  BeefTalk:
Ever Wonder What Quality Grade Is?
By Kris Ringwall, Extension Beef Specialist,
NDSU Extension Service
Carcass data terminology pops up frequently when discussing beef production.
A couple of questions come to mind right away: What do all the terms mean? And
how much carcass data do we really need?
For most producers changes in management and genetics made within a herd are
not made through analysis of individual animals at harvesting. Many producers
still rely on pen averages or published research results of cattle similar in
type and breed to their own cattle to initiate change. One would be hard pressed
to say the industry hasn’t survived with such strategies, but still individual
herds need to keep in mind the end product they produce.
The end product, generally assessed by quality and yield grade, is sorted to
meet different markets, each with an appropriate price based on demand. So, what
are these two big numbers, quality and yield grade?
For today, let’s focus on the former. Quality grade is an attempt to measure,
or put into some objective term, the assumed eating characteristics of the
retail meat products when the carcass is broken down during processing. Those
carcasses grading "prime" would be considered the product with the greatest
summation of eating qualities related to palatability (i.e., tenderness,
juiciness and flavor). Those carcasses grading the "canner" would simply have
the least desirable eating experience. Generally, a grilled steak from a
"canner" carcass would be very difficult to eat.
The order of beef quality grades, from the most desirable eating experience
to the least, would be prime, choice, select, standard, commercial, utility,
cutter and canner. In addition, typical slaughter cattle carcasses are broken
down into several classes of beef carcasses, including steer, bullock, heifer,
cow and bull. There are additional classes for slaughter veal and calves.
All eight quality grades are only available for steer and heifer carcasses.
Bullock quality grades only include prime, choice, select, standard and utility.
Cow quality grades include all grades except prime. Bulls are not eligible for
quality grades.
Being a slaughter cattle buyer means being able to mentally estimate what
carcass grades a particular set of cattle will produce, quickly estimate the
carcass value, extrapolate a live price and bid the cattle. Generally, cattle
producers pay considerable attention to slaughter steer value and forget the
same principles are working for slaughter heifers and cows.
The actual determination of quality grade depends on the maturity or age of
the cattle based on the condition of the bone and color of the lean ribeye, as
well as the degree of intra-muscular fat present in the ribeye. In conversation
with graders, the terms of A,B,C, D and E bone will be overheard, as well as
marbling scores of slightly abundant, moderate, modest, small, slight, traces
and practically devoid.
Bone grades are an indicator of maturity. With high prices and demand for
beef, the A bone is in the news a lot today, since A bone cattle are estimated
to be 9 to 30 months of age, while B bone cattle are estimated at 30 to 42
months of age. A and B bone are the only bone eligible for prime, choice, select
and standard beef carcasses. Keep in mind, a cow that is just over 3 years of
age, could have B bone.
Steer carcasses with A bone and slightly abundant marbling are prime. Too
much space is needed to discuss all the quality grades of beef, but rest
assured, as the cattle get older and marbling gets less, the grade goes down. In
general, the younger the cattle and the more marbling present equates to the
greater chance the eating experience will be good, without the addition of
several generations of home recipes.
May you find all your ear tags.
Your comments are always welcome at
www.BeefTalk.com. For more information,
contact the North Dakota Beef Cattle Improvement Association, 1133 State Avenue,
Dickinson, ND 58601 or go to
www.CHAPS2000.com on the Internet. In
correspondence about this column, refer to BT0171.
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Source: Kris Ringwall, (701) 483-2427, kringwal@ndsuext.nodak.edu
Editor: Tom Jirik, (701) 231-9629, tjirik@ndsuext.nodak.edu
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