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Changes in Primal Cut Yield with Increasing Weight of Large and Small Cattle

Cornell University^1,2,, Ithaca, NY 14853

Abstract

The effect of live or carcass weight on yield of primal cuts, trimmed primal cuts, trimmed boneless primal cuts and primal cut fat trim was quantified in carcasses from 74 small-framed Angus and 71 Holstein steers. Animals were slaughtered at five within-breed weights. Primal cuts increased (P<.005) .44 kg and trimmed primal cuts increased (P<.005) .4 kg for each kg increase in shrunk body weight. One kilogram increase in shrunk body weight resulted (P<.005) in .37 kg of additional trimmed boneless primal cuts. The shrunk body weight of Angus steers and grain-fed cattle contained 4.28 (P<.01) and 9.32 (P<.005) kg more trimmed boneless primal cuts than their respective breed and diet counterparts. Each additional kg of chilled carcass weight resulted (P<.005) in .60, .13 and .50 kg of additional primal cuts, primal cut fat trim and trimmed boneless primal cuts, respectively. Neither diet nor housing type influenced the yield from chilled carcass weight. Breed differences in trimmed primal cut weight depended upon carcass weight. Holstein carcasses contained 9.1 and 15.5 kg more trimmed primal cuts at chilled carcass weights of 250 and 360 kg, respectively. Fat thickness and percentage kidney, pelvic and heart fat (KPHF) were the best (r²=.70) combination of predictors for percentage primal cuts. The best (r²=.77) combination of predictors for percentage trimmed primal cuts included chilled carcass weight as well as the best predictors for percentage primal cuts. Across diet and housing types, shrunk body weight explained between 89 and 98% and chilled carcass weight explained between 93 and 98% of the within-breed variation in weight of primal cuts processed to different stages.

¹ Dept. of Anim. Sci.

² Thanks are due to Harry Dickson and Bill Winters for fabricating the carcasses, to Sulma Mohammed for preparing the graphs and to Janine Thomas and Nigel Firth for help in manuscript preparation.

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