Module 17 Meat Quality and Cuts

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Module 17Meat Quality and Cuts
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• Production of Meat
• Producer Processor Consumer
• Supply Demand
• , Value , Price
• Value of Animal (Carcass)
• Payment to producer
• Live weight
• Carcass (wt, merit)

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Marbling

• Intermingling/dispersion of fat in muscle
• Measured in ribeye muscle at 12th rib interface
• Degrees (1-10)
• 1) Devoid 6) Modest
• 2) Practically devoid 7) Moderate
• 3) Traces 8) Slightly abundant
• 4) Slight 9) Moderately abundant
• 5) Small 10) Abundant

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Value of a Beef Carcass

• Dependent on
• Quality and yield
• Quality
• Eating quality characteristics
• Tenderness, juiciness, flavor
• Based on marbling and maturity
• Yield
• Numerical scale of 1-5
• Reflects yield of boneless closely trimmed (.3
  fat) retail
• cuts from round, loin, rib and chuck

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Maturity

• Physiological indicators of maturity
• Ossification of cartilage at various carcass
  locations
• - Cartilage becomes bone
• - Bones whiten (harder, flinty-like,
  white)
• Color and texture of ribeye muscle
• - Color of lean becomes darker (myoglobin
  accumulates)
• - Texture becomes coarser (fibers
  increase in size)
• Maturity Groups
• - Age designated by letters A 9 to 30
  mo
• B 30 to 42 mo
• C 42 to 72 mo
• D 72 to 96 mo
• E gt 96 mo

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Market Classes and Grades of Cattle
Grades Quality
Yield Cattle
Prime Choice Good Standard
Commercial Utility Cutter Canner Steer

1 to 5 Bullock
1 to 5 Heifer
1 to 5 Cow
1 to 5 Bull Not eligible for
Quality grade Veal/Calf
None
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Marbling and Maturity Relationship with Beef
Carcass Quality Grade
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Value of a Hog CarcassQuality Characteristics
of lean in eye muscle at 10th rib

• Marbling
• Traces, slight
• Small, moderate
• Abundant
• Color
• Pale (white, gray)
• Grayish pink to moderately dark red
• Dark red
• Firmness
• Soft and watery
• Intermediate
• Firm and moderately dry

• Acceptability status
• Acceptable
• Preferred
• Unacceptable
• Unacceptable
• Preferred
• Unacceptable
• Unacceptable
• Acceptable
• Acceptable

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Market Classes and Grades of Hogs

• U.S. Grade
• Class No. 1 No. 2
  No. 3 No. 4 Utility
  Cull
• Barrow
• Gilt
• Sow
• Boar None
• Grade is based on backfat thickness and muscling
  score
• No.
• 1 lt 1.25 and 1.00 backfat for thick and average
  muscle, respectively.
• 2 1.25 to 1.50, 1.00 to 1.25, and lt1.00 backfat
  for thick, average and thin muscle.
• 3 1.50 to 1.75, 1.25 to 1.50, 1.00 to 1.25
  backfat for thick, average and thin muscle.
• 4 gt 1.75, 1.50 or 1.25 backfat for thick,
  average and thin muscle.

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Value of a Hog Carcass
U.S. Grades Grades based on carcass yields of the
four lean cuts Ham, loin, picnic and Boston
shoulder No. Yield of lean cuts ( of
carcass) 1 60.4 and greater 2 57.4 to 60.3
3 54.5 to 57.3 4 Less than 54.4 Grades
serve primarily as a guide to producers and
processors in evaluating carcass merit.
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Payment For Hog Carcasses Based on Merit

• Hatfield Quality Meats Payment Program
• Is based on
• 1) A base market price that is the average of
  Eastern and Western Cornbelt quotations for
  purchased swine carcasses (USDA) 2.00.
• Plus the following Discounts/Premiums/Reimbursemen
  ts
• 2) Carcass weight
• lt 156 lb Discounted 1.25 of
  base price for each lb below
• 156 to 197 lb Desired range, no discount
• 182 to 197 lb Premium weight, receive a
  bonus of 75 cents/cwt
• 197 to 223 lb Discounted 0.5 of
  base price for each lb more
• gt 223 lb Discounted 35 of
  base price
• 3) Base Primal Percent
• Carcass with more than 55.4 primal cuts earn
  premiums (max is 4.5).
• Those below are discounted discounts are
  unlimited.
• 4) For carcasses outside the desired weight
  range (156-197), but still having primal cuts of
  acceptable size, a portion or all of the
  original sort penalty is reimbursed.

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Value of a Lamb Carcass

• Quality
• Based on
• Conformation (muscling)
• Maturity
• Quality of lean flesh
• - Flank fat streaking is used as an indicator of
  marbling
• (lamb carcass is not ribbed)
• - Firmness of lean flesh
• - A minimum degree of external fatness
• is required for U.S. Prime or Choice grade
• Yield
• Based on the yield of boneless, closely trimmed
  (0.3) retail
• cuts from the leg, loin, rack and shoulder.

