title: Relationship between USDA and Japanese beef grades.
abstract: Angus steers (n = 78) were feedlot-finished to approximately 703 kg live weight. The finished steers were slaughtered at a commercial packing plant, chilled, and evaluated for USDA and Japanese yield and quality-grade characteristics. The resulting carcasses were excessively heavy and fat for the domestic (US) beef industry. Over 70% of the carcasses were US Yield Grade 5, and almost 40% were Japanese Yield Score 'C'. Although excessively fat externally, fewer than 50% of the carcasses qualified for US Prime, and none of the carcasses qualified for Japanese Meat Quality Score 5. Moderate to high correlations were observed between US twelfth-rib carcass traits and Japanese sixth-rib traits; however, multiple-regression equations based on USDA carcass characteristics explained only 46 and 25% of the observed variation in Japanese marbling score and estimated percentage wholesale-cut yield, respectively.
authors: Texas Agricultural Experiment Station, Department of Animal Science Texas A&M University, College Station, 77843-2471, Texas, USA.
authors: J J
authors: JJ
authors: Harris
authors: D K
authors: DK
authors: Lunt
authors: J W
authors: JW
authors: Savell
authors: E W
authors: EW
authors: Hawkins
authors: L E
authors: LE
authors: Orme