judging, grading and fabrication of cattle, sheep, pig and poultry

1. Judging
grading and
fabrication of carcass
By
Dr. Anitha Reddy Nalla
Ph. D. Scholar
Dept. of Livestock Products Technology
C. V. Sc. Hyderabad

2. Grading
•Is the systematic way to express meat quality and
carcass value or sorting into groups according to
selected characteristics

3. Importance of grading
• Plays important role in marketing and merchandizing the
carcasses
• It is important to buyers and value to the meat industry
• Helps farmers (producers) to recognize the quality of their
animals and for better planning to improve breeding programme
and produce high grades of animals and carcasses
• Helps producers and processor to get their animals and carcasses
certified for class, quality and condition through an authorized
agencies

4. • Different countries have their own grading pattern
and detailed specifications to suit their market and
consumer requirements and have been adopted from
USDA and modified as per local needs.
• In India, grading of meat carcasses and wholesale cuts
is still confined at the export level, that too as per the
agreement between the exporter and importer.

5. • In India grading of live animals are not practiced, whereas in USA
carcass grading is carried out by FSIS (Food Safety and Inspection
Service) following USDA meat grading systems while the agricultural
marketing service is responsible for the grading of live animals
• In our country meat grading is performed according to the
instructions issued from time to time by Agricultural Marketing
Advisor (AMA) of Govt. of India (under ministry of agriculture)

6. Grading systems
• Two types of grades of meat
1) Quality grade –relates to the acceptability of the consumers
2) Yield grade-(quantity grade) relates to expected yield of trimmed
retail or wholesale cuts

7. 1)Quality grades (subjective grades)
• Prediction of eating quality or palatability characteristics such as
juiciness, texture, color etc.
The factors include: carcass maturity
firmness
texture
color of lean
the amount of marbling within the lean

8. 1) Kind: refers to the species of animals used for meat
2) Maturity: refers to the physiological age at which carcasses are
obtained from the animals
• Relates to tenderness
• Mature/immature
• The indicator of maturity is the characteristics of bone and cartilage
• In young cartilages are abundant , particularly in the epiphyseal plates,
between vertebrae, at the end of dorsal vertebrae processes and in the
breast bone
• As animal matures the cartilage will ossifies from infiltration with bone
salts
• Soft cartilages-----hard cartilage-----bone
Factors : Quality grades

9. • In poultry : pliability of keel bone is evaluated
• In beef :buttons ; the cartilage caps located on dorsal processes of all
vertebtrae
• Color meat : young : light red in color
• mature: dark red
• Size of muscle fiber bundles: thickness of perimysium connective
tissue increases due to increase in bonds between the tropocollagen
fibrils
• Maturity muscle fiber diameter

12. • 3.marbling: fat deposited in the perimysium connective tissue (intra
muscular fat)
• Marbling has strong influence on tenderness, juiciness, flavour
• Meat devoid of marbling: dry , flavourless
• Marbling in pig indicated by feathering (between ribs)
• Marbling in lamb indicated by flank streaks (in flank muscle beneath
the epimysium of flank muscle, when viewed from the inside of the
abdomen)

15. • 4. firmness: firmness of lean cut surface of meat, it is because of fat
present in the carcass. It provides desirable shape to retail cuts.
• Provides more attractive and better shape to the cuts
• Example : useful in choosing pork bellies
• 5.colour and structure of meat: PSE and DFD
• 6. confirmation and fleshing: proportionate development of parts
• Meat to bone ratio
• Superior confirmation indicates short necks and shanks, thick backs with
full loins and plumb legs
• Superior finish implies abundant marbling and a smooth, thin and even
covering of firm fat over most of the outer surface of the carcass

18. Yield grades (objective /quantitative grades)
• Indicative of expected yields of edible meat from a
carcass such as amount of lean, bone, fat etc.
• Categorize carcasses on basis of expected yield of
trimmed retail cuts
• US 1,2,3,4 and 5

