WorksheetsMeat Evaluation: Beef Yield Grading
Total questions: 45
Worksheet time: 23mins
Yield grading is important in the beef industry because:
It determines the amount of usable meat from a carcass.
It measures the tenderness of the meat.
It identifies the breed of the cattle.
It sets the market price for beef.
What is a beef yield grade?
A measure of the amount of usable meat from a carcass
A rating of meat tenderness
A classification of meat color
A score for meat flavor
What factors are used to calculate a yield grade?
Carcass weight, fat thickness, ribeye area, and kidney, pelvic, and heart fat
Age and breed of the animal
Feed type and water intake
Color and marbling of the meat
Beef yield grading allows the ________ of different populations of beef cattle going into processing plants. (Fill in the blank)
segregation
combination
elimination
multiplication
An average plant will harvest ________ head of cattle a day. (Fill in the blank)
5,000
500
50,000
1,000
The United States Department of Agriculture created a prediction equation to measure fat and muscling in beef cattle.
True
False
A yield grade 5 is around 300to 400 less valuable than a yield grade 1.
True
False
A preliminary yield grade is:
an estimate of the amount of usable meat from a carcass
the final quality grade assigned to meat
a measure of the animal's age
a type of feed given to livestock
A preliminary yield grade is determined by:
Evaluating the amount of external fat on the carcass
Measuring the marbling in the meat
Assessing the color of the meat
Weighing the entire animal
Beef yield grade reflects the _______ of a beef carcass.
cutability
color
marbling
weight
Which yield grade would have around 17 percent fat and yields a high percentage of closely trimmed retail cuts?
Yield grade 1
Yield grade 3
Yield grade 5
Yield grade 4
Which yield grade would have around 50 percent fat and yields a low percentage of closely trimmed retail cuts?
Yield grade 1
Yield grade 2
Yield grade 3
Yield grade 5
How many designations are beef yield grades categorized into?
Three
Four
Five
Six
List the four factors to consider when determining beef yield grade.
Carcass weight, fat thickness, ribeye area, and kidney, pelvic, and heart fat
Marbling, color, texture, and moisture content
Breed, age, feed type, and environment
Temperature, humidity, storage time, and packaging
The first step in yield grading beef carcasses is to look at the amount of _____
fat
muscle
bone
marbling
The preliminary yield grade ruler is created by the _____
USDA
FDA
EPA
CDC
In the meat cooler, calls are made using (a) .
What is the Preliminary Yield Grade (PYG) of a carcass with no external fat and only a membrane?
2.0
1.0
3.5
4.0
PYG is measured at a distance ______ the length of the ribeye perpendicular to the lean.
3/4
1/2
1
1/4
Once a PYG is determined, the rest of the ______ must be examined.
carcass
animal
meat
process
The overall PYG is ______ considering the overall fatness of the carcass.
adjusted
reduced
ignored
increased
Which of the following is NOT a location to look at for PYG adjustments?
Round
Sirloin
Loin edge
Forearm
Brisket can also be looked at for PYG adjustments but is often trimmed.
True
False
PYG adjustments can range from ______ of a yield grade to as low as zero or one tenth of a yield grade.
one half
two thirds
one fourth
three quarters
How is a carcass ribeye estimated?
By measuring the area of the ribeye muscle at the 12th rib
By weighing the entire carcass
By counting the number of ribs
By measuring the length of the carcass
What adjustments are used for a ribeye in the final yield grade?
Fat thickness adjustment
Ribeye area adjustment
Carcass weight adjustment
All of the above
What tool can be used to measure the ribeye area in yield grading?
USDA dot grid
Ruler
Caliper
Tape measure
Each dot on the USDA dot grid represents ______ of a square inch.
one tenth
one half
one fourth
one hundredth
Each dot touching fat should be counted when measuring ribeye area with the USDA dot grid.
True
False
The base ribeye area for carcasses across the United States is ______.
11.0
9.5
13.2
10.4
An adjustment of ______ is made for every three tenths of a square inch difference from the base ribeye area.
0.1
0.3
1.0
0.5
When the carcass graduates up to 700 pounds, the ribeye area required for no adjustment would be (a) .
How is a hot carcass weight adjustment calculated?
By subtracting the chilled carcass weight from the live weight
By multiplying the live weight by the dressing percentage
By subtracting the chilled carcass weight from the hot carcass weight
By dividing the hot carcass weight by the live weight
Weight and fat are correlated in which of the following ways?
They are not related at all.
As weight increases, fat usually increases.
As weight increases, fat always decreases.
Fat is only related to muscle, not weight.
Hot carcass weight is measured in which units?
Pounds or kilograms
Liters or gallons
Inches or centimeters
Ounces or grams
As animals fatten, they become ________.
heavier
lighter
slower
thinner
A base of ______ pounds is used for the hot carcass weight adjustment.
600
500
700
800
For a carcass weighing less than 600 pounds, the adjustment would be ________.
subtracted
added
multiplied
ignored
For a carcass weighing more than 600 pounds, the adjustment would be ________.
added
subtracted
ignored
multiplied
The adjustment for hot carcass weight is based on what increments?
10-pound
13-pound
25-pound
100-pound
For every 25 pounds from 600 pounds, the adjustment is plus ______.
0.1
0.5
1.0
0.25
For every 100 pounds, the adjustment is plus or minus ______ from the preliminary yield grade.
0.4
1.0
0.1
2.0
Kidney, pelvic and heart fat are examples of:
Subcutaneous fat
Visceral fat
Brown fat
Essential fat
What are the adjustments for kidney, pelvic and heart fat?
They are added to carcass weight.
They are subtracted from carcass weight.
They are ignored in carcass evaluation.
They are measured separately.
Tips for yield grading in a meat judging contest include:
Evaluating fat thickness, ribeye area, and carcass weight
Focusing only on color of the meat
Judging based on the animal's breed
Ignoring marbling and texture
