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Some Relationships Among Factors in the Production and Grade of Beef

U. S. Department of Agriculture

Abstract

Summarizing the more important facts,— width of body was found to be the best index of feeder-cattle grade among the five feeder characteristics considered. None of these, nor feeder-cattle grade, was a reliable index of ability to gain rapidly.

Feeder grade and total gain in the feed-lot had approximately equal influence on carcass grade in the average case. There was a correlation of +.86±.004 between slaughter cattle grade and carcass grade.

Thickness of external fat, thickness of flesh, and uniformity of width of carcass were the best indices of carcass grade among the 8 carcass characteristics considered. All three correlations were well above +.90.

Thickness of external fat was the best index of marbling, with a correlation of +.88±.003.

Among the steer calves, as feeder grade decreased the gain required to maintain grade, feeder to carcass, also decreased. However, the gain required to produce a uniform grade of carcass increased.

Fancy grade feeders indicated a potentiality for producing Prime grade carcasses, which the other grades did not appear to possess. However, greater decline, feeder grade to carcass grade, was shown by the higher than by the lower-grading feeders at the stages of smaller gains. The results indicated that if advantage is to be taken of the potentiality of higher-grading feeders for producing high-grade carcasses they must be fed for relatively large gains.

Variations in initial weight and rate of gain within the feeder grade were factors influencing carcass grade, but were minor in comparison with feeder grade and total gain.