Packing plants licensed to produce the Certified Angus Beef brand began using new, 10-part carcass specifications today. The CAB board voted last fall to replace the brand's original Yield Grade 3.9 limit with more specific consistency requirements, including ribeye area of 10 to 16 square inches, hot carcass weight less than 1,000 pounds and fat thickness less than 1.0 inch. The change is in response to a trend toward heavier cattle, closely trimmed fabrication of cuts and other technical advances, says CAB president John Stika. It also recognized the top concerns of end users surveyed in the 2005 National Beef Quality Audit. For more information, follow this link http://www.certifiedangusbeef.com/press ... 07.pdf(PDF file).