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Market Classes and Grades of Sheep
Grade

Quality Yield Class a
Age, mo. Prime Choice Good
Utility Lamb 2 to 12 1 to 5
Yearling Mutton 12 to 24
1 to 5 Mutton
gt24 mo
Cull 1 to 5 a Each grouping includes
ewes, wethers and rams.
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Market Carcass Comparisons
Steer Hog Lamb Lamb weight,
lb 1150 240 110 (shorn) Carcass weight, lb
713 172.8 58.3 Dressing
62 72 53 Backfat thickness, inches
.6 1.3 .3 Loin
eye area, sq. inches 11 4.5 2.3 Yield
grade 1 retail cuts 54.6
60.4 (US No.1) 50.9 5 retail cuts
45.4 lt 54.4 (US No.4) 41.8

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Quality Standards For Poultry-Carcasses/Parts

• Based on
• Conformation
• Breastbone
• Back
• Legs and wings
• Fleshing
• Fat covering
• Defeathering
• Non protruding pins and hair
• Protruding pins
• Exposed flesh
• Breast and legs
• Elsewhere
• Parts
• Discolorations
• Disjointed and broken bones
• Missing parts (whole carcass only)
• Freezing defects

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Quality Standards For Poultry-Carcasses/Parts
Quality A
B
C Conformation
Normal Moderate deformities Abnormal
Breastbone Slight curve/dent Curved,
dented, crooked Seriously curved/crooked
Back Normal Moderately crooked Seriously
curved Legs and wings Normal
Moderately misshapen Misshapen Fleshing
Well-fleshed Moderately fleshed
Poorly fleshed Fat covering Well
covered Sufficient fat covering Lacking
fat cover to prevent flesh appearing
through skin Defeathering Nonprotruding
pins Free Few scattered Scattering
hair Protruding pins Free
Occasional Occasional
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Quality Standards For Poultry-(Contd)
Quality
A B
C Exposed
flesh Breast and legs None ?
of flesh ? of flesh Elsewhere 1
? of flesh ? of flesh Parts
Slight ? of flesh No limit Discoloration
Breast and legs ¾ 1 ¼ No
limit Elsewhere 1 ¼ 2 ¼ No
limit Parts ¼ ½ No
limit
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Quality Standards For Poultry-(Contd)
Quality
A B
C
Disjointed/broken bones Carcass 1
disjointed, 2 disjointed No
limit no broken no broken,
or 1 disjointed 1 broken nonprotruding
Parts None May be
disjointed, No limit no broken
Missing parts Wing tips tails Wing
tips Wing tips, (whole carcass only)
2nd wing joint wings, tail tail,
Back area not wider Back area not wider
than tail base than tail base
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Quality Standards For Poultry-(Contd)
Quality
A B
C
Freezing defects Slight darkening Lacks
brightness. Numerous pockmarks on
back drumstick. Moderate areas large dried
areas. Occasional small areas showing
layer of showing layer of clear,
pinkish, or clear pinkish
ice. reddish ice.


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High Priced Cuts

• Steer Hog Lamb Broiler
• Round Ham Leg Breast
• Loin Loin Loin Wing
• Rib Shoulder Rack Leg
• Chuck Belly Shoulder Thigh

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Wholesale Cuts - Steer
Cut
of Carcass

• 1. Round 23
• 2. Sirloin 9
• 3. Short loin 8
• 4. Rib 9
• 5. Chuck 26
• 6. Flank 5
• 7. Plate 8
• 8. Brisket 5
• 9. Shank 4
• 10. Kidney,
  3
• 
  
  pelvic heart fat
• Total 100

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Wholesale Cuts - Lamb

• Cut of Carcass
• 1. Leg 39
• 2. Loin 7
• 3. Flank 2
• 4. Rack 9
• 5. Breast 10
• 6. Shoulder 26
• 7. Shank 5
• 8. Kidney 2
• Knob
• Total 100

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Wholesale Cuts - Broiler

• Cut of Carcass
• 1. Leg 15.9
• (drumstick) 2. Thigh
  17.3
• 3. Back
  18.2
• 4. Wing 11.9
• 5. Breast
  27.4
• 6. Neck (plus 9.4
• giblets)
• ____
• Total 100

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Wholesale Cuts - Hog
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Wholesale Cuts - Turkey

• Cut of Carcass
• 1. Leg
  12.2
• 2. Thigh 16.5
• 3. Back 14.8
• 4. Wing 9.1
• 5. Breast 39.8
• 6. Neck (plus 7.6
• Giblets)
• Total 100