1. Live Animal Evaluation Beef

2. Fat Indicators Tailhead & Pins Last Ribs Fore flank Rear flank & Cod
Brisket

3. Steer 1

4. Steer 2

5. Comparison
Steer 1 - Choice
Steer 2 - Standard

6. Market Beef Muscle Indicators
Loin
Quarter/
Rump
Forearm
Stifle

7. Live Cattle Evaluation
Live Weight
Dressing Percentage
12th rib fat
Rib Eye Area
Kidney, Pelvic, Heart fat (KPH)
Breed Influence
Quality Grade
Yield Grade

8. Weight Live or Carcass Live Weight range Carcass Weight range
900 lb to 1500 lb
Avg: lb
Carcass Weight range
550 lb to 950 lb
775 lb

9. Dressing Percentage Proportion of live weight that ends up as carcass
Example: lb steer with a 775 lb carcass has a dressing percent of 62%
Range: %
Avg: 62%

10. Factors Affecting Dressing %
Gut Fill
Gut fill = Body Weight = Dressing %
Hide weight and/or mud
Hide wt = Dressing %
Muscle
Muscle = Dressing %
Fat
Fat = Dressing %
Dairy influence

11. 12th Rib Fat Highly correlated to retail yield
Predictor of total carcass fatness
Range: .15 in. to .80 in.
Avg: .40
.25 in. considered minimum

12. Rib Eye Area Highly correlated with lean yield
Predictor of total carcass muscle
Dependant of carcass weight
Range: sq. in.
Avg: sq. in. for 1150 lb steer
Rule of thumb: 1.1 sq. in. for 100 lb live wt

13. KPH Internal fat as a percentage of carcass weight
Continental cattle will tend to have less than British cattle
Range: %
Avg: 2.5%

14. Breed Influence
The use of genetic data has helped increase the animals ability to grade, however not all breeds grade equally.
English Breeds: most consistent
Continental: tend to lack marbling, bad attitudes stress out marbling
Brahman: thicker hide; tend to be low marbling, decreased dressing %
Dairy: tend to be lean, but marble well

15. Quality Grade
Assigned according to amount of marbling and bone maturity
Most influential component of pricing
Range: Standard to Prime
Avg: Low Choice

16. USDA Quality Grades

17. Factors Affecting Quality Grade
Genetics
Age of cattle
Time on feed
Energy content of diet
Fat cover
Continental/ Brahman influence

18. Yield Grade
Calculated to predict yield of boneless, closely trimmed, retail cuts from the round, loin, rib and chuck (BCTRC)
Based on 4 estimations
12th rib fat
Hot carcass weight (HCW)
Rib eye area (REA)
Kidney, pelvic, heart fat (KPH)

19. Yield Grade Range: 1 through 5 Avg: 3.0
1 = Lean and/or Muscular; High cutability
5 = Fat and/or Light Muscled; Low cutability
Avg: 3.0

20. Market Steers Front

21. Market Steers Side

22. Market Steers Rear

23. Official Placing Class 1: Angus SteersCuts: 2-3-2