National Beef Quality Audit–2000: Survey of Targeted Cattle and Carcass Characteristics Related to Quality, Quantity, and Value of Fed Steers and Heifers1
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National Beef Quality Audit–2000: Survey of targeted cattle and carcass characteristics related to quality, quantity, and value of fed steers and heifers1 D. R. McKenna*, D. L. Roeber†, P. K. Bates‡2, T. B. Schmidt§3, D. S. Hale*, D. B. Griffin*, J. W. Savell*4, J. C. Brooks‡, J. B. Morgan‡, T. H. Montgomery§, K. E. Belk†, and G. C. Smith† *Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, College Station 77843-2471; †Department of Animal Sciences, Colorado State University, Ft. Collins 80523-1171; ‡Department of Animal Science, Oklahoma State University, Stillwater 74078-0425; and §Division of Agriculture, West Texas A&M University, Canyon 79016 ABSTRACT: The National Beef Quality Audit–2000 tion revealed these traits and frequencies: steer was conducted to assess the current status of the quality (67.9%), heifer (31.8%), and bullock (0.3%) sex-classes; and consistency of U.S. fed steers and heifers. Between dark-cutters (2.3%); A (96.6%), B (2.5%), and C or older May and November 2000, survey teams assessed hide (0.9%) overall maturities; and native (90.1%), dairy- condition (n = 43,415 cattle for color, brands, mud/ma- type (6.9%), and Bos indicus (3.0%) breed-types. Mean nure), bruises (n = 43,595 carcasses), offal and carcass USDA yield grade traits were USDA yield grade (3.0), condemnation (n = 8,588 cattle), and carcass quality carcass weight (356.9 kg), adjusted fat thickness (1.2 and yield information (n = 9,396 carcasses) in 30 U.S. cm), longissimus muscle area (84.5 cm2), and kidney, beef packing plants. Hide colors were black (45.1%), pelvic, and heart fat (2.4%). USDA yield grades were red (31.0%), yellow (8.0%), Holstein (5.7%), gray (4.0%), Yield Grade 1 (12.2%), Yield Grade 2 (37.4%), Yield white (3.2%), brown (1.7%), and brindle (1.3%). Brand Grade 3 (38.6%), Yield Grade 4 (10.4%), and Yield Grade frequencies were no (49.3%), one (46.2%), and two or 5 (1.3%). Mean USDA quality grade traits were USDA more (4.4%), and brands were located on the butt quality grade (Select85), marbling score (Small23), over- (36.3%), side (13.7%), and shoulder (3.6%). Most cattle all maturity (A66), lean maturity (A65), and skeletal ma- had no (18.0%) or a small amount (55.8%) of mud/ma- turity (A67). Marbling score distribution was Slightly nure on their hides, and they had no (77.3%) horns. Abundant or higher (2.3%), Moderate (4.8%), Modest Most carcasses (53.3%) were not bruised, 30.9% had one (13.1%), Small (33.3%), Slight (43.3%), and Traces bruise, and 15.8% had multiple bruises. Bruise location (3.4%). USDA quality grades were Prime (2.0%), Choice and incidence were round (14.9%), loin (25.9%), rib (49.1%), Select (42.3%), Standard (5.6%), and Commer- (19.4%), chuck (28.2%), and brisket, flank, and plate cial, Utility, Cutter, and Canner (0.9%). This informa- (11.6%). Condemnation item and incidence were liver tion will help the beef industry measure progress com- (30.3%), lungs (13.8%), tripe (11.6%), heads (6.2%), pared to the past two surveys and will provide a bench- tongues (7.0%), and carcasses (0.1%). Carcass evalua- mark for future educational and research activities. Key Words: Beef Quality, Market Surveys, Meat Grades 2002 American Society of Animal Science. All rights reserved. J. Anim. Sci. 2002. 80:1212–1222 Introduction The National Beef Quality Audit–1991 (NBQA– 1Technical article from the Texas Agric. Exp. Stn. This study was 1991; Lorenzen et al., 1993) established the first major supported, in part, by the National Cattlemen’s Beef Assoc. on behalf benchmark that identified what the U.S. beef industry of the Cattlemen’s Beef Board through its $1 per head check-off program. was producing. The National Beef Quality Audit–1995 2Present address: Foodbrands America, Inc., North Richland Hills, (NBQA–1995; Boleman et al., 1998) measured prog- TX 76180. ress regarding the quality, consistency, and competi- 3 Present address: University of Missouri, Columbia 65211. tiveness of beef. These audits have been used exten- 4Correspondence: phone: 979-845-3935; fax: 979-845-9454; E-mail: [email protected]. sively in a variety of research, education, and business Received October 5, 2001. activities as references to what the beef industry was Accepted January 4, 2002. producing. Information gathered and disseminated 1212 National Beef Quality Audit–2000 1213 from previous audits has focused on production prac- Table 1. Company and location of plants audited tices (branding and dehorning), animal handling (mud/manure on hides and carcass bruising), condem- ConAgra Beef, Inc. Cactus, TX ConAgra Beef, Inc. Garden City, KS nation (offal and carcass), and carcass quality and ConAgra