|
>
Department >
Home >
Beef
>
Beef/Cattle >
BQA
Beef/Cattle Extension Program
National Beef Quality Audit-2000: Survey of targeted
cattle and carcass characteristics related to quality,
quantity, and value of fed steers and heifers
"Over
11,000 calves and 7,000 cows were tagged with
an electronic identification tag."
|
By D. R. McKenna*, D. L. Roeber†,
P. K. Bates‡, T. B. Schmidt§, D. S. Hale*, D. B. Griffin*,
J. W. Savell*, J. C. Brooks‡, J. B. Morgan‡, T. H. Montgomery§,
K. E. Belk†, and G. C. Smith†
ABSTRACT The
National Beef Quality Audit-2000 was conducted to assess
the current status of the quality and consistency of
U.S. fed steers and heifers. Between May and November
2000, survey teams assessed the following issue in 30
U.S. beef packing plants:
- hide condition (n = 43,415 cattle for color, brands,
mud/manure),
- bruises (n = 43,595 carcasses),
- offal and carcass condemnation (n = 8,588 cattle),
and
- carcass quality and yield information (n = 9,396
carcasses)
|
Hide colors |
black (45.1%),
red (31.0%),
yellow (8.0%),
Holstein (5.7%),
gray (4.0%),
white (3.2%),
brown (1.7%), and
brindle (1.3%) |
| Brand frequencies
|
no (49.3%),
one (46.2%), and
two or more (4.4%) |
|
Brand locations |
butt (36.3%),
side (13.7%), and
shoulder (3.6%) |
| Mud/manure on hides |
no (18.0%)
small amount (55.8%) |
|
Horns |
no (77.3%) |
| Bruising |
not bruised (53.3%)
one bruise (30.9%)
had multiple bruises (15.8%) |
|
Bruise location |
round (14.9%),
loin (25.9%),
rib (19.4%),
chuck (28.2%), and
brisket, flank, and plate (11.6%) |
| Condemnation |
liver (30.3%),
lungs (13.8%),
tripe (11.6%),
heads (6.2%),
tongues (7.0%), and
carcasses (0.1%). |
|
Carcass sex-classes |
steer (67.9%),
heifer (31.8%), and
bullock (0.3%) |
| Maturities |
A (96.6%),
B (2.5%), and
C or older (0.9%) |
|
Dark Cutters |
dark-cutters (2.3%) |
| Breed types |
native (90.1%),
dairy-type (6.9%), and
Bos
indicus (3.0%) |
|
Mean USDA yield grade traits |
USDA yield grade
(3.0),
carcass weight (356.9 kg),
adjusted fat thickness (1.2 cm),
longissimus muscle area (84.5 cm2), and
kidney, pelvic, and heart fat (2.4%). |
| USDA yield grades |
Yield Grade 1 (12.2%),
Yield Grade 2 (37.4%),
Yield Grade 3 (38.6%),
Yield Grade 4 (10.4%), and
Yield Grade 5 (1.3%). |
|
Mean USDA quality grade traits |
USDA quality grade
(Select85),
marbling score (Small23),
overall maturity (A66),
lean maturity (A65), and
skeletal maturity (A67). |
| Marbling score distribution |
Slightly Abundant or higher (2.3%),
Moderate (4.8%),
Modest (13.1%),
Small (33.3%),
Slight (43.3%), and
Traces (3.4%). |
|
USDA quality grades |
Prime (2.0%),
Choice (49.1%),
Select (42.3%),
Standard (5.6%), and
Commercial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner (0.9%).
|
This information will help the beef industry measure
progress compared to the past two surveys and will provide
a benchmark for future educational and research activities.
Implications
The NBQA-2000 continues the process of updating information
on various factors that affect the value of live cattle
and their carcasses and by-products. Compared to previous
audits, number and location of bruises have remained
consistent; however, bruise severity has decreased.
The number and location of brands, especially side brands,
have remained relatively constant. Quality as measured
by marbling score and USDA quality grade appears to
be back to the level observed in the early 1990s, but
carcass weights continue to increase dramatically. This
information adds to the existing knowledge base of beef
quality and consistency factors and will be a useful
reference for various educational and research endeavors
as the beef industry addresses issues related to improving
the value of beef.
*Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Department
of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College
Station 77843-2471;
†Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University,
Ft. Collins 80523-1171;
‡Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University,
Stillwater 74078-0425; and §Division of Agriculture,
West Texas A&M University, Canyon 79016
...a useful reference for various educational and research
endeavors as the beef industry addresses issues related
to improving the value of beef.
|
