1. BEEF CARCASS YIELD AND QUALITY GRADING
South Carolina Meat Judging Workshop

2. USDA Beef Carcass Grades
Purpose: Classify Carcasses
Expected Cutability or Retail Yield
Expected Eating Quality

3. Conformation
Dictates
Composition

7. USDA Yield Grade
Estimates - % Closely-Trimmed, Boneless Retail Cuts From Chuck, Rib, Loin and Round
Yield Grade 1 > 52.4%
Yield Grade %
Yield Grade %
Yield Grade %
Yield Grade 5 < 45.4%

9. USDA Yield Grade 12th Rib Backfat Ribeye Area
% Kidney, Pelvic, Heart Fat
Hot Carcass Weight

11. 12th Rib Backfat 3/4 of the longitudinal length of the ribeye muscle
Avg in
Range

13. Ribeye
Area
Average in2
Range in2

14. Estimating Ribeye Area
Can estimate length x width
Other references
2.5 x 3.5 =
8.75 in2
About 5.0 in2

15. Heart
Kidney
Pelvic
% KPH
Fat
Avg %

16. Hot Carcass
Weight
Usually
Given

17. USDA Yield Grade Equation 2.5 + (2.5 x 12th Rib Backfat, in.)
- (0.32 x Ribeye Area, sq in.)
+ (0.20 x KPH Fat, %)
+ ( x Hot Carcass Wt, lbs.)

18. USDA Yield Grade Short-Cut Method
Step 1
Determine Preliminary Yield Grade

19. USDA Yield Grade Short-Cut Method
Step 2
Adjust PYG for REA

20. USDA Yield Grade Short-Cut Method
Step 3
Adjust PYG for HCW

21. USDA Yield Grade Short-Cut Method
Step 4
Adjust PYG for KPH fat %

22. USDA Yield Grade Short-Cut Method - Alternate
Step Combine steps 2 & 3
Determine Expected REA

23. USDA Yield Grade Short-Cut Method - Alternate
Step Combine steps 2 & 3
Adjust PYG for Expected REA

24. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE 0.5
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

25. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

26. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

27. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

28. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

29. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

30. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE 0.75
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

31. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

32. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

33. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

34. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

35. Practice Calculations
Carcass Trait
AFOE
REA
HCW
KPH YG
Formula

37. USDA Quality Grade Estimates Eating Characteristics
Tenderness, Juiciness, Flavor
USDA Prime  USDA Commercial
USDA Choice  USDA Utility
USDA Select  USDA Cutter
USDA Standard  USDA Canner

38. Relationship of Quality Grade and Palatability
Smith et al., 1992
Extremely
Desirable
Undesirable
Prime
Choice
Select
Standard

39. USDA Quality Grade Carcass Maturity/Age Marbling Score Lean Color
Lean Texture
Lean Firmness

40. Carcass Maturity A 9 to 30 months B 30 to 42 months C 42 to 72 months
D 72 to 96 months
E more than 96 months

41. Carcass Maturity Based on bone ossification Order: Sacral Lumbar
Thoracic

42. A maturity
Note cartilage in buttons on tip of chine bone
No evidence of bone

43. D maturity
Note ossification of buttons on tip of chine bone

44. USDA Marbling Score Abundant Moderately Abundant Slightly Abundant
Modest
Small
Slight
Traces
Practically Devoid
Devoid

45. Moderately
Abundant
Slightly
Moderate
Slight
Small
Modest

46. Relationship of Marbling to Quality Grade