Publish date: 9.19.24
In recent decades, the beef industry has seen carcass quality climb to unprecedented levels. While the improvements in this area have been astounding, Red Meat Yield, as a trait, has been neglected, and in some cases, completely disregarded in the pursuit of marbling. Ask anyone in the meat industry, from large packers to direct marketers, and they will tell you that Red Meat Yield matters. It is a trait that drives efficiency and profitability across all systems in the beef supply chain.
Red Meat Yield drives efficiency and profitability from large packers to direct marketers in the beef supply chain.
All else equal, more pounds of red meat marketed per pound of carcass weight is clearly a winning combination. Interestingly, the financial incentives offered in most carcass marketing grids don’t seem to reflect the importance of the trait.
The problem is we have an outdated system of predicting Red Meat Yield being used in most packing plants today. The USDA Yield Grade system was developed based on cattle that are vastly different than those in today’s beef supply chain. Yield Grade incentives are low because the system only predicts a relatively small portion of the variation in beef carcass cutability. And the packers know it.
Research presented by Texas Tech investigators at the 2024 Certified Angus Beef Feeding Quality Forum indicates the current yield grade system explains less than 40% of observed variation in subprimal yield of beef-type animals. The existing yield grade formula is even less effective at predicting Red Meat Yield of dairy-influenced cattle. This helps explain the lackluster financial incentives for improved yield grade but doesn’t provide much direction for improvement.
If we aren’t getting paid for it, why try to improve anyway?
The reality is we all have a responsibility to look ahead for industry trends and changes and try our best to prepare for them. Cutability is a trait that underpins efficiency, profitability, and ultimately, sustainability of the beef industry. With that in mind, it seems likely that there will be a renewed interest in it in the near future. Additionally, modern 3-dimensional imaging technology may have put us on the cusp of a better system of predicting carcass cutability.
With these potential industry trends and changes, have you thought about how they could affect your genetic selection? Consider the following questions.
- How would your cattle fare in a marketplace with different financial incentives or penalties for Red Meat Yield?
- Are your herd’s genetics prepared for those potential changes?
Selecting for Red Meat Yield Isn’t So Easy
Backfat thickness still explains a good portion of carcass-to-carcass variation in yield. Nevertheless, selection for decreased fat thickness using EPDs has led to unintended negative consequences in the past and, therefore, represents a risky tactic. The external fat cover is important to fleshing ability and energy reserves in replacement females. Removing that can create longevity issues in a cowherd. Some fat cover is also practically important as a protective layer on carcasses to prevent bruising and moisture loss. So, while we don’t want to completely disregard Backfat, it is not advisable to focus on decreasing the EPD in a breeding program.
Unfortunately, one of our most reliable EPDs related to muscling may not be our best tool to improve true Red Meat Yield. It appears that Ribeye Area (REA) is one of the least predictive indicators we have in estimating carcass yield, so selection for REA alone may not be effective. That said, Texas Tech researchers have evaluated the effectiveness of a live animal muscling scoring system in helping to predict yield. They have found the system to help predict a greater portion of variation in carcass cutout than Ribeye Area alone.
But how do we select for a trait for which there is not an EPD?
Today, it may come down to a good old-fashioned visual appraisal of animals for muscle. Most cattle producers are reasonably good at evaluating their livestock for muscling. A little more emphasis on those old reliable visual indicators of muscle shape in your breeding and selection decisions may go a long way toward improved cutability. Perhaps, the inclusion of a breed with some complimentary yield attributes would help get you there quicker—not to mention the potential value you might see from heterosis.
Technology is poised to augment the process in the future if we embrace it. Video and camera technology are developing at a remarkable pace. Swine genetics companies are already utilizing video and computer learning to predict phenotype, structural correctness, and longevity more accurately in their breeding programs.
It’s not hard to imagine a world where similar technology can help us generate better phenotypes related to yield in live cattle. While no one wants to see these technologies replace good stockmanship, if we can effectively pair the technology with good livestock sense, the upside is faster improvement in hard-to-quantify traits.
With all this talk about Red Meat Yield, you might get the impression that Marbling and carcass quality are not important. Nothing could be further from the truth. The strong demand for beef today is largely due to the tremendous strides our industry has made in recent decades in improving meat quality. Beef is the animal protein of choice when it comes to taste and an enjoyable eating experience. We can’t afford to do anything to jeopardize that.
So, whatever we do to improve cutability cannot be done at the expense of marbling.
Luckily, we have the genetics available to do it all. Historically, cattle with high genetic merit for marbling have been stereotyped as light-muscled and frail. Today, however, by pairing EPDs with sound cattle evaluation, we can identify cattle that cover all these basics of carcass value. Selecting cattle that combine elite Marbling, Ribeye Area, Carcass Weight, and a dose of real muscle shape has never been easier.
As your Genetic Advisor, we are here to assist you in identifying the right genetics that will help you reach your goals. Contact your ABS Representative to help identify bulls that can help you build cattle that are profitable today and in the future. You can also create your own sort on Bull Search to identify genetics that will lead you to profit.
Want to learn more about Red Meat Yield and the industry trends related to it? Complete the form below.
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