Principles of Livestock/Poultry Evaluation and Showmanship

Describe the grading system for various feeder/finish livestock Competency 19.00 Describe the grading system for various feeder/finish livestock

Objective 19.01 Describe the grading system for various feeder/finish livestock

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

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

Beef Cattle Classes Sex Classes Steer Heifer Cow Bull Stag Male castrated before sexual maturity Heifer Has not had a calf or matured Cow Bull Stag Male castrated after sexual maturity

Beef Cattle Grades High Quality Low Quality Quality Grades Prime Choice Select Standard Commercial Utility Cutter Canner High Quality Low Quality

Beef Cattle Grades Yield Grades Yield Grade 1 Yield Grade 2

Beef Cattle Grades Feeder Cattle Grades Slaughter Cattle Grades Determined by: Frame size Muscle thickness Thriftiness Slaughter Cattle Grades Both quality and yield grades

Swine Classes Use Classes Slaughter Feeder To be killed and sold as meat Feeder To be feed to heavier weights before slaughter

Swine Classes Sex Classes Barrow Guilt Sow Boar Stag Male castrated before sexual maturity Guilt Young female that has not had pigs Sow Boar Stag

Swine Grades Slaughter swine Feeder pig Quality and Yield determine USDA grades U.S. Number 1 U.S. Number 2 U.S. Number 3 U.S. Number 4 U.S. Utility Feeder pig Grades determined by slaughter potential and thriftiness

Objective 19.02 Classify grades of feeder/finish livestock

Beef Grades Quality Grade Determined by: Animal’s age Muscling Marbeling

Quality Grade (Beef) 1)Age and Class of Animal Steers and Heifers Prime, Choice, Good, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner Cows All except Prime Bulls and Stags All 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) Prime Choice Select Standard

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

Marbling (Beef) Very Abundant Slight

Marbling (Beef) Slight Marbling

Marbling (Beef) Small Marbling

Marbling (Beef) Modest Marbling

Marbling (Beef) Moderate Marbling

Slightly Abundant Marbling Marbling (Beef) Slightly Abundant Marbling

Quality Grade (Beef) Maximum age Standard, Select, Choice, or Prime is 42 months or less Commercial grade is over 42 months Utility, Cutter, or Canner have no age limits No Prime grade for slaughter cows

Yield Grades (Beef) Percentage of the carcass that is boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the round, loin rib, and chuck 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) 1 52.6 - 54.6 2 50.3 - 52.3 3 48.0 - 50.0 Relationship of Yield Grades and Cutability Yield Grade- % Boneless, Closely Trimmed Retail Cuts From the Round, Loin, Rib and Chuck 1 52.6 - 54.6 2 50.3 - 52.3 3 48.0 - 50.0 4 45.7 - 47.7 5 43.3 - 45.4

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) Adjusted fat thickness- External fat is measured at the 12th rib Percentage of Kidney, Pelvic and Heart Fat (KPH)- A subjective estimate of fat Rib Eye Area 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)

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

Objective 19.03 Classify grades of feeder/finish livestock using a given criteria

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

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

Feeder Swine 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. Potential for feeding out to slaughter weight and grade affects feeder pig grades

Slaughter Barrows and Guilts USDA grades from U.S. No. 1 down to U.S. No. 4 Muscling thick average thin

Slaughter Barrows and Guilts U.S. No. 1 Less than 1.00 inch. U.S. No. 2 1.00 to 1.24 inches. U.S. No. 3 1.25 to 1.49 inches. U.S. No. 4 1.50 inches and over U.S. No. 1 must be no less than average muscling.

Slaughter Barrows and Guilts 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.