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Live Cattle Evaluation: Beef Quality & Yield Grading Guide

Learn about live animal evaluation and beef grading criteria including factors affecting quality and yield grades. Valuable insights for beef producers and students.

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Live Cattle Evaluation: Beef Quality & Yield Grading Guide

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  1. Live Animal EvaluationBeef Nick Nelson Blue Mt. Community College ANS 231 Originated by Kenneth Geuns Michigan State University Revised 2009

  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 • 900 lb to 1500 lb • Avg: 1250 lb • Carcass Weight range • 550 lb to 950 lb • 775 lb

  9. Dressing Percentage • Proportion of live weight that ends up as carcass • Example: 1250 lb steer with a 775 lb carcass has a dressing percent of 62% • Range: 55 - 67% • 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: 9.0 - 18.0 sq. in. • Avg: 12.5 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: 1.0 - 4.5% • 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 • 1 = Lean and/or Muscular; High cutability • 5 = Fat and/or Light Muscled; Low cutability • Avg: 3.0

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