Animal, Plant & Soil
Science
Lesson C6-2
Meat Product Quality
Interest Approach

Display several different pictures or posters of
animal carcasses and meat products. Ask
students to evaluate the images. Have them
rank the images based on quality, yield,
tenderness, and nutritional value. Discuss
what makes each carcass or meat product
different/unique. Provide the opportunity for
students to judge a ring of rib eyes or pork
chops.
Objectives

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
Examine the physical and chemical
composition and nutritional value of meat
products.
Identify the wholesale and retail cuts of
beef, pork, and lamb.
Describe the beef grading system; analyze
factors that affect quality and yield grades;
and practice calculating yield and quality
grades.
Objectives



Describe the swine grading system, and
analyze factors that affect quality and yield
grades.
Describe the lamb grading system, and
analyze factors that affect quality and yield
grades.
Demonstrate the ability to estimate quality
and yield grades of live animals.
Terms

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conformation
marbling
nutrient density
type
What are the physical and chemical compositions
of meat products? What are the nutritional values
of meat products?



The physical composition of meat is what can
actually be measured.
The muscle or lean, fat,
bone, and connective
tissue are the main
components of the
physical features of meat products.
Chemical composition and nutritional values
are directly related.
What are the physical and chemical compositions
of meat products? What are the nutritional values
of meat products?

A. The chemical composition of a muscle
determines its nutritive value as meat.



Muscles are composed of water, protein, fat, and
minerals.
Vitamins are also found
within meat.
Fat-soluble vitamins like
A, D, E, and K are in the
fat, and B vitamins are in the muscle.
What are the physical and chemical compositions
of meat products? What are the nutritional values
of meat products?

B. The nutritive value of meat provides a
balance of vitamins and minerals and is known
as nutrient-dense.


Nutrient density is a measurement
of the food value.
This compares the number of
calories in food to the amount
of essential nutrients available.
What are the physical and chemical compositions
of meat products? What are the nutritional values
of meat products?

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1. Iron is found in red meats and helps to build
and maintain blood hemoglobin.
2. Zinc is found in red meats
and helps with tissue
development and growth.
3. Red meats provide B
vitamins (e.g., niacin, riboflavin, B6, B12, and
thiamine) and are an excellent source of
protein.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?



The major wholesale cuts of beef, pork, and
lamb are beneficial in understanding
tenderness and quality.
The location of these cuts influences the price
of the finished product.
A. The wholesale and retail cuts of the beef
carcass are as follows:
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?

1. Round—This contains the following retail
cuts: round steak, top round roast, top round
steak, boneless rump roast, bottom round
roast, tip roast (cap off), eye round roast, and
tip steak.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?

2. Sirloin—This contains the following retail
cuts: sirloin steak, sirloin steak round bone,
top sirloin steak, tenderloin roast/steak, and
beef tri-tip (boneless cut from the bottom of
the sirloin can also be called a “triangle”).
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?


3. Short loin—This contains the following
retail cuts: boneless top loin steak, T-bone
steak, Porterhouse steak, and
tenderloin roast/steak.
4. Rib—This contains the
following retail cuts: rib
roast (large end), rib roast (small end), rib
steak (small end), rib eye steak, rib eye roast,
and back ribs.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?
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5. Chuck—This contains the following retail
cuts: chuck eye roast, boneless top blade steak,
arm pot roast, boneless shoulder pot roast,
cross-rib pot roast, mock tender, blade roast,
under blade pot roast, 7-bone pot roast, short
ribs, and flanken-style ribs.
6. Brisket—This contains the following retail
cuts: brisket (whole), corned brisket point half,
and brisket flat half.
7. Shank—This contains shank cross cut.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?
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8. Plate—This contains skirt steak.
9. Flank—This contains the following retail
cuts: flank steak and
flank steak rolls.
10. Other retail cuts
include ground beef,
cubed steak, stew
meat, and cubes for kabobs.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?
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B. The wholesale and retail
cuts of the pork carcass are
as follows:
1. Leg—This contains the
following retail cuts: bonein fresh ham, smoked ham,
leg cutlets, and fresh
boneless ham roast.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?

2. Loin—This contains the following retail
cuts: sirloin chop, rib chop, loin chop,
boneless rib end chop, chef’s prime filet,
boneless center loin chop, America’s cut
butterfly chop, center rib roast, bone-in sirloin
roast, boneless center loin roast, boneless rib
roast, chef’s prime (boneless sirloin roast),
tenderloin, Canadian-style bacon, countrystyle ribs, and back ribs.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?
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
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3. Shoulder butt—This contains the following
retail cuts: bone-in blade roast, boneless blade
roast, ground pork, sausage, and blade steak.
4. Picnic shoulder—This contains the
following retail cuts: smoked picnic, arm
picnic roast, and smoked hocks.
5. Side—This contains the following retail
cuts: spareribs, slab bacon, and sliced bacon.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?

6. Other retail cuts
include cubed
steak, pork pieces,
cubes for kabobs,
ground pork, and
sausage links.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?


