Ribeye ultrasound

[dun]

Since the ideal? to fit the box is 11 to around 13-13.5 for ribeye when slaughtered, what size would be a target for weanling and for mature animals?
We may be ultrasounding our replacements and probably even some of the mature cows to get a feel for where we lay in meeting our goal of 12-13 inch.
Is there a formula that gives the correction factor for different age animals like there is for pelvic measurments?
This whole ultrasound deal is an unknown. We know from slaughter data that bessy bred to george puts us in the ballpark but when bred to sam doesn't, but if bossy is bred to george we exceede the 14 inch preferred maximum. With any luck by having these measurments we'll be better able to select which bulls will work with which cows/heifers without having to run several calves through the cow to collect historical data.

dun

 

[cattle_gal]

Dun,

When the young stock is ultrasound there is an adjustment done to get them to a 365 day. The younger they are the higher the adjust 365 REA and marbling will be. If you have noticed some Angus breeders going up a whole square inch in REA in just one year, then chances are really good that they ultrasounded at the minumium day allowed to get a yearling reading. the AAA lowered the minumium days allowed to get an adjusted 365. But when your CUP tech get the information sent off to get read they should give you an adjusted 365. Make sure you know when the minimium days of age is for getting a accurate 365 measurement. Best would be close to 365.

There are a few more factors in determining Yeild Grade than just REA. For example if one should look at a Ultrasound EPD on a Blk Angus. There is the %IMF, RE, Rib Fat and Retail Product. More often than not I make sure I look at the RP (the whole picture) not just one area. Even though I'm not a big fan on EPD's. I have seen this year the Angus sales in some catalogs have taken out the Rib fat EPD. This makes the %IMF and the REA listing look more appealing and takes away the minus number in the stats from the Rib Fat. However REA and Rib Fat go hand in hand in what your yeild grade will be and retail product. So one can not just look at the REA of an animal.

Here's some examples (I cheated in not typing the formula out. Got it from the BIF and another site):

Yield Grade Example: A carcass has 0.40 inch of fat, 2.5 percent KPH, 12.8 sq. inches of rib eye and a hot carcass weight of 750 lbs. Substitute these variables into the yield grade equation to calculate a final: YG = 2.50 + (2.50 ×0.4 in.) + (0.20 × 2.5 percent) + (0.0038 × 750 lbs.) - (0.32 × 12.8 sq. in.) = 2.75

Yield Grade Formula YG = 2.50 + (2.50 × Adjusted Fat Thickness, inches) + (0.20 × Kidney, Pelvic and Heart Fat %) + (0.0038 × Hot Carcass Weight, lb.) - (0.32 × Rib eye area, sq. in.)


Cutability percentage = 51.34
- (5.784 * adjusted fat thickness in inches)
- (0.462 * kidney, pelvic, and heart fat as percent)
+ (0.740 * ribeye area in square inches)
- (0.0093 * hot carcass weight in pounds).

For me I'd want to stay away from a low number of 11 REA. When looking at the carcass prices we see that Choice 1 brings a premium over CAB. Select 1 is about a $1 under the Choice 3 base. The higher the yield grade the better the price. Which also translates in to the higher the REA and carcass weight- the higher the Cutability.

So many grid markets thought. I am going for marbling, yield grade and cutability in one package. My goal is Choice 1, 65% plus cutablity, with a carcass weight of 800 - 900 lbs. Currently I'm at an average of 2.04 YG, 60% Choice, 64% Cutablity, a HCW of 750, and about 13 month harvest age. And as I change bulls with the DNA tech available now it will make things happen.

 

[dun]

I'm aware of the other factors, but we will be ultrasounding strictly for REA beacause the animals will range from yearling to 9-10 years old. That's why I was looking for some conversion factor. If the old girl has a 17 inch ribeye, what would I have expected it to be at 16-18 months.

dun

 

[Ryan]

Dun,
I dont know if this will help, but I hope it does.
I've been learning a lot about meat, and meat grading these past few weeks, and when referring to REA i have only heard of adjustments for Weight(lbs) and not age.

11 sq. inch- the "Required" size for a 600lbs Carcass
for every 25lbs change is weight of the carcass the REA changes .3sq inch (i.e. 625 - 11.3, or 575 - 10.7)

However, this Is for the Hot Carcass Weight, not live weight...I guess if you could estimate the Hot Carcass Weight...?

 

[cattle_gal]

Ok just for you Dun ;-) I sent out an e-mail asking if there is a formula for mature cow/bull.

A bull(5 yr) with a mature REA of 21 would be good. Now I do know of a bull that had a mature REA of 24 and his REA has passed down along his lineage. His mature REA/CWT was over 1.20 which is very good for a mature bovine. The offspring and lineage had a adj 365 REA/CWT ave 1.33. And a REA of about 15 - 18. Now since they didn't do an adj on this bull I don't know if it is possible to do a adj 365 for that age of cow/bull.

