Beef Carcass Yield Grading CDE Tutorial

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Beef Carcass Yield GradingCDE Tutorial

• By Jennie Simpson and Dr. Frank Flanders
• Georgia Agricultural Education Curriculum Office
• Georgia Department of Education
• December 2004

Start
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MENU
Click on the items below to get a tutorial on
each subject in yield grading.
Formula Method Shortcut Method Yield Grade Hot
Carcass Weight Required Ribeye Area Ribeye
Area Fat Thickness at the 12th Rib
END
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Required Ribeye Area (RREA) The average cattle
slaughtered has carcass weight of 600 lbs. And a
11.0 in2 loin eye. For every 25 lb. Increase or
decrease from base carcass weight of 600, the
required REA (RREA) is adjusted 3.0 in2.
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Kidney, Pelvic, and Heart Fat (KPH) Estimated in
pounds for each side. The two sides are totaled
and divided by carcass weight to arrive at a
percent. KPH ranges from .5 to 6, but the
average is 3. Example A 700 lb. will have 21
lb. of KPH or 10.5 lb. per side.
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Yield Grade A numerical value from 1 to 5 based
upon the yield of boneless, closely trimmed,
retail cut from the round, loin, rib, and chuck.
The official USDA grading standards yield grades
range from 1.0 to 5.9. The yield grade is rounded
to the nearest whole number.
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Fat Thickness (FT) Can be an average of three fat
measurements or just a single one. Adjust the
estimated value up or down depending on the fat
covering the rest of the body. Adjustments of
0.1-0.2 are not uncommon.
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Ribeye Area (REA) Determined by either a direct
grid reading of eye muscle or by a planimeter
reading. Most federal graders are familiar enough
with estimating area that they do not need the
use of a grid. Hot carcass weight can be used to
estimate REA (see shortcut method).
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Hot carcass weight (HCW) Obtained on beef
carcasses just before chilling and chilled
carcass weight is usually calculated from hot
carcass weight because the chilled carcass weight
is not always weighed before shipping. Hot
carcass weight is 1 to 2 higher than chilled
carcass weight.
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Equation Formula for Yield Grade
Yield Grade 2.5 (2.5 X FT at 12th Rib)
(.0038 X HCW) (.2 X KPH) - (.32 X REA) FYG
Sample Problem FT 0.4 in REA 12.0 in2 HCW
650 lb. KPH 3.0
Answer 2.5 (2.5 x 0.4 in) (.0038 x 650 lb)
(.2 x 3.0) (.32 x 12.0 ) 2.8
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Short Cut Method
Required Ribeye Area

• How To Estimate Ribeye Area If You Know the HCW
• A typical carcass is 600 lb and has a 11.0 in2
  ribeye.
• For every 25 lb. Under the Base weight, subtract
  .3 in2 from the 11.0 in2 ribeye.
• For every 25 lb. Over the Base weight, add .3
  in2 to the 11.0 in2 ribeye.
• Table on Left does the calculations for you.

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Short Cut Method
Fat Thickness
To Obtain Adjusted Fat Thickness 1. Estimate fat
thickness at 12th rib and adjust as necessary as
according to the chart on left. 2. For each 0.1
in of adjusted 12th rib fat thickness under 0.6
in, subtract 0.25 yield grade. 3. For each 0.1 in
of adjusted fat thickness in excess of 0.6 in,
add 0.25 to the Preliminary Yield Grade.
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Short Cut Method
Ribeye Area Adjustment
1. For every 0.3 square inch deviation from the
RREA, adjust the final yield grade 0.1.
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Short Cut Method
Fat Thickness
To Obtain Adjusted Fat Thickness 1. Estimate fat
thickness at 12th rib and adjust as necessary as
according to the chart on left. 2. For each 0.1
in of adjusted 12th rib fat thickness under 0.6
in, subtract 0.25 yield grade. 3. For each 0.1 in
of adjusted fat thickness in excess of 0.6 in,
add 0.25 to the Preliminary Yield Grade.
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Short Cut Method Sample Problem
PYG2.5 HCW903 lb. FT0.2 in. REA14.6
in2 KPH2.5
So, WHAT is the FYG?
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Heres How To Calculate The Answer
So, the FYG is 2.5 - 0.0 - 0.2 2.3
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Short Cut Method
Summary of Yield Grade Calculations FT-Base is
0.0 in. to calculate PYG 0.25 to PYG for each
0.1 in2 over 0.0 inch FT base -0.25 from PYG
for each 0.1 in2 under 0.0 inch FT base HCW-
Base is 600 lb. to calculate RREA 0.3 to 11.0
in.2 REA for each 25 lb. increase over 600 lb.
base -0.3 from 11.0 in2 REA for each 25 lb.
decrease under 600 lb. base REA- For each 0.3
in.2 deviation from RREA adjust Final Yield
Grade 0.1 0.1 to FYG for each 3.0 in2 under
the RREA -0.1 to FYG for each 3.0 in2 over the
RREA KPH- Base is 3.5, to adjust FYG by 0.1 for
each 0.5 deviation from base 0.1 to FYG for
each 0.5 over the base -0.1 from FYG for each
0.5 under the base
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Finally, after obtaining the Final Yield Grade
follow this chart for scoring the grade as High,
Average, or Low