C. The wholesale and retail cuts of the lamb
carcass are as follows:
1. Leg—This contains the following retail
cuts: whole leg, short cut leg (sirloin off),
shank (portion roast), center leg roast, center
slice, American-style roast, Frenched-style
roast, boneless leg roast, hind shank, sirloin
chop, and boneless sirloin.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?

2. Loin—This
contains the
following retail cuts:
loin roast, loin chop,
and double loin chop.
What are the wholesale and retail
cuts of beef, pork, and lamb?
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3. Rib—This contains the following retail cuts: rib
roast, rib chop, Frenched rib chop, and crown roast.
4. Shoulder—This contains the following retail cuts:
square-cut shoulder (whole), pre-sliced shoulder,
boneless shoulder roast, neck slice, blade chop, and
arm chop.
5. Foreshank and breast—This contains the following
retail cuts: shank, spareribs, boneless rolled breast,
and riblets.
6. Other retail cuts include lamb for stew, cubes for
kabobs, and ground lamb.
What is the beef grading system? What are the factors
that affect quality and yield grades of beef carcasses?
How do you calculate yield and quality grades?

Beef carcasses are
graded for yield
and quality grades,
based on the
degree of maturity
and the degree of
marbling.
What is the beef grading system? What are the factors
that affect quality and yield grades of beef carcasses?
How do you calculate yield and quality grades?

Beef yield grade is an estimate of the percent
yield for the four primal cuts of beef: chuck,
rib, loin, and round.
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Yield grade is also referred to as cutability.
A. Quality grading is an important factor in
consumer satisfaction.

The color and texture affect meat palatability,
flavor, and juiciness.
What is the beef grading system? What are the factors
that affect quality and yield grades of beef carcasses?
How do you calculate yield and quality grades?

1. As the animal ages (matures), the cartilage
becomes bone, the lean/meat darkens, and the
texture becomes coarser.
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Maturity refers to the physiological age of the
carcass.
Maturity indicators are bone characteristics,
ossification of cartilage, and color/texture of the rib
eye muscle.
What is the beef grading system? What are the factors
that affect quality and yield grades of beef carcasses?
How do you calculate yield and quality grades?

2. Marbling (the intramuscular fat in the lean)
is the factor on which quality grading is based.
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This can be evaluated between the 12th and 13th
ribs.
The amount and
distribution of the
marbling in the rib
eye is evaluated at
the cut surface.
What is the beef grading system? What are the factors
that affect quality and yield grades of beef carcasses?
How do you calculate yield and quality grades?

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B. USDA yield grades for beef carcasses are
rated numerically from 1 to 5.
Yield Grade 1 will display the highest yielding
carcass, and Yield Grade 5 will be the lowest.
To find yield grades, a carcass is evaluated on
the following factors:
1. Amount of external fat—The external fat is
measured at the 12th rib (measuring the
thickness of fat ¾ the length of the rib eye from
the chine bone).
What is the beef grading system? What are the factors
that affect quality and yield grades of beef carcasses?
How do you calculate yield and quality grades?

2. Hot carcass weight—
The hot carcass weight
is the weight taken at
the harvesting facility
before the carcass is
chilled.
What is the beef grading system? What are the factors
that affect quality and yield grades of beef carcasses?
How do you calculate yield and quality grades?
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3. Amount of kidney/pelvic/heart (KPH) fat—
The amount of KPH is evaluated and expressed
as a percentage of the carcass weight.
4. Area of the rib eye muscle—The area of the
rib eye muscle is determined by using a dotgrid. This measurement is taken at the 12th rib.
What is the swine grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of swine
carcasses?
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The swine grading system varies slightly,
depending on the class of carcass.
Various factors can affect the quality and yield
grades.
What is the swine grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of swine
carcasses?

A. The swine grading system uses muscling
scores and back fat thickness to determine
USDA Grades.
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Barrow, gilt, sow, boar, and stag are the harvest
swine carcass classes. Barrows and gilts are classed
together with grade standards.
Sows have different grade standards.
Boars and stags are not commonly used in major
swine carcass production because the boar flavor is
unacceptable for grading; therefore, no official
grade standards exist for boars or stags.
What is the swine grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of swine
carcasses?
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B. Grades for barrows and gilts are based on
the quality characteristics of the lean and
expected combined yields of the four lean cuts:
ham, loin, Boston shoulder, and picnic
shoulder.
1. The degree of muscling of a swine carcass is
categorized as:
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a. Muscle Score #1—thin/inferior muscling
b. Muscle Score #2—average
c. Muscle Score #3—thick/superior muscling
What is the swine grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of swine
carcasses?

