1. Principles of Livestock/Poultry Evaluation and Showmanship

2. Grading Systems Objective:
Describe the grading system for various feeder/finish livestock

3. Beef Cattle Classes Age classes Calves Cattle Veal calves
less than one year of age
Cattle
One year or older
Veal calves
Less than three months old

4. Beef Cattle Classes Age classes continued Slaughter calves
3 months to one year old
Feeder calves
6 months to one year old

5. Beef Cattle Classes Sex Classes Steer Heifer Cow Bull Stag
Male castrated before sexual maturity
Heifer
Has not had a calf or matured
Cow
Bull
Stag
Male castrated after sexual maturity

6. Beef Cattle Grades High Quality Low Quality Quality Grades Prime
Choice
Select
Standard
Commercial
Utility
Cutter
Canner
High Quality
Low Quality

7. Beef Cattle Grades Yield Grades Yield Grade 1 Yield Grade 2

8. Beef Cattle Grades Feeder Cattle Grades Slaughter Cattle Grades
Determined by:
Frame size
Muscle thickness
Thriftiness
Slaughter Cattle Grades
Both quality and yield grades

9. Swine Classes Use Classes Slaughter Feeder
To be killed and sold as meat
Feeder
To be feed to heavier weights before slaughter

10. Swine Classes Sex Classes Barrow Guilt Sow Boar Stag
Male castrated before sexual maturity
Guilt
Young female that has not had pigs
Sow
Boar
Stag

11. Swine Grades
Quality and Yield determine USDA grades for slaughter swine
U.S. Number 1
U.S. Number 2
U.S. Number 3
U.S. Number 4
U.S. Utility
Slaughter potential and thriftiness are the basis for feeder pig grades

12. Beef Grading Quality Grade Determined by: Animal’s age Muscling
Marbeling

13. Quality Grade (Beef) 1)Age and Class of Animal
Steers and Heifers Prime, Choice, Good, Standard, Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner
Cows All except Prime
Bulls and Stags All except Prime and Choice

14. Quality Grade (Beef) 2) Muscling
The amount and distribution of the finish
Firmness or fullness covering the animals body

15. Examples of Quality Grade (Beef)
Prime
Choice
Select
Standard

16. Quality Grade (Beef) 3) Marbling
Intermingling of fat with muscle fibers
Observed in the ribeye muscle between the 12th and 13th rib
Adequate marbling must be present for tenderness and high quality grades
The fat should not be soft and oily

17. Marbling (Beef)
Very Abundant
Slight

18. Marbling (Beef)
Slight Marbling

19. Marbling (Beef)
Small Marbling

20. Marbling (Beef)
Modest Marbling

21. Marbling (Beef)
Moderate Marbling

22. Slightly Abundant Marbling
Marbling (Beef)
Slightly Abundant Marbling

24. Quality Grade (Beef) Maximum age
Standard, Select, Choice, or Prime is 42 months
Commercial grade is over 42 months
Utility, Cutter, or Canner have no age limits

25. Yield Grades (Beef)
Percentage of the carcass that is boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the round, loin rib, and chuck
Numbered 1 to 5
Yield 1
Best muscling with least amount of fat
Yield 5
Worst grade with the less muscle and more fat waste

26. Yield Grades (Beef) 1 52.6 - 54.6 2 50.3 - 52.3 3 48.0 - 50.0
Relationship of Yield Grades and Cutability
Yield Grade- % Boneless, Closely Trimmed Retail Cuts From the Round, Loin, Rib and Chuck

27. Yield Grades (Beef)
The terms "yield" and "yield grade" should not be confused.
"Yield" alone means dressing percentage (carcass weight divided by live weight multiplied by 100), and is not directly related to yield grades or cutability.

28. Yield Grades (Beef)
Adjusted fat thickness- External fat is measured at the 12th rib
Percentage of Kidney, Pelvic and Heart Fat (KPH)- A subjective estimate of fat
Rib Eye Area
Hot Carcass Weight

29. Yield Grades (Beef)
USDA yield grades estimate the quantity of edible meat from the major wholesale cuts--round, loin, rib and chuck

30. Yield Grades (Beef)

31. Swine Grades Quality Grade Yield
Determined by the percent of carcass weight of the:
Ham
Loin
Boston butt
Picnic shoulder
Yield
Determined by backfat and degree of muscling

32. Feeder Steer and Heifer Grades
USDA Number 1, 2 and 3
Each USDA Grade has:
Large Frame
Medium Frame
Small Frame

33. Slaughter Steer and Heifer Grades
USDA Quality grades from Prime down to Canner
About 80% of grain fed grade choice.
USDA Yield grades from Yield Grade 1 down to Yield Grade 5

34. Feeder Swine Five U.S Grades (1,2,3,4, and Utility)
U. S. No. 1
Has thick muscling, large frame, and is trim.
Utility Grade
Diseased or unthrifty
Has a head that appears too big for the body and has wrinkled skin.
Potential for feeding out to slaughter weight and grade affects feeder pig grades

35. Slaughter Barrows and Guilts
USDA grades from U.S. No. 1 down to U.S. No. 4
Muscling
thick
average
thin
U.S. No. 1 must be no less than average muscling.

36. Slaughter Barrows and Guilts
Backfat
Maximum backfat for U.S. No. 1 is 1.0 inch or 1.25 inch if muscling is thick.
Maximum backfat for U.S. No. 3 is 1.49 or 1.75 if thick muscling
Thick muscling compensates for or effectively subtracts 0.25 inch of backfat, and thin muscling adds 0.25 inch of backfat to the formula.