Animal Science, Department of
Nebraska Beef Cattle Reports
Date of this Version
2026
Citation
2026 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report, pages 101-102, MP-121, University of Nebraska Extension, 2026
Abstract
Summary with Implications
The American Meat Science Association's USDA Grading Committee recently expressed the need for a proxy device to verify that various camera grading systems produce consistent readings. To fulfill this need, we developed a proxy device made from 3D printed epoxy resin and other materials. The proxy was designed to have a known fat thickness and ribeye area. The proxy has a ribeye area of approximately 14 square inches and a fat thickness that ranges from 0.4 - 0.6 inches depending on the exact measurement location. The amount of marbling in the proxy can be adjusted incrementally and when the number of marbling pieces in the proxy is fixed and the size of each marbling piece is controlled, the percentage of intramuscular fat, in pixels, is highly predictable.
Comments
Copyright 2026, Board of Regents, University of Nebraska. Used by permission