2. The whole carcass and the loin eye area are
used to determine the muscling score.
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The area between the 10th and 11th rib is used to
measure carcass muscle.
The levels of quality are “acceptable” and
“unacceptable.”
The quality is determined by viewing the cut
surface of the loin at the 10th rib.
What is the swine grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of swine
carcasses?

a. Quality characteristics (e.g.,
gray-pink in color, fine muscle
fibers, and good marbling) are
indicators of an acceptable
lean/meat.
What is the swine grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of swine
carcasses?

b. Yields of the lean cuts (ham, loin, Boston
shoulder, and picnic shoulder) will differ due to the
amount of fatness, muscling, and skeletal size.
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USDA Grade for swine carcasses is determined by
using the following formula:
(4.0 × last rib back fat thickness
(in inches) – 1.0 × muscle score).
The muscle score is determined
by using the following: thin = 1.0,
average = 2.0, and thick = 3.0.
What is the lamb grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of lamb
carcasses?
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Sheep are classified by sex and maturity.
Sheep are graded for quality and yield grades.
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Young lamb carcasses (2 to 14 months of age) have a
characteristic break joint on one of their shanks after the
front legs are removed.
On mutton carcasses, the break joints have ossified.
Yearling mutton carcasses range in age from 12 to 15
months.
The yearling mutton differs from a traditional mutton
carcass by the color of the lean (pinkish red to a dark red)
and shape of the rib bones.
What is the lamb grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of lamb
carcasses?
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A. The quality grade in a lamb carcass is
determined by the maturity, conformation, and
flank streaking.
1. Maturity is determined by bone color/shape
and lean color.
What is the lamb grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of lamb
carcasses?

2. Conformation of a carcass is the overall
thickness of the muscling.
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Lamb carcasses are not ribbed; therefore, the ribeye areas are not exposed and cannot be used for
an overall evaluation of marbling.
What is the lamb grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of lamb
carcasses?

3. Flank streaking is used
to predict marbling in a
lamb carcass.

The streaks of fat in the
flank muscle are used to
determine marbling.
What is the lamb grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of lamb
carcasses?
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The grades for lambs are:
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a. Prime (highest)
b. Choice (most lambs fall
into this category)
c. Good
d. Utility
What is the lamb grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of lamb
carcasses?

B. Yield grades are an estimate of the retail
cuts from the leg, loin, rack, and shoulder.
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The yield grade of a lamb carcass can be found by
using the following equation: (Back fat × 10) +
0.4.
For example, if a lamb carcass had 0.20 inches of
back fat, the yield grade would equal (0.20 × 10 =
2.0) + 0.4 = yield grade of 2.4.
What is the lamb grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of lamb
carcasses?

The yield grades of lamb
carcasses range from USDA 1
to 5. USDA 1 is the most
desirable, showing minimum
fat and heavy muscle.
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USDA 3 grade is average.
USDA 5 grade is the least
desirable, showing light
muscle and heavy fat.
How are quality and yield grades of
live animals estimated?
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The ability to estimate quality and yield grades
of live animals helps livestock producers and
breeders evaluate livestock and determine the
correct time to market animals.
Buyers and packers also evaluate live animals
for correctness of condition and estimate
yields.
Ultrasound technology helps with this process;
however, visual evaluation is faster and less
expensive.
How are quality and yield grades of
live animals estimated?
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In evaluating live animals, type is used to
describe an ideal or standard that combines
characteristics of an animal’s use for a specific
purpose.
Conformation describes the
animal’s external form and
shape.
Visual evaluation of the different stages can be
used to predict carcass composition.
How are quality and yield grades of
live animals estimated?

A. Understanding the different productive
stages of livestock is important to
class and common animals.

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1. The breeding or reproduction
stage is based on performance
records.
2. The feeder or growth stage is
based on efficiency and weight gain.
3. The harvest or carcass/product stage refers to
the final product.
How are quality and yield grades of
live animals estimated?

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B. Understanding the external body parts of
each animal helps the evaluator communicate
effectively as the appraisal is being conducted.
C. Understanding the location of the wholesale
cuts in live animals is the next step in learning
how to appraise livestock animals.

This allows the evaluator to direct the attention
toward lean cuts and to visualize the hanging
carcass.
How are quality and yield grades of
live animals estimated?

D. Major factors to consider when evaluating
livestock and estimating quality and yield grades:


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1. Age/maturity of the animal—Consider the animal’s age
by evaluating bone structure, teeth, and evidence of the
chine bone.
2. Marbling potential—Reference points on an animal
(loin, ham, leg of a lamb) should be noted.
3. Hide color—This is a factor to consider when evaluating
livestock.


Beef animals with black hides typically perform higher on quality
tests.
4. External fat—The loin, tail-head, and dock area of sheep
should be examined for external fat. This follows a trend of
having more marbling.
Review



What are the physical and chemical
compositions of meat products? What are the
nutritional values of meat products?
What are the wholesale and retail cuts of beef,
pork, and lamb?
What is the beef grading system? What are the
factors that affect quality and yield grades of
beef carcasses? How do you calculate yield
and quality grades?
Review



What is the swine grading system? What are
the factors that affect quality and yield grades
of swine carcasses?
What is the lamb grading system? What are
the factors that affect quality and yield grades
of lamb carcasses?
How are quality and yield grades of live
animals estimated?