it has a reduced shelf-life

Beef Yield Grades – also called Cutability. 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 1 = Best – High % lean, low fat 5 = Worst – Low % lean, high fat

The Yield Grade is an indication of the % boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the 4 wholesale cuts – round, loin, rib, and chuck. YG 1 = 54.6% YG 5.9 = 43.3%

Four factors in YG equation: YG = x adj. fat thickness x hot carcass weight +.2 x % KPH fat -.32 x rib eye area

Backfat measured ¾ the way down from the chine

FT may be adjusted up or down slightly to reflect degree of fat on the rest of the carcass

Measuring rib eye area.

Each little square or “” is.1 square inches

Area inside the square is 8 square inches

Estimate % kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (%KPH).

1. Estimate how many lbs. of fat are hanging in the carcass. 1 lb. of fat is the same volume as 1 lb. of butter.

2. Multiple the estimate by 2, because there are two sides to the carcass. For example, there appears to be about 10 lbs. on the carcass to the left. 10 lbs. x 2 = 20 total KPH in the carcass.

2. Multiple the estimate by 2, because there are two sides to the carcass. For example, there appears to be about 10 lbs. on the carcass to the left. 10 lbs. x 2 = 20 total KPH in the carcass. 3. Divide the total KPH by the hot carcass weight. 20 lbs. KPH / 700 HCW = 2.9% KPH

YG = 1 YG = 5

In the meat industry, YG is reported as a single digit. Decimals are dropped, not rounded. 3.8 = = = 2

Pork Grading

260 lb. Market Hog… How many lbs. of retail meat?

260 lb. Market Hog… How many lbs. of retail meat? Dressing percent = 72%

72% 62%

260 lb. Market Hog… How many lbs. of retail meat? Dressing percent = 72% 260 lbs. 197 lbs. Percent retail yield from carcass = 80% 158 lbs.

Anatomy of a Pork Carcass Ham Loin Blade (Boston Shoulder) Arm (Picnic) Shoulder Side (Pork Belly)

Anatomy of a Pork Carcass Ham Loin Blade (Boston Shoulder) Arm (Picnic) Shoulder Side (Pork Belly)

Anatomy of a Pork Carcass Ham Loin Blade (Boston Shoulder) Arm (Picnic) Shoulder Side (Pork Belly)

Anatomy of a Pork Carcass Ham Loin Blade (Boston Shoulder) Arm (Picnic) Shoulder Side (Pork Belly)

Anatomy of a Pork Carcass Ham Loin Blade (Boston Shoulder) Arm (Picnic) Shoulder Side (Pork Belly)

Anatomy of a Pork Carcass Ham Loin Blade (Boston Shoulder) Arm (Picnic) Shoulder Side (Pork Belly)

Pork carcasses normally are not ribbed for Loin Muscle Area (LMA) as is done for beef. If LMA is measured, the carcass is split between the 10 – 11 ribs.

The are no pork quality grades. The meat is either “acceptable” or “unacceptable”.

Trait“Acceptable”“Unacceptable” Color of lean Reddish-pinkPale pinkish gray or white Marbling> 2% intramuscular fat < 2% intramuscular fat WetnessLittle free waterExcessive water pooling FirmnessFirmSoft

Yield grades used for pork. U.S. No. 1, 2, 3, 4, utility US Grade = (4 x last rib backfat - Muscling Score

Yield grades used for pork. U.S. No. 1, 2, 3, 4, utility US Grade = (4 x last rib backfat) - Muscling Score Muscling score: 1 = thin 2 = average 3 = thick

Numbers represent muscling score. Note the relative thickness through the ham and shoulder compared to over the loin.

Special situations: 1. Carcass with thin muscling can not grade U.S. # If BF is >1.75” than the carcass must be graded # Carcasses that are “unacceptable” for lean quality, has soft fat, or bellies too thin for bacon production are graded utility.

Pricing based on % lean: Lbs. of lean = – ( x 10 th rib fat, in.) + (3.005 x LMA, in. 2 ) + (.465 x warm carcass wt.) % of lean = (lbs. of lean / warm carcass wt.) x 100

The End