Quality Standards for Beef, Pork, & Poultry

Quality Standards for Beef, Pork, & Poultry
Unit 5.01

Quality Standards The USDA sets forth quality features for beef, pork, and poultry The quality features are classified into grades as determined by the USDA Grades indicate QUALITY not sanitation

Beef Classes Beef animals are classified according to their purpose
Animals are grouped by AGE and SEX

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

Beef Classes Sex Classes
Steer – male castrated before reaching sexual maturity Heifer – female that has not had a calf or matured as a cow Cow – female that has had one or more calves or is mature Bull – uncastrated male Stag – male castrated after reaching sexual maturity

Beef Classes Feeder cattle (6 months and older)
Graded based on visual appraisal Frame size, muscle thickness, and thriftiness of the animal are scored Animals are grouped according to a USDA scale

Beef Classes Feeder cattle USDA Feeder Steer & Heifer Grades
USDA No. 1 USDA No. 2 USDA No. 3 Each USDA grade also has a large, medium, and small frame category

Beef Classes Slaughter Cattle
Evaluated visually but also graded according to USDA standards All animals are assigned quality and yield grades when they are slaughtered

Beef Cattle Slaughter Cattle Quality Grades Prime Choice Select
Standard Commercial Utility Cutter Canner

Beef Cattle Slaughter Cattle Yield Grades Yield Grade 1 Yield Grade 2

Quality Features of Beef
Feeder Steer & Heifer Grades Animals are divided into three groups – calves, yearlings, and older feeders This division is based on their weight Feeder animals weigh between lbs Feeder cattle grades are the basis for reporting market prices for cattle

Feeder Steer & Heifer Grades Three factors are used to determine the grade of feeder cattle Thriftiness – the apparent health of the animal and its potential to fatten and grow normally

Feeder Steer & Heifer Grades Three factors are used to determine the grade of feeder cattle Frame Size – the size of the animal’s skeleton (height and body length) Large – tall and long bodied for their age Medium – slightly large in size for their age Small – shorter bodied and not as tall as medium frame cattle

Feeder Steer & Heifer Grades Three factors are used to determine the grade of feeder cattle Thickness – development of muscle in relation to the size of the skeleton US No 1 – slightly thick throughout, moderate width between legs US No 2 – narrow throughout, legs set close together, back and loin have sunken appearance US No 3 – less thickness and width between legs than No 2

Feeder Steer & Heifer Grades USDA Feeder Cattle Grades – uses the three factors discussed above to assign the “grade” to the animal

Feeder Steer & Heifer Grades Large Frame No 1 – animal that is taller in size compared to others and displays think muscling throughout body Large Frame No 2 – same frame size as No 1, but has slightly less muscling, back and loin have sunken appearance Large Frame No 3 – same frame size as No 2, but has less thickness and width than No 2

Feeder Steer & Heifer Grades Medium Frame No 1 – animal with a moderate or average frame size and thick muscling throughout Medium Frame No 2 – same frame size as No 2, but less muscling as compared to No 1, loin and back have a sunken appearance Medium Frame No 3 – same frame size as No 2, but less thickness and width than No 2

Feeder Steer & Heifer Grades Small Frame No 1 – animal with a moderate or average frame size and thick muscling throughout Small Frame No 2 – same frame size as No 2, but less muscling as compared to No 1, loin and back have a sunken appearance Small Frame No 3 – same frame size as No 2, but less thickness and width than No 2

Feeder Steer & Heifer Grades Inferior – feeder cattle that are unthrifty and not expected to grow or fatten normally, usually indicative of disease, parasites, etc

Slaughter Steer & Heifers Quality Grades Quality grade is determined by: Age or maturity of animal Muscling or firmness of meat tissue Amount of marbling or fat distribution in the lean meat

Slaughter Steer & Heifers Quality Grades Marbling – the dispersal or intermingling of fat among the muscle fiber in the ribeye between the twelfth and thirteenth ribs Cutability – the yield of closely trimmed, boneless retail cuts that come from the major wholesale cuts of carcass

Slaughter Steer & Heifers Quality Grades Maximum age of Standard, Select, Choice or Prime grades is 42 months Commercial grade is over 42 months Utility, Cutter, or Canner grades have no age limit

Slaughter Steer & Heifers Quality Grades There is no Prime grade for slaughter cows Adequate marbling must be present for tenderness in the higher quality grades Prime grades have maximum marbling Low choice or higher grades are the most desirable About 80% of grain fed grade beef is graded as choice

Slaughter Steer & Heifers Yield Grades Yield grade is determined by the percentage of the carcass that is boneless, closely trimmed retail cuts from the round, loin rib, and chuck Yield grades are affected by muscling and amount of fat

Slaughter Steer & Heifers Yield Grades Yield 1 – best muscling with least fat waste, highest percentage of retail cuts Yield 2, 3, 4 – grades that are in between the highest percentage of yield versus the lowest grade Yield 5 – worst grade, less muscle and more fat waste

Let’s practice calculating beef yield grades!
You may work with your table partner, but you each need to turn in your own sheet of paper with your answers. SHOW ALL WORK!

