Principles of Marketing and Evaluating Beef Cattle

Beef Industry Beef is one of the most productive meat industries in the United States In 2009 the retail industry sold $73 billion dollars in beef products US consumers consumed nearly 27 billion pounds of beef in 2009

Beef Cattle Use Classes Beef cattle are first given a designation to determine their use Slaughter To be killed and sold as meat Feeder To be fed to heavier weights before slaughter

Beef Cattle Age Classes Beef cattle are then given a designated class according to their age to help determine use Age classes are used when marketing cattle for sale/production/slaughter

Beef Cattle Age Classes Calves Less than one year of age Veal calves Less than three months old Slaughter calves 3 months to one year old Feeder calves 6 months to one year old Cattle One year or older

Beef Cattle Sex Classes Sex class helps determine the quality of the live cattle carcass The sex class of the cattle becomes a factor when evaluating the beef carcass grade as well

Beef Cattle Sex Classes Bull A mature uncastrated male Bullock A young uncastrated or castrated male Steer A castrated young male Cow A mature female Heifer An immature female

Beef Cattle Grades Live beef cattle are given grades to help determine what quality carcass they will produce This is helpful to producers and processors because it estimates the value of the cattle being processed Feeder cattle and slaughter cattle are given grades based on different factors

Determining Beef Cattle Grades Feeder Cattle Grades Frame size Muscle thickness Thriftiness Slaughter Cattle Grades Quality Yield

Feeder Cattle Grades Frame Size Muscle Thickness Thriftiness Indicates the size of the animal’s skeleton (height and body length) Muscle Thickness Indicates the development of the muscle system in relation to the size of the skeleton Thriftiness Indicates the apparent health of the animal and its ability to grow and fatten

Feeder Cattle Grades Frame Size Large Frame Tall and long bodies Steers 1200+ lbs Heifers 1000+ lbs Medium Frame Slightly tall and slightly long bodies Steers 1000-1200 lbs Heifers 850-1000 lbs

Feeder Cattle Grades Frame Size Small Frame Small frame and shorter bodies Steers less than 1000 lbs Heifers less than 850 lbs

Feeder Cattle Grades Muscle Thickness No 1 Thick muscling Thin covering of fat No 2 Slightly thick muscling Slightly thin covering of fat No 3 Thin muscling Thick or thin covering of fat

Feeder Cattle Grades Once the cattle are evaluated and determined to be thrifty the grades are combined. The cattle are only given one grade for each category Frame Size Muscle Thickness Example: Large Frame No. 1

Slaughter Cattle Grades Quality Grade Is determined by the sex class, age or maturity and marbling of the carcass Yield Grade Is determined by the percentage of the carcass that is boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the round, loin rib and chuck

Slaughter Cattle Grades-Quality Grade 8 Quality Grades Prime Choice Select Standard Commercial Utility Cutter Canner High Quality Low Quality

Slaughter Cattle Grades-Quality Grade Carcasses are only given 1 of the 8 quality grades About 80% of grain fed cattle receive a choice grade Sex classes that influence quality grade Cows are not allowed Prime grades Bulls are not allowed Prime or Choice grades Bullocks are limited to Prime, Choice, Select and Standard grades Steers and heifers are allowed all grades

Slaughter Cattle Grades-Quality Grade Age/Maturity influences on quality grade Prime, Choice and Standard grades must be under 42 months Select grades must be under 30 months Marbling influences on quality grade Prime must have slightly abundant marbling Select must have slight marbling

Slaughter Cattle Grades-Quality Grade Marbling Marbling is the dispersal or intermingling of fat among the muscle fiber in the ribeye between the twelfth and thirteenth rib Slightly Abundant Slight Moderate

Slaughter Cattle Grades-Quality Grade

Slaughter Cattle Grades-Yield Grade 5 Yield Grades Yield 1 Yield 2 Yield 3 Yield 4 Yield 5 Carcasses only receive 1 of the 5 yield grades High Yield of Lean Cuts Low Yield of Lean Cuts

Slaughter Cattle Grades Once the cattle carcasses are evaluated the grades are combined. The cattle are only given one grade for each category Quality Yield Example: Prime Grade Yield 1

Beef Cattle Wholesale Meat Cuts After slaughter the beef carcass is divided into wholesale meat cuts that are sold to butchers and grocery stores High Value Loin, Rib, Round and Rump Low Value Chuck, Brisket, Flank, Plate and Shank

Beef Cattle Wholesale Meat Cuts Chuck Rib Loin Round Flank Plate Brisket Shank Rump 80% of the value of the retail carcass comes from these wholesale cuts: Chuck, Round, Loin and Rib

Beef Cattle Retail Meat Cuts The wholesale cuts are then cut into retail cuts that are sold to consumers High Value Rib Ribeye and Rib Roast Loin Tenderloin, Sirloin and T-bone Rump Rump Roast Round Top Round Roast

Beef Cattle Retail Meat Cuts Low Value Chuck Stew Beef, Ground Beef and Cubed Steak Brisket Corned Beef Brisket Flank Flank Steak and Ground Beef Plate Skirt Steak and Ground Beef Shank Cross Cuts

Beef Cattle Retail Meat Cuts Ground Beef Cubed Steak Stew Beef Ribeye Rib Roast Sirloin Tenderloin T-Bone Top Round Roast Flank Steak Skirt Steak Corned Beef Brisket Cross Cut Rump