US Beef Industry

Castrates vs. Intact

Avian slaughtered prior to pubertycastration unnecessary
Improve meat quality & palatability
Pigs- Boars taint
Cattle and Sheep- Intact have
tenderness variation
Reduce management challenges
Can have comingled genders
Easier on facilities & people
University of Florida

Overview of On-Farm Production

Systems
Elite Purebred Producers
Multiplier Producers
Commercial Producers
Packers/Processors
Wholesalers/Purveyors
Retailers/Foodservice
Customers
University of Florida

Elapsed time from birth to slaughter

Cattle 14 to 22 months
(18 mo.)
Swine 5 to 7 months
Sheep 6 to 10 months
Goats Variable
Turkey 18 weeks
Broiler 6 weeks
University of Florida

Beef Production

Dairy - Bos
Taurus
Beef - Bos Taurus
& Bos Indicus
University of Florida

Commercial Beef Production

Cow/Calf
Producer
Feedyard
Packer
University of Florida

Stocker

U.S. Beef Production

Most cow-calf operations

part-time, hobby, or tax write-off

90% have less than 100 cows

44 national average

Majority of life on forage alone

Essentially no cow-calf integration

Finishing-Corn-based, castrates- quality &

consistency

Approximately of supply owned by packer

from weaning on

Fed Holstein steer and cull cow by-products

of dairy industry

University of Florida

Cow-Calf Segment

University of Florida

Beef Cows Inventory

University of Florida

Calf with Cow ~ 7 mo.

University of Florida

Inshipments

University of Florida

Why going to middle of country?

Established infrastructure
(feeders & packers)
Forage advantages
Less population density
Climate

University of Florida

Stocker Segment
Up to 90 days of cheap growth on
grass
Spring born calves to winter wheat
in OK, KS, & TX
Fall born calves to summer pasture
in same areas and/or midwest
Direct to feedlot or stocker
operation?
Driven by market, weather,
genetics of calves
University of Florida

Stocker Segment

University of Florida

Placed in a feed yard

~800 pounds

University of Florida

Feedyard Segment

University of Florida

Feedyard Segment

120 Days (> 3 lb/d) ~1200 pounds

University of Florida

Feedlot Segment
At least 100 days (120-150 days)
Ration - 75% grain, 25% hay
Can utilize byproducts of ethanol
production well
Purpose
Improving meat quality and
quantity

University of Florida

Feedlot Segment

Source: Colorado State University

University of Florida

Clarification/ Inspection Vs.

Grading

USDA Quality and Yield

Grades
USDA grades are designed to segregate
carcasses into similar categories and to
facilitate marketing
90% of the cattle slaughtered in the US
receive a USDA grade.
Dual grading system (quality and yield)
USDA grading of beef is optional

USDA Grading
Both quality grades and yield grades
are assigned to carcasses by USDA
Graders who are independent of the
packing plants.
Graders have two responsibilities
Grading
Certification

Beef Carcass Anatomy

Round

Loin
12th and
13th Rib
Rib
Chuck

USDA Quality Grade

What is meant by quality grade:
term used to describe the characteristics of
the lean that indicate palatability
describes factors that consumers associate
with tenderness, juiciness, flavor, and
overall palatability

Quality Grade Factors

Maturity:
subjective observation of ossification of the
vertebral columns, color of lean, and texture
of lean

Marbling
Subjective evaluation of the amount of
intramuscular fat dispersed within the ribeye

Spinous
process of
the
Thoracic
vertebra

Thoracic
vertebra

Buttons

Beef Quality Grades- Lean Maturity

Young
A00

Intermediate
B00

C00

Mature
D00

E00

USDA Maturity Classes

Maturity Classification

A
B
C
D
E

Months of Age**

9 to 30 months of age
30 to 42 months of age
42 to 72 months of age
72 to 96 months of age
Over 96 months of age

**These ages are only an

estimation

Carcass Maturity
A00

% Thoracic
Ossification
0%

Approximate
Age (Months)
9 30

B00

10%

30 42

C00

35%

42 72

D00

70%

72 96

E00

90%

E100

100%

Maturity

00
A
Bone Maturity

B00

> 96
C00

D00

E00

Various Maturity of Beef Cattle

A-Maturity

C-Maturity

D-Maturity

Overall USDA Maturity

A-Maturity

USDA Quality-Marbling
Marbling, or
intramuscular fat
flecks within the
exposed ribeye area
Usually the major
factor determining
quality grade
Flecks of fat within the
encircled area

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.

Marbling Scores and Final

Quality Grade of A-Maturity
Carcasses

Abundant
Moderately Abundant
Slightly Abundant
Moderate
Modest
Small
Slight
Traces
Practically Devoid

High Prime
Average Prime
Low Prime
High Choice
Average Choice
Low Choice
Select
Standard
Standard

Select

Choice

Prime

Overall Quality Grade

Overall USDA Quality

Grade
Modest
Marbling

A-Maturity

Average Choice

USDA Yield Grade

What is meant by USDA Yield Grade:
Yield grades were developed to estimate
the Percent Boneless Closely Trimmed
Rib, Loin, Chuck, and Round.