Beef, Inc. Grand Island, NE quantity factors, and a recommendation was made to ConAgra Beef, Inc. Greeley, CO update this information every 4 to 5 years (Smith et E.A. Miller Hyrum, UT al., 1992). Excel, Inc. Dodge City, KS Since the completion of the NBQA-1995, a number Excel, Inc. Fort Morgan, CO Excel, Inc. Friona, TX of management and marketing changes may have in- Excel, Inc. Plainview, TX fluenced the type of beef being produced. Most notably, Harris Ranch Selma, CA a resurgence in demand for beef (NCBA, 2001), an IBP, Inc. Amarillo, TX increased number of USDA certified branded beef pro- IBP, Inc. Boise, ID grams (USDA, 2001a), an affordable, abundant supply IBP, Inc. Dakota City, NE IBP, Inc. Denison, IA of grain (USDA, 2001b,c,d), and improved manage- IBP, Inc. Emporia, KS ment and awareness facilitated through Beef Quality IBP, Inc. Garden City, KS Assurance and other producer education programs. IBP, Inc. Joslin, IL These factors may have impacted the quality and con- IBP, Inc. Lexington, NE sistency of cattle and resulting carcass and by-product IBP, Inc. Pasco, WA IBP, Inc. West Point, NE characteristics. Moyer Packing, Inc. Souderton, PA The National Beef Quality Audit–2000 (NBQA– Murco Plainwell, MI 2000) was conducted to assess the current status of Nebraska Beef Omaha, NE the quality and consistency of the U.S. fed steer and Packerland Green Bay, WI heifer population, pinpoint inadequacies and short- PM Beef, Inc. Windom, MN Sam Kane Beef Processors Corpus Christi, TX falls that the industry needs to improve upon, and Shamrock Vernon, CA track progress made since previous audits. This phase Sun Land Beef Co. Tolleson, AZ of the audit encompassed in-plant surveys of targeted Taylor Packing, Inc. Wyalusing, PA qualitative and quantitative attributes of cattle, car- Washington Beef Sunnyside, WA casses, and by-products. Materials and Methods Cattle Assessment. These characteristics were as- sessed for samples of cattle from each production lot General Overview. The four universities involved during the slaughter process in each packing facility: with this study surveyed federally inspected fed-beef before hide removal (n = 43,415), hide color, hide packing plants (n = 30; Table 1) selected to represent branding, mud/manure, and horns; after hide removal various geographical regions of the United States and (n = 43,595), carcass bruising; and carcass and offal comprise approximately 80% of fed steer and heifer condemnation (n = 8,588) upon pathological evalua- slaughter capacity. Plants were audited within a 7- tion. For the characteristics evaluated before and after mo period (May through November 2000), and each hide removal, approximately 50% of each production team surveyed seven or eight plants based on a plan lot was sampled, and about 10% of each lot was sam- that maximized travel and time efficiency and opti- pled for carcass and offal condemnation. mized proportions of calf vs yearling slaughter cattle. These assessments were made at the beginning of To standardize assessments, team leaders partici- the slaughter process near the exsanguination area of pated in a 3-d training and correlation session at a each packing plant. Hide color was classified according beef packing plant before the start of the study. to primary color (black, red, yellow, gray, white, Each team audited plants that were assigned to brown, brindle, or Holstein) and percentage saturation them once during the prescribed month. Plants were (100%, 99 to 85%, 84 to 51%, or roan). Cattle classified audited to achieve the equivalent of one day’s produc- as Holstein were given a saturation value of 100%. tion; plants operating only a single production shift Hide brands, if present, were evaluated for location each day were audited on a single day, and those op- and approximate size. “Butt” brands were those lo- erating two production shifts each day were audited cated on the rump and round region, “side” brands over the course of2d(e.g., d 1, evening shift; d 2, were those located on the loin and(or) rib-plate re- morning shift). Plants were eligible to be audited on gions, and “shoulder” brands were located on the any day of the week; however, 14% of the audits were shoulder (chuck) and(or) neck regions. Cattle were conducted on Mondays. Because additional postmor- evaluated for the presence of horns. If horns were pres- tem chilling may influence USDA quality grade factors ent, approximate length (of a single horn) was esti- (Calkins et al., 1980), we did not want to over- or mated (< 2.54 cm, 2.54 to 12.7 cm, or > 12.7 cm). Mud/ under-sample carcasses that would be chilled over the manure on the hides was evaluated visually as to its weekend from animals slaughtered on Fridays or Sat- amount (no, small, moderate, large or extreme) and urdays. location (no, mud/manure on legs, mud/manure on 1214 McKenna et al.