 

[dun]

Preciate it. I'm getting ready to head over to the FFA barn where they're going to ultrasound a bunch of calves. If I remember, doubtfull, I'll ask the tech

dun

 

[ollie]

Dun, to me rea/cwt is an accurate evaluation for calves and replacements. Cows probably aren't a good indicator.

 

[dun]

Dun, to me rea/cwt is an accurate evaluation for calves and replacements. Cows probably aren't a good indicator.

That's pretty much what we came up with too. So we'll just be behind the curve on the older cows. We do have historical data and know what works with whom so it's not that big of a deal. We ultrasounded a limo heifer, 700 lbs 14.5 REA marbling 1.1, also did an Angus steer, 1150 lbs 11.3 REA marbeling 3.4. Both coming off of pasture without any grain. Found the whole deal pretty interesting. Their behaviour was really interesting too. The heifer walked into the chute, got caught and just stood there for about 1/2 an hour. I was afraid she was going to fall asleep. The Angus tried to tear everything up, hooked at anyone that got in front of the chute, nasty.

dun

 

[Frankie]

Since the ideal? to fit the box is 11 to around 13-13.5 for ribeye when slaughtered, what size would be a target for weanling and for mature animals?
We may be ultrasounding our replacements and probably even some of the mature cows to get a feel for where we lay in meeting our goal of 12-13 inch.
Is there a formula that gives the correction factor for different age animals like there is for pelvic measurments?
This whole ultrasound deal is an unknown. We know from slaughter data that bessy bred to george puts us in the ballpark but when bred to sam doesn't, but if bossy is bred to george we exceede the 14 inch preferred maximum. With any luck by having these measurments we'll be better able to select which bulls will work with which cows/heifers without having to run several calves through the cow to collect historical data.
dun

I don't know of any such formula, Dun. Have you checked with MARC? The Angus Assn (the real Angus ) has a program called Beef Record Service. They're working with producers to create something like EPDs on a producer's commercial cattle. If the Red Angus Assn has a similar program, you might ask them. I've put some links below that you might want to check out or email your question. Actually, I'd think trying create a formula for mature ribeye would be difficult, considering the difference in management systems. Like everything else, ribeye size is affected by management. Let us know what your AI tech said...

Brenda Schafer (816) 383-5144 [email protected]
Beef Record Service - http://www.beefrecords.com/

 

[cattle_gal]

Ok got the reply back, nope can't do it. Can only do it with in 45 days plus/minus of 365.

I'll PM you Dun the e-mail.

 

[jt]

Their behaviour was really interesting too. The heifer walked into the chute, got caught and just stood there for about 1/2 an hour. I was afraid she was going to fall asleep. The Angus tried to tear everything up, hooked at anyone that got in front of the chute, nasty.

dun

see dun.. limos arent all that bad! :lol: ;-)

 

[dun]

Their behaviour was really interesting too. The heifer walked into the chute, got caught and just stood there for about 1/2 an hour. I was afraid she was going to fall asleep. The Angus tried to tear everything up, hooked at anyone that got in front of the chute, nasty.

dun

see dun.. limos arent all that bad! :lol: ;-)

The interesting part is that they're both from the same farm. But it probably doesn't hurt that she's a show heifer and has been worked with since she was a calf and the steer had just yesterday morning been pulled out of the pasture, loaded into a trailer and hauled to the FFA building. Until then the only time he had seen a person was when he was cut and vaccinated at 6 months.

dun

 

[jt]

Their behaviour was really interesting too. The heifer walked into the chute, got caught and just stood there for about 1/2 an hour. I was afraid she was going to fall asleep. The Angus tried to tear everything up, hooked at anyone that got in front of the chute, nasty.

dun

see dun.. limos arent all that bad! :lol: ;-)

the steer had just yesterday morning been pulled out of the pasture, loaded into a trailer and hauled to the FFA building. Until then the only time he had seen a person was when he was cut and vaccinated at 6 months.

dun

cant blame him.. i'd been mad too. i was just joking around with that last post. i've had some doosies as many on here have.. and the worst seem to be those who only see people on occasion.

jt

 

[wayneintexas]

I don't know why anyone would want to scan a 9 year old cow for. She is too old to qualify for CAB, and most cow meat is ground into hamburger anyway. I would think her ribeye would be tough, no matter how large it is, due to the lack of marbling. Wouldn't the time and money spent scanning her, be better utilized on scanning her offspring? Isn't she the factory, and her offspring are the product you are selling? If you had the Adj. REA IMF and BF scans on all her offspring, along with the FE ADG and WDA from the feedlot where you fed them, and the carcass data on them from the packer, you could use all this information to rate this cow against all the other cows in your herd. It would be kind of like you were a cattleman or an Angus breeder. If I were you, I would save the scan fee on her, I am not sure it is going to tell YOU anything.