A multi-linear regression equation was

developed from 348 head of cattle.
This equation uses the hot carcass
weight, ribeye area, back fat thickness,
and percentage of Kidney, Pelvic, and
Heart Fat (KPH).

USDA Yield Grade

%BCTRC = 51.34 5.784(Adj.Fat) 0.462(KPH) + 0.740(REA) 0.0093(HCW)

USDA YG = 2.5 + 2.5(Adj.Fat) 0.2(KPH) + 0.32(REA) 0.0038(HCW)

USDA YG

%BCTRC

52.3 % or More

52.3 - 50.0%

50.0 - 47.7%

47.7 - 45.4%

45.4% or Less

USDA Yield Grades

Predicting Carcass Cutability
Hot Carcass Weight (lbs)
Adjusted Fat Thickness (in.)
Ribeye Area (sq. in.)
% Kidney Pelvic and Heart Fat

USDA Yield Grades

Percent Kidney, Pelvic, and

Heart Fat (KPH)

Pelvic
Fat

Heart
Fat

Kidney
Fat

12th Rib Back Fat Thickness

the
length of
the ribeye

12th Rib Ribeye Area

Each
Square is
a tenth of
an inch
8 in2

VIA Output

Flavor
Grain fed vs grass fed

Wet aged vs dry aged

Juiciness

Degree of doneness/coo

Tenderness

Amount and age

of connective
tissue

Tenderness
Post-Mortem AgingProtein Degradation
Calpains & Calpastatin

I hour pos

14 -21 Days

24 hours
postmorte
m

Tenderness
Muscle

Overall
tenderness
score

Common name

Psoas Major

7.10

Tenderloin

Infraspinatus

6.7

Flat Iron, top blade

Longissimus dorsi

6.42

Ribeye, strip loin

Rectus femoris

5.74

Sirloin tip

Gluteus medius

5.63

Top sirloin

Triceps

5.57

Chuck pot roast

Semitendinosus

5.53

Eye of round

Semimembranosus

5.52

Top round

Biceps femoris

5.44

Bottom round

Pectoralis

4.57

Brisket

Tenderness

Density/Lubrication
(Marbling)
Insurance Against
Overcooking

Emerson et al., 2013

Certification
Using the USDA grading standards and
other specifications to have third party
certification
Currently 139 different schedules
Purpose
Add value
Develop brand identity
Improve endpoint consistency

 Program Name
Certified Angus Beef
Live Animal Requirements
51% Black Hair Coat
Carcass Requirements
No dairy conformation
Steers and Heifers
No dark cutters
No internal hemorrhaging
Maximum hump height < 2
Quality
A maturity
Mt 00 or higher
Medium to fine textured marbling
Yield
Ribeye area 10 to 16 in2
Carcass weight < 1050
Fat thickness < 1

Slightly Abundant 00

Moderate 00 Modest 00 Small 50

Slight 50

Slight 00

Small 00

Required
USDA FSIS Inspection
Pre-Operational Sanitation
Antemortem
Postmortem
Zero tolerance
Antibiotic residues

Mandatory Testing
Generic E coli and Salmonella testing
Trim &/or ground beef testing for STEC
Ready-to-eat testing

FSIS N-60 Testing

12 pieces weighing 75 g per combo = 375 g

Sample Composite

375 g

Add 3 10 volumes
media

Enrichment @ 42C
TRADE SECRET CONTAINS CONFIDENTIAL COMMERCIAL INFORMATION
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Why do we need
intervention steps?
Prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 in fecal samples
Spring and Summer = 74%
Lower in Fall
Much lower in Winter (29.4%)

Prevalence of E. coli O157:H7 on pre-evisceration

carcasses
Spring and Summer (39%)
Lowest in Winter (1%).

1,232 post-intervention carcasses sampled during the

four seasons
Only 15 (1.2%) tested positive for the presence of E. coli
O157:H7

Barkocy-Gallagher, G. A., Arthur, T. M., Rivera-Betancourt, M., Nou, X., Shackelford, S. D., Wheeler, T. L., et al. (2003). Seasonal prevalence of Shiga toxinproducing Escherichia coli, including O157:H7 and non-O157 serotypes, and Salmonella in commercial beef processing plants. Journal of Food Protection, 66,
19781986.

What The
Industry Does
Interventions:
Process, practice, or
chemical applied to
the meat or
processing
environment in order
to reduce levels of
foodborne pathogens
slow/stop/remove

Multiple Hurdle
approach

Steam Vacuum

Carcass Wash
Cabinets

Organic Acid Wash

Additional Third
Party Testing
Must tell FSIS of positives

Questions?