Relationships among beef carcass quality and cutability indicators

Predicting beef carcass cutability.

Analyses were conducted to develop and test the efficacy of beef carcass cutability prediction equations. Data from 1,602 calf-fed steer carcasses (Germplasm Utilization Project; GPU) were used to develop the equations and an additional 1,160 calf-fed steer carcasses (Germplasm Evaluation Project; GPE) were used to validate the equations. In both experimental groups, USDA yield grade ranged fro...

Effects of zilpaterol hydrochloride and zilpaterol hydrochloride withdrawal time on beef carcass cutability, composition, and tenderness.

The impact of zilpaterol hydrochloride (ZH) on carcass yield, composition, and tenderness was evaluated using 384 beef steers in a randomized complete block design. Main effects were the addition of 0 or 8.3 mg/kg of ZH for the final 20 d of feeding and each inclusion level was paired with withdrawal periods of 3, 10, 17, or 24 d. The 2 animals with BW closest to the pen average were selected f...

Yield grades and cutability of carcass beef with and without kidney and pelvic fat.

Cut-out data from 2,550 steer carcasses representing British, Continental and Zebu breeding were analyzed to evaluate yield grade classes based on three equations: 1) Ya = 2.5 + .984 AFT + .0084 HCW - .05 REA + .2 KPF; 2) Yb = same as Ya with intercept changed to 3.2 and KPF deleted; 3) Yc = 3.0 + .984 AFT + .0041 HCW - .03 REA, as proposed by USDA in 1984; where AFT = adjusted fat thickness (c...

Factors Affecting Carcass Composition and Beef Quality

Understanding and Improving Beef Cattle Carcass Quality

Interest and questions about the quality of beef are on the rise due to heightened awareness about the marketing of beef, from procurement and processing to consumer acceptance. Belatedly, producers are now beginning to receive information about the quality of the beef they produce. Consolidations among beef marketers have resulted in better communication between marketers and producers on carc...