Principles of Livestock/Poultry Evaluation and Showmanship

Grading Systems 4 Objective: –Describe the grading system for various feeder/finish livestock

Beef Cattle Classes 4 Age classes –Calves less than one year of age –Cattle One year or older –Veal calves Less than three months old

Beef Cattle Classes 4 Age classes continued –Slaughter calves 3 months to one year old –Feeder calves 6 months to one year old

Beef Cattle Classes 4 Sex Classes –Steer Male castrated before sexual maturity –Heifer Has not had a calf or matured –Cow Female that has borne more than one calf –Bull Intact male –Stag Male castrated after sexual maturity

Beef Grading Quality Grade 4 Determined by: –Animal’s age –Muscling –Marbeling

Beef Cattle Grades 4 Quality Grades –Prime –Choice –Select –Standard –Commercial –Utility –Cutter –Canner

Beef Cattle Grades 4 Yield Grades –Yield Grade 1 –Yield Grade 2 –Yield Grade 3 –Yield Grade 4 –Yield Grade 5

Beef Cattle Grades 4 Slaughter Cattle (3-12 mo) Grades –Both quality and yield grades 4 Feeder Cattle (6-12 mo) Grades –Determined by: Frame size Muscle thickness Thriftiness

Quality Grade (Beef) 1)Age and Class of Animal Steers and HeifersPrime, Choice, Good, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner CowsAll except Prime Bulls and StagsAll except Prime and Choice

Quality Grade (Beef) 2) Muscling –The amount and distribution of the finish –Firmness or fullness covering the animals body

Examples of Quality Grade (Beef)

Quality Grade (Beef) 3) Marbling 4 Intermingling of fat with muscle fibers 4 Observed in the ribeye muscle between the 12 th and 13 th rib 4 Adequate marbling must be present for tenderness and high quality grades 4 The fat should not be soft and oily

Very AbundantSlight Marbling (Beef)

Slight Marbling

Marbling (Beef) Small Marbling

Marbling (Beef) Modest Marbling

Marbling (Beef) Moderate Marbling

Marbling (Beef) Slightly Abundant Marbling

Quality Grade (Beef) 4 Maximum age –Standard, Select, Choice, or Prime is 42 months –Commercial grade is over 42 months –Utility, Cutter, or Canner have no age limits

Yield Grades (Beef) 4 Percentage of the carcass that is boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the round, loin rib, and chuck 4 Numbered 1 to 5 –Yield 1 Best muscling with least amount of fat –Yield 5 Worst grade with the less muscle and more fat waste

Yield Grades (Beef) Relationship of Yield Grades and Cutability Yield Grade- % Boneless, Closely Trimmed Retail Cuts From the Round, Loin, Rib and Chuck

Yield Grades (Beef) The terms "yield" and "yield grade" should not be confused. "Yield" alone means dressing percentage (carcass weight divided by live weight multiplied by 100), and is not directly related to yield grades or cutability.

Yield Grades (Beef) 1. Adjusted fat thickness- External fat is measured at the 12th rib 2. Percentage of Kidney, Pelvic and Heart Fat (KPH)- A subjective estimate of fat 3. Rib Eye Area 4. Hot Carcass Weight

Yield Grades (Beef) USDA yield grades estimate the quantity of edible meat from the major wholesale cuts-- round, loin, rib and chuck

Yield Grades (Beef)

Feeder Steer and Heifer Grades 4 USDA Number 1, 2 and 3 4 Each USDA Grade has: –Large Frame –Medium Frame –Small Frame

Slaughter Steer and Heifer Grades 4 USDA Quality grades from Prime down to Canner –About 80% of grain fed grade choice. 4 USDA Yield grades from Yield Grade 1 down to Yield Grade 5

Swine Grades 4 Quality Grade –Determined by the percent of carcass weight of the: Ham Loin Boston butt Picnic shoulder 4 Yield –Determined by backfat and degree of muscling

Swine Grades 4 Quality and Yield determine USDA grades for slaughter swine –U.S. Number 1 –U.S. Number 2 –U.S. Number 3 –U.S. Number 4 –U.S. Utility 4 Slaughter potential and thriftiness are the basis for feeder pig grades

Feeder Swine 4 Five U.S Grades (1,2,3,4, and Utility) –U. S. No. 1 Has thick muscling, large frame, and is trim. –Utility Grade Diseased or unthrifty Has a head that appears too big for the body and has wrinkled skin. 4 Potential for feeding out to slaughter weight and grade affects feeder pig grades

Slaughter Barrows and Guilts 4 USDA grades from U.S. No. 1 down to U.S. No. 4 4 Muscling –thick –average –thin 4 U.S. No. 1 must be no less than average muscling.

Slaughter Barrows and Guilts 4 Backfat –Maximum backfat for U.S. No. 1 is 1.0 inch or 1.25 inch if muscling is thick. –Maximum backfat for U.S. No. 3 is 1.49 or 1.75 if thick muscling –Thick muscling compensates for or effectively subtracts 0.25 inch of backfat, and thin muscling adds 0.25 inch of backfat to the formula.

Swine Classes 4 Use Classes –Slaughter To be killed and sold as meat –Feeder To be fed up to heavier weights before slaughter

Swine Classes 4 Sex Classes –Barrow Male castrated before sexual maturity –Guilt Young female that has not had piglets –Sow Female who has had piglets –Boar Intact male –Stag