National Beef Quality Audit–2005: Survey of targeted cattle and carcass characteristics related to quality, quantity, and value of fed steers and heifers1

Abstract

The National Beef Quality Audit-2005 assessed the current status of quality and consistency of US fed steers and heifers. Hide colors or breed type were black (56.3%), red (18.6%), Holstein (7.9%), gray (6.0%), yellow (4.9%), brown (3.0%), white (2.3%), and brindle (1.0%). Identification method and frequency were lot visual tags (63.2%), individual visual tags (38.7%), metal-clip tags (11.8%), electronic tags (3.5%), bar-coded tags (0.3%), by other means (2.5%), and without identification (9.7%). Brand frequencies were no (61.3%), 1 (35.1%), and 2 or more (3.6%), and brands were located on the butt (26.5%), side (7.4%), and shoulder (1.2%). There were 22.3% of cattle without horns, and the majority of those with horns (52.2%) were between 2.54 and 12.7 cm in length. Percentages of animals with mud or manure on specific body locations were none (25.8%), legs (61.4%), belly (55.9%), side (22.6%), and top-line (10.0%). Permanent incisor number and occurrence were zero (82.2%), 1 (5.2%), 2 (9.9%), 3 (0.4%), 4 (1.2%), 5 (0.1%), 6 (0.3%), 7 (0.0%), and 8 (0.7%). Most carcasses (64.8%) were not bruised, 25.8% had one bruise, and 9.4% had multiple bruises. Bruise location and incidence were round (10.6%), loin (32.6%), rib (19.5%), chuck (27.0%), and brisket, flank, and plate (10.3%). Condemnation item and incidence were liver (24.7%), lungs (11.5%), tripe (11.6%), heads (6.0%), tongues (9.7%), and carcasses (0.0%). Carcass evaluation revealed these traits and frequencies: steer (63.7%), heifer (36.2%), bullock (0.05%), and cow (0.04%) sex classes; dark-cutters (1.9%); A (97.1%), B (1.7%), and C or older (1.2%) overall maturities; and native (90.9%), dairy-type (8.3%), and Bos indicus (0.8%) estimated breed types. Mean USDA yield grade (YG) traits were USDA YG (2.9), HCW (359.9 kg), adjusted fat thickness (1.3 cm), LM area (86.4 cm(2)), and KPH (2.3%). The USDA YG were YG 1 (16.5%), YG 2 (36.3%), YG 3 (33.1%), YG 4 (11.8%), and YG 5 (2.3%). Mean USDA quality grade traits were USDA quality grade (Select(90)), marbling score (Small(32)), overall maturity (A(64)), lean maturity (A(57)), and skeletal maturity (A(68)). Marbling score distribution was Slightly Abundant or greater (2.7%), Moderate (4.3%), Modest (14.4%), Small (34.5%), Slight (41.2%), and Traces or less (2.9%). This information helps the beef industry measure progress and provides a benchmark for future educational and research activities.

Feeding wet distillers grains plus solubles contributes to sarcoplasmic reticulum membrane instability

“…Tenderness has repeatedly been cited as the most important element for both eating quality and consumer purchasing decisions (Miller et al 2001;Platter et al 2005) and is a high priority for research in the meat industry (Boleman et al 1998;McKenna et al 2002;Garcia et al 2008). The mechanism of meat tenderisation is a well understood subject.…”

Can potential for dark cutting be predicted by phenotype? Relationship between sex, carcass characteristics, and the incidence of dark cutting beef

“…Dark cutting continues to occur and its incidence has increased in Canada within the last 10 yr from 0.8 to 1.3% (Beef Cattle Research Council (BCRC) 2013). In Australia the incidence of dark cutting is about 10% (Meat Standards Australia (MSA) 2010), whereas in the United States of America (US) the proportion of dark cutting has increased from 1.9% in 2005 (Garcia et al 2008) to 3.2% in 2012 (Moore et al 2012). Recently, it has been indicated that improved muscling and carcass weight lowered the incidence of dark cutting (McGilchrist et al 2012), but there are contradictory reports about the effect of animal sex on the likelihood of dark cutting (Lorenzen et al 1993;Mach et al 2008).…”

Componentes principais das características de carcaças de bovinos anelorados e fontes de variação em lesões

“…Como descrito por Garcia et al (2008), apresentando a auditória que quantifica e qualifica a carne bovina dos Estados Unidos, houve diminuição das lesões nas carcaças devido ao investimento da indústria no manejo dos bovinos. A correlação de Pearson entre o sistema de terminação e o escore de gordura subcutânea foi alta, ou seja, bovinos terminados em confinamento apresentaram maior escore de gordura, assim o resultado e a discussão desse parágrafo servem para os dois casos.…”