Predicting Wholesale Value of Beef Carcasses

Authors

Lee Weide, University of Nebraska-Lincoln
Chris R. Calkins, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow
Tommy Wheeler, USDA-ARS U.S. Meat Animal Research CenterFollow
Brian Quandt, University of Nebraska-Lincoln

Date of this Version

January 1996

Comments

Published in 1996 Nebraska Beef Cattle Report; published by Agricultural Research Division, Institute of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Nebraska-Lincoln.

Abstract

The growing interest in value-based marketing elevates the importance of accurate assessment of individual carcass merit. Retailers, meat plants, and producers must find a way to reduce the production and marketing of fat. Instant feedback to producers, in the way of a higher dollar value for preferred cattle, gives a clear signal on what type of beef is desirable. Electromagnetic scanning (EMS) has the capability to accurately provide an assessment of lean content on a single carcass basis.

Previous research at the University of Nebraska has shown that EMS has the ability to predict lean composition of beef carcasses (1994 Nebraska Beef Report, pp. 61-64; 1993 Nebraska Beef Report, pp. 68-69). This project was conducted to evaluate the use of EMS to predict wholesale value of beef carcass sides. The relationships of grader-assigned and calculated USDA yield grades to carcass value were also compared.