Swine Classes Use Classes Sex Classes

Swine Classes Use Classes Slaughter – to be killed and sold as meat
Feeder – to be fed to heavier weights before slaughter

Swine Classes Sex Classes
Barrow – male castrated before sexual maturity Gilt – young female that has not had piglets Sow – older female that has had piglets Boar – uncastrated male Stag – male castrated after reaching sexual maturity

Quality Features of Swine
Feeder Pig Grades Potential for feeding out to slaughter weight and thriftiness affects feeder pig grades USDA No 1 USDA No 2 USDA No 3 USDA No 4 USDA Utility USDA Cull

Feeder Pig Grades USDA No 1 Large frame, thick muscled animal that is trim Legs set wide apart Ham is wider than loin

Feeder Pig Grades USDA No 2 Moderately large frame with moderate muscling Animal is slightly fatter than No 1

Feeder Pig Grades USDA No 3 Slightly smaller frame with thin muscling Ham and loin are about the same width Legs are fairly close together

Feeder Pig Grades USDA No 4 Small frame with thin muscling Ham and loin are same width Back is flat Ham will show signs of too much fat

Feeder Pig Grades USDA Utility Animal shows unthriftiness because of disease or poor care Skin is wrinkles Head appears too large for the rest of the body

Feeder Pig Grades USDA Cull Animal is “unthrifty” It has poor appearance that indicates improper care and disease The head appears too big for the body Has wrinkled skin

Slaughter Barrows & Gilts Quality grade is determined by quality of lean meat and yield Quality of lean is determined by firmness of lean, firmness of fat, and distribution of external finish (fat)

Slaughter Barrows & Gilts Yield is evaluated by thickness of back fat and degree of muscling Thick muscling helps offset back fat thickness

Slaughter Barrows & Gilts Grade is determined by the percent of carcass weight made up of ham, loin, Boston butt, and picnic shoulder Back fat and degree of muscling are used to evaluate live hogs for yield

Slaughter Barrows & Gilts USDA Slaughter Grades US No 1 US No 2 US No 3 US No 4 US Utility

Slaughter Barrows & Gilts US No 1 hogs must have at least average muscling US No 1 hogs should yield 60.4% or higher

Calculating Slaughter Barrow & Gilt Grades The estimated back fat thickness over the last rib and the muscling score are used to determine the USDA slaughter barrow and gilt grade

Calculating Slaughter Barrow & Gilt Grades Degrees of muscling are thick, average, and thin Thick muscle score = 3.0 Average muscle score = 2.0 Thin muscle score = 1.0

Calculating Slaughter Barrow & Gilt Grades The formula used to calculate slaughter barrow and gilt grades is: Grade = (4.0 x back fat) – (1.0 x muscling score)

Poultry Quality Features
Conformation – ideal is normal breastbone, back, legs, and wings Fleshing – well fleshed or muscled is ideal Fat Covering – well covered is ideal

Exposed Flesh – none is ideal To grade A - breast and legs cannot have more than 1/4” exposed flesh from cuts, tears; other parts as back and wings can have from 1-3” depending on weight of carcass with larger carcasses able to have more and still be grade A

Discolorations – bruises are not allowed on breast and legs of grade A, some from other causes allowed Disjointed and Broken Bones – no broken and one disjointed allowed for grade A Missing Parts – wing tips and tail can be missing on grade A Freezing Defects – slight ones allowed for grade A

USDA Ready to Cook Poultry Grades
USDA Ready to Cook Poultry Grade A USDA Ready to Cook Poultry Grade B USDA Ready to Cook Poultry Grade C USDA Ready to Cook Poultry Grade No Grade Ready to Cook means the head, feet, feathers, blood, and viscera (internal parts) have been removed

Quality Standards for Beef, Pork, & Poultry

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Quality Standards for Beef, Pork, & Poultry

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