Does anyone have any contacts at the school (or outside of the school) on getting some cattle I have going to butcher soon graded? Anyone know the process or any contacts on who does it?

TIA

I have never heard of doing that at the sole proprietorship level. Keep us posted.

I spoke with a few big ranches that are purchasing these "new" cameras that take a picture and grade it. They are called Q-FOM and MEQ. I would like to find a place to learn more about those as well. I would assume the school is teaching this.

Live grade or on the rail

Either

True Grading of beef is under the purvue of the USDA AMS and must be overseen by a AMS Grader who will assign the Grade to stamp the carcass (Though the plant personnel are running the cameras and sometimes stamp the carcasses under direction of the USDA Grader.).

You can have the carcasses ribbed between the 12th/13th rib after sitting overnight and allow them to bloom and do a best guess by using USDA Marbling cards, though it won't be an official USDA Grade. In general, if the cattle are less than 30 months old, just use the online USDA Marbling cards and best guess on where your cattle would grade (over 30 months becomes more complicated). Dark cutting beef can get a grade, but that is also more complicated (The degree of dark cutting combined with Marbling results in a grade there. Best to just assume those as no grade.). Less than Slight is USDA Standard, Slight is Select, Small is Choice with Modest and Moderate being equivalent to Upper 2/3rds Choice (Think Certified Angus Beef, though there are other criteria for those types of USDA Certified programs.). All three of those Marbling scores are officially Choice, though. Slightly Abundant and higher Marbling is equivalent to USDA Prime.

If you want to market them by USDA Grade, though, your only option is a plant that has official USDA Graders. It is a pay for service program offered to plants by USDA AMS, and they take a dim view of official USDA Grades being assigned by non USDA Graders (it is illegal under the 1946 Ag Marketing Act).

Hope this helps.

To summarize what 88 said you would have to process in a harvest facility that has a usda grader. There are a few around.
If this is personal use then you can get other "opinions " but you can't sell with that on the label. In fact be very careful not to label anything you can't document.

There are ultrasound technicians that can come out and scan cattle to give you a good opinion on how they will grade.

Dr. Bluntzer? Is that you?

I am running fullblood wagyu and F1s (angus/wagyu) and pushing them to 30 months. How accurate are the cameras on the rail and the ultrasounds on the hoof?

C@LAg said:

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Aggie Hunter said:

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Does anyone have any contacts at the school (or outside of the school) on getting some cattle I have going to butcher soon graded? Anyone know the process or any contacts on who does it?

TIA

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the answer depends on if the tests are true/false or multiple choice....

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Moo-tiple choice.

How do you plan to sell this beef. Are you just trying to know if they're ready to harvest? How have you been feeding them ?

I have beef with the highest grade...hope this helps

Beef - A+
Pork - A
Poultry - A-
Fish - B+
Lamb - C

Hoosegow said:

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Dr. Bluntzer? Is that you?

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Nope. Meat Scientist who got his Ph.D. under Dr. Savell.

ought1ag said:

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I have beef with the highest grade...hope this helps

Beef - A+
Pork - A
Poultry - A-
Fish - B+
Lamb - C

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Meat A+
Soy F
FIFY

What happened to Ranch to Rail Program? You could ship calves to feedlot and the USDA would pay to grade your cattle for you. IT has been 20 years since I sent anything so cant remember the details

I feed all my cattle at home so probably wouldnt help me. I think I am onto something I was able to get a hold of the school and the meat judging coordinator and she seems interested in helping.

ought1ag said:

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I have beef with the highest grade...hope this helps

Beef - A+
Pork - A
Poultry - A-
Fish - B+
Lamb - C

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American lamb sucks for sure. But if you've ever had lamb in the Middle East, you understand that it's delicious

We did that program back in the nineties.