Double Muscling and USDA Grading

[MikeC]

Dear Mr. Cxxxxx,



Thank you for your email dated November 6, 2007, regarding the grading specifications for double muscled animals. The US Standards for Carcass Beef have no provisions for conformation as a requirement for quality or yield grading. Most double muscled animals are generally lean and would qualify for the higher (Yield Grade 1 or 2) yield grades. Also because double muscled animals are very lean, the quality grades on double muscled animals could be lower (US Standard or US Select); however, the grading standards do not classify double muscled animals into any "inferior" classification. All carcasses are quality graded with the same factors, such as bone maturity, lean maturity and firmness, and marbling; yield graded with the same factors, such as carcass weight, external fat thickness, ribeye size, and kidney, heart, and pelvic fat percentage, regardless of muscling The following is a link to the standards, under Carcass Beef, for your review: http://www.ams.usda.gov/lsg/stand/st-pubs.htm If you have further questions, please feel free to contact me.



Sincerely,



Larry R. Meadows, Chief

USDA, MRP, AMS, LS

Meat Grading & Certification Branch

720-497-2550

For those interested.......................... My name has been X'ed to protect the innocent. :lol: :lol: :lol:

 

[Frankie]

But I've been told that generally packers don't bother to grade double muscled cattle because it's pretty well accepted that they'll be a low quality. Since the packer pays for the grader's time, they had rather pay them to grade animals that might be higher quality, thus worth more money. A USDA Standard carcass takes about a $20 discount to Choice. My source is a former OK State meat scientist who left the school and went to work for a major packer.

Like other questions/comments in the industry, there's not one answer to the question. The USDA doesn't forbid grading, but the packer may or may not be willing to pay the expense of getting the grading done. The packers will sell them into a market that doesn't require grading.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I questioned this on the other post & couldn't find an answer, so I contacted Cornell, they sent me a note from a grader that they use & his answer was almost exactly the same quote. He did say that he hasn't seen many dm cattle (mostly Charolais) and they were graded right along with the rest. DM did NOT disqualify them.

 

[Frankie]

It's hard or impossible to get one answer because the packers don't share much with the public. A meat greader stands there and grades cattle that come down his line. Does he know if most double muscled cattle are shunted aside and sold out the back door to another, cheaper, market? Maybe. Maybe not. I just wanted to point out that the USDA doesn't require any animal to be graded. The packers do it because it identifies higher quality meat that is more profitable for them. If you have an animal that probably will grade Standard, does it make economic sense to spend time grading it? I've been told that generally, no, it doesn't. But that was at one packing plant.

 

[ALACOWMAN]

http://www.anci.conelledu/beef/bcc/bcc0903html beef cattle comments ..volume 12. number 5. sep. .03 got a study on there yall might find interesting.

 

[MikeC]

It's hard or impossible to get one answer because the packers don't share much with the public. A meat greader stands there and grades cattle that come down his line. Does he know if most double muscled cattle are shunted aside and sold out the back door to another, cheaper, market? Maybe. Maybe not. I just wanted to point out that the USDA doesn't require any animal to be graded. The packers do it because it identifies higher quality meat that is more profitable for them. If you have an animal that probably will grade Standard, does it make economic sense to spend time grading it? I've been told that generally, no, it doesn't. But that was at one packing plant.

All "Grid" cattle are graded. That sets the price for the carcass to the producer/feeder who are selling this way.

Since "Grid" cattle are about 30%-40% (I think I read) of all animals that are harvested, and the number of grid cattle are growing each year, it is anticipated that all cattle except those verified over 30 months will be graded soon.

The cost of grading is negligible. I believe the USDA charges the packers $32 per hour for a grader, and the average time a grader spends with each carcass is about 15 seconds which makes the average cost per carcass about $0.13 to $0.14 each to be graded. That throws the "economic sense" question out the window.

I also feel very sure that the producer is paying for grading in a round-about way when he sells on the grid and is of no cost to the packer.

If my math is correct, one would be a fool not to grade a younger animal that could possibly grade Standard over Utility.

The packers do it because it identifies higher quality meat that is more profitable for them.

Higher quality beef does not necessarily signify "More Profit" for a packer. I do understand that a higher price may be charged for higher quality beef, but "Profit" is derived by subtracting cost from selling price.

If the "Cost" is lower proportionally, it is possible that the profit is the same for lower quality meat.

 

[MikeC]

Add to the above:

From USDA Meat Inspection and Grading Website:

"95.1% of Federal Inspected Steer and Heifers offered represents total Steers and Heifers Graded."