Subjective Live Appraisal of Beef Carcass Traits

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Abstract
Two calf crops of 204 steers were subjectively evaluated for carcass traits at about 452 days of age. Evaluations were made by 3 graders immediately prior to slaughter. One hundred four and 100 steers were involved from the 1961 and 1962 calf crops, respectively. The steers were from 9 breeding groups including Angus, Hereford and Shorthorn breeds and their 6 reciprocal crosses. Live estimates were made of dressing percent, fat thickness at the 12th rib, rib-eye area at the 12th rib, percent kidney fat, cutability (percent), and slaughter grade. Carcass data obtained on these steers included carcass weight, fat thickness at 12th rib, rib-eye area at 12th rib, estimated percent kidney fat, carcass grade, estimated cutability, and actual cutability. Results indicate that trained personnel can estimate group means accurately for cutability and carcass grade in live cattle. Results show that live cattle can be appraised more precisely for carcass cutability than for carcass grade and that live estimated cutability can account for at least 1/2 as much of the variation in actual cutability as can be accounted for by cooler estimated cutability from a regression equation using carcass weight, rib-eye area at 12th rib, fat thickness at 12th rib and estimated percent kidney fat. Approximately 25 to 35% of the variation in actual cutability can be accounted for on the basis of live estimates of cutability. This precision is less than desired for use in ranking individual prospective breeding cattle for differences in cutability. Until a more accurate objective procedure is available for use in practice, breeders may exert some selection pressure for cutability by critical live appraisal for this trait in prospective breeding cattle.

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