Working with your Processor Josh Elmore, PAS Advisor III, Natural Resource Program

Objectives Working with your processor Understanding what your animal will yield Basic Cutting Specifications

Meat Processor Owner Human Resource Manager Accountant Meat Cutter QC Manager Sanitation Manager Food Safety Coordinator Public Relations Manager

Livestock delivery Quality Control Point Subject to Inspection Humane Handling- minimize excitement when handling livestock

Does the processor know you are delivering animals? What time does the processor receive livestock? Are there any documents that need to be signed? Does the animal have access to water? Does the animal have room to lay down if held overnight?

Yield Live Weight Hot Carcass Weight Cold Carcass Weight Cutout Weight Yield Grade Quality Grade

Live Weight- many factors, most likely before taken to processor

Hot Carcass Weight (HCW) -weight of live animal minus the hide, head, intestinal tract, and internal organs. Cold Carcass Weight (CCW) - weight of the carcass after it chilled and prior to fabrication.

Cutout Weight

Adopted from: R.E. Taylor. Scientific Farm Animal Production. 4 th Ed YG 5YG 5 YG 2YG 2 Yield Grades

Quality Grades

Yield and Quality Grading

Cutting Specifications Know the variety of cuts available: T-bones vs. Strip Loin & Tenderloin Steaks Know the possible quantity of available cuts- Flank Steak vs. Tri tip New York Strip Tenderloin

Carcass Breakdown information

Make the determination- you and processor What cuts do you want? What cuts do they cut? If selling, what specific cuts do you want?

How Much Do I Get? Meat from a typical half beef (from a 1,000-1,200 lb. live animal) consists of approximately: 14 T-bone steaks (3/4” thick) 14 rib steaks (3/4”) 8 sirloin steaks (3/4”) 8 round steaks (3/4”) 2 sirloin tip roasts (3lbs.) 6 chuck roasts (4 lbs.) 4 arm roasts (3lbs.) 2 rump roasts (3lbs.) 8 packages of stew beef (1lb.) 4 packages of short ribs (1.5lbs.) 4 packages of soup bones (1.5lbs.) lbs. ground beef (variety meats, if desired, such as heart, liver, tongue, and oxtail)

How Much Do I Get? Meat from a typical half hog ( from a lb. live animal) consists of approximately: lbs. pork chops 6-10 lbs. ground pork and/or ground sausage 2 packages of spare ribs (1.5lbs.) 1 ham (15-18 lbs.; can be cut smaller) 3 shoulder roasts (4lbs.) 8-10 lbs. bacon 2 smoked hocks (0.75lbs.) (variety meats, if desired, such as heart, liver, tongue, and fat/lard)

Documentation Documentation is the best method to ensure you and your meat processor are on the same page! Meat processors advice Get every cut that is available Figure out what cuts you /customers want Refine selection Determine price

Yield Collect it.. Don’t assume processor will collect it for you. Know what the processor will collect HCW Know what you must collect – Live animal weight – Cutting Yield

Packaging What is available? How many cuts/ package? How may lbs/ package?

References AMSA Meat Evaluation Handbook. Savoy, Ill. Boggs, D.L., Merkel, R.A Live Animal Carcass Evaluation and Selection Manual 4 th Edition Burson, D.E CDE Meats Evaluation and Identification Contest. Available: Accessed May 3, Lawrence, T.E., J.D. Whatley, T.H. Montgomery, L.J. Perino A comparison of the USDA ossification-based maturity system to a system based on dentition. McKenna, D.R., D.L. Roeber, P.K. Bates, T.B. Schmidt, D.S. Hale, D.B. Griffin, J.W. Savell, J.C. Brooks, J.B. Morgan, T.H. Montgomery, K.E. Belk, G.C. Smith National Beef Quality Audit – 2000: Survey of targeted cattle and carcass characteristics related to quality, quantity, and value of fed steers and heifers. TAMU Available at: Accessed December 8, Price, M.A Can Judges judge what hides hide? University of Alberta, Department of Animal Science, Agriculture and Forestry Bulletin, 3:9-12. University of Nebraska-Lincoln Available at: Accessed November 30, Wenther, J.B. NMPAN Understanding the Meat Processors Language. Accessed Novemeber 12, Available at: