1. BEEF CARCASS YIELD AND QUALITY GRADING

2. Dressing Percentage (Dr%)
Definition: Percentage of the live animal weight that is left as carcass after slaughter and “dressing”
Dr% = (Carcass Wt./ Live Wt.) x 100%
Animal Live Wt. Cxs Wt. Dr%
Beef
62%
Pork
71%
Lamb
50%

3. Dressing Percentage Things that affect Dressing Percentage Species
Pork = 72%
Beef = 62%
Lamb = 52%
Fill
Fuller = lower Dr%
Pregnancy
Heavier bred = lower Dr%
Hide/Wool
Muscling
Heavier muscled = higher dressing
Fat
Fatter = higher dressing

4. Dr. % Practice Carcass is 72 % of Live wt. CWT = 0.72 x 270 = 195 lbs
Pig weighs 270 lbs and has 72 % Dr.%
Carcass is 72 % of Live wt.
CWT = 0.72 x 270
= 195 lbs

5. Dr. % Practice A steer weighs 1129 lbs and has 62% Dr.%
Carcass is 62 % of Live wt.
CWT = 0.62 x 1129
= 700 lbs

6. Yield Grades
In beef, yield grades estimate the amount of boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the high-value parts of the carcass–the round, loin, rib, and chuck.

7. Yield Grades 5 Measure of cutability Range 1.0 - trim, heavy muscled
5.9 - very fat, light muscled
Calculated from...
Fat thickness at 12th rib
Ribeye area
Carcass weight
Kidney, pelvic, & heart fat 5

8. Short-cut method - Step 1
Begin with Preliminary Yield Grade (PYG)
Based on fat thickness at 12th rib
Begins at 2.0
Increases 0.25 of a grade for each 0.1 in

9. Step 2 - Ribeye Area
Must determine the Required ribeye area (RREA) for the carcass weight
600 lb. Carcass requires 11.0 REA
If REA is not 11.0, we must adjust the YG
RREA changes 1.2 in for 100 lbs.
500
9.8
600
11.0
700
12.2
800
13.4
900
14.6

10. Step 2 - Ribeye Area
Weight over 600
Add to RREA (11.0)
600 = 11.0
650
11.6
730
12.5
636
11.4
823
13.4
What about in between?
695
12.1
550
10.4
700 = 12.2

11. Ribeye area Adjustment = (RREA - Actual REA) x 0.3
If actual ribeye is larger than required, adjust the PYG down
Larger REA = more muscular = lower YG
If actual ribeye is smaller than required, adjust PYG up
Smaller REA = less muscular = higher YG

12. Ribeye area - Examples (RREA - Actual REA) x 0.3
Adjustment = (Adjust down)
RREA = 13.5, Actual REA = 11.9
( ) x 0.3
1.6 x 0.3
Adjustment = 0.48 (Adjust up)

13. Step #3 Kidney Pelvic and Heart Fat
Internal Fat or KPH
Adjust PYG  or  0.1 for 0.5% KPH away from 3.5
One lb fat = one soft ball
%KPH Adj
Pelvic
Kidney
Heart

14. Step #4 Calculating Final Yield Grade
Remember!
Larger REA = More Muscle
=Lower Yield Grade
Smaller REA = Less Muscle
=Higher Yield Grade
Less KPH = Trimmer
More KPH = Fatter
PYG
 REA Adj.
 KPH Adj.
Final YG

15. Yield Grade Practice FT = 0.3 in Carcass Wt = 763 Act. REA = 14.0
% KPH = 2.0

16. Yield Grade Practice FT = 0.3 in PYG 2.75 PYG = 2.75 REA -0.42
KPH -0.3 YG
PYG = 2.75
CWT = 763
RREA = 12.6
Act REA = 14.0
( ) x 0.3 = (-1.4) x 0.3
REA Adj = -0.42
KPH% = 2.0
KPH Adj = -0.3

17. Yield Grade Practice #2 FT = 1.2 in CWT = 852 Act REA = 13.5
KPH% = 4.0

18. Yield Grade Practice FT = 1.2 in PYG 5.00 PYG = 5.00 REA +0.21
KPH +0.1 YG
PYG = 5.00
CWT = 852
RREA = 14.2
Act REA = 13.5
( ) x 0.3 = (0.7) x 0.3
REA Adj = 0.21
KPH% = 4.0
KPH Adj = +0.1

19. Beef Quality Grading
Quality grades are determined by marbling and overall maturity.
They predict the palatability of the lean.

20. What is Quality Grade?
A quality grade is a composite evaluation of factors that affect palatability of meat (tenderness, juiciness, and flavor). These factors include carcass maturity and the amount and distribution of marbling within the lean. Beef carcass quality grading is based on (1) degree of marbling and (2) degree of maturity.

21. Beef Quality Grading Segregates beef into groups based on palatability
8 Different Quality Grades
Grades for young animals (< 42 months)
Prime, Choice, Select, Standard
Grades for older animals (> 42 months)
Commercial, Utility, Cutter, Canner

22. Maturity As animal ages…
Cartilage turns to bone
Lean becomes darker
Accumulates myoglobin
Lean becomes coarser
Thus bone and lean are considered when assessing carcass age

23. Maturity Age in Months A B C D E Maturity Score 9 30 42 72 96 A00 A100

24. Bone Ossification
Thoracic Buttons

25. Bone Lean A 0-9% C 35-69% E 90+% B 10-34% D 70-89% >96 mo.

26. Marbling Intramuscular fat For grading purposes Adds flavor
Slightly related to tenderness
Protects tenderness at high degrees of doneness
For grading purposes
Observed within the ribeye muscle
Measured in degrees based on official standard cards

27. Prime Low Prime High Prime Average Prime Slightly Abundant Abundant
Moderately Abundant

28. Choice
High Choice
Moderate
Low Choice
Small
Average Choice
Modest

29. Select and Standard High Select Low Select Low Standard High Standard
Slight50-99
Low Select
Slight00-49
Low Standard
Practically Devoid
High Standard
Traces

30. Relationship of Marbling and Maturity

31. Determining Quality Grade
Mat. = A 80
Marb. = Modest 60
QG = Ave. Choice
For A maturity, you DO NOT adjust the quality grade

32. Determining Quality Grade
Mat. = B 80
Marb. = Modest 50
A B
Subtract Mat from Marb score
= -30, Stop at Modest 00
QG = Low Choice

33. Determining Quality Grade
Mat. = B 30
Marb. = Small 90
A B
Small Marbling + B Maturity = High Standard

34. Determining Quality Grade
For C, D, and E maturity, just worry about the difference between Commercial and Utility
C50 & Slight60
= Utility
E30 & Mod. Abundant30
= Commercial

35. Dark Cutters Dark, dry lean ‘Sticky’ to touch High pH (> 6.0)
May reduce quality grade
Caused by pre-slaughter stress
Weather changes
Mixing of unfamiliar cattle
Heifers in estrus
Great Economic Impact

36. Blood Splash Pen-point hemorrhages of capillaries in the muscle
Caused by a delay between stunning and exsanguination
Major economic discount
Typically not graded

37. Steatosis - “Callused eye”
Caused by nerve damage to young calf
The muscle tissue atrophies, and is replaced by large fat deposits
Easily mistaken for heavy marbling
Firm to touch
Typically not graded
Less common than previous defects

38. Yellow Fat Caused by deposition of β-carotene
Typical for forage-fed beef
Discriminated against by U.S. consumers
Economic discounts

39. Dairy Type Beef from dairy cattle or light-muscled beef cattle
Marketed separate from beef-type carcasses
Discounted up to $30/cwt
Large rib-cage
Med to heavy carcass wt.
Ineligible for “Premium Choice” programs like Certified Angus Beef

40. Grading Practice Grand Champion Steer Houston 2005 Live Wt = 1283
Cxs Wt = 906.5
FT = 0.7 in
REA = 17.3
KPH = 2.5 %
Mat = A
Marb. = Sm 80
Calculate
Dressing %
Yield Grade
Quality Grade

41. Answers - part 1 Dressing percentage (Cxs Wt/ Live Wt.) x 100
70.7%
High, but heavy muscled calf

42. Answers part 1 - Yield Grade
FT = 0.7 in
PYG 3.75
REA -0.75
KPH -0.2 YG
PYG = 3.75
CWT = 906.5
RREA = 14.8
Act REA = 17.3
( ) x 0.3 = (-2.5) x 0.3
REA Adj = -0.75
KPH% = 2.5
KPH Adj = -0.2

43. Answers part 1 - Quality Grade
Marb. = Sm 80
Mat = A
No adjusting for maturity
Sm 80 = Low Choice

44. Practice part 2 Calculate Dressing % Live Wt. = 1175 Yield Grade
Quality Grade
Live Wt. = 1175
Cxs wt. = 728
FT = 0.4 in
REA = 12.5
KPH = 4.0 %
Mat = B 20
Marb. = Mod 50

45. Part 2 - Dr % and QG Dressing Percentage Quality Grade Live Wt. = 1175
Cxs wt. = 728
(728/1175) x 100
62%
Quality Grade
Mat = B 20
Marb. = Mod 50
Subtract (Mod 50 - B 20)
Mod 30
High Choice

46. Part 2 - Yield Grade FT = 0.4 in PYG 3.00 PYG = 3.0 REA 0.00 CWT = 728
KPH +0.1 YG
PYG = 3.0
CWT = 728
RREA = = 12.5
Act REA = 12.5
( ) x 0.3 = (0) x 0.3
REA Adj = Duh! no adjustment
KPH% = 4.0
KPH Adj = +0.1

47. Any Questions?