19. • 1. amount of fat: external, kidney, pelvic and heart fat
• The amount of external, internal and intermuscular fat
in carcasses has more effect on percent retail cuts
• Total amount of body fat is measured as back fat
thickness which is depth of the fat on back at 11th rib
in pork and 12-13th ribs in lamb and beef. It is
expressed in inches
Yield grades

21. • 2.muscle development: influences percent retail yield
• Measured as rib eye area and loin eye area, which is
the cross sectional area of longissimus dorsi muscle
between 10-11th ribs in pork carcass and 12-13th rib in
beef and lamb carcasses
• It is expressed in square inch
• 3. carcass size and weight: degree of fatness and
muscle development relation to the skeletal size
• Carcass size; measured from the edge of first rib to
edge of aitch/pelvic bone and expressed in inch

23. Carcass grading of cattle and buffalo
• 1. quality grading:
• Marbling:
• Marbling will be the primary indicator
• Provided maturities are similar
• Determine marbling in the exposed ribeye
• Pay attention to amount and distribution
• Lesser concern: external fat color
• White vs. Yellow, soft or oily

26. Bone
maturity is
<10 %

27. Bone maturity is
10-34 %

28. Bone maturity is
35-70 %

29. Bone maturity is
70-90 %

30. Bone maturity
is >90 %

31. A0 -
MATURITY LEAN COLOR LEAN
TEXTURE
A Light –
cheery red
Very fine
B Light cherry
red to
slighlty dark
red
Fine
C Moderately
light red to
moderately
dark red
Moderately
fine
D Moderately
dark red to
dark red
Slightly
coarse
E Dark red to
very dark red
coarse

32. Beef Quality Grading

33. Raw meat (chilled/frozen)grading marketing rules (1977)
by Govt of India for export quality characteristics
choice grade: bright glistening appearance, fullness of muscle with short
and thick neck, shank and legs, fineness in grain and velvety touch, firmness
in consistency, minimum connective tissue, fine marbling, thin covering of
fat, dry, firm and flaky fat, good finish, bright red meat colour, pinkish white
bone marrow.
Good grade: as per choice grade with slight variations such as lack of
uniform confirmation, slightly deficient in fullness of muscling, slight
concavity in hips and thighs
commercial grade: as per good grade except slight deviations such as
thick and coarse muscles, rough and irregular contour, coarse deposition of
fat.
Beef grading

34. Yield grading /cutability (objective/quantitative/)
• Cutability is defined as the percentage of closely trimmed, boneless,
retail cuts from the round, loin, rib and chuck — the four major beef
wholesale cuts. It is an estimate of the relative amount of lean, edible
meat from a carcass.
• Grades US 1, 2, 3, 4, 5

41. Carcass Grading of Sheep and Goat

42. Sheep
grading

52. Raw meat (chilled/frozen) grading and
marketing rules (1977) GOI –goat and sheep
• Choice grade: wide, deep, smooth, compact confirmation
• Thick and neat shoulders, broad and thick back and plumb legs
• Firm and evenly distributed finish
• Sufficient deposit fat
• Dressed weight not less than 8.0 kg
• Standard grade: as per choice except ; carcass slighltly deficient in above
characteristics, lack of trimmable fat, back of dressed carcass shows a
decided prominence of bones, has enough prominent shoulders and bar
ribs
• Greade X: As agreed between the purchaser and exporter against firm
order

53. Pork

62. Poultry grading
• Grading
• Dressed chickens are graded on the basis of conformation, degree of
fleshing, bruises, cuts and other quality attributes.
• Indian Standards for dressed chicken are given in the table.

63. Sl.
No.
Quality
attributes
Grade 1 Grade 2
1. Conformation •Free of deformities that detract from
its appearance
or that affect the normal distribution
of flesh.
Slight deformities such as slightly
curved or dented breast bones and
slightly curved backs may be present.
•Slight abnormalities such as dented, curved or
crooked back or
misshapen legs or wings which do not materially
affect the distribution of flesh or the appearance
of the carcass or part.
2. Fleshing •The breast is moderately long and
deep and has sufficient flesh to give it
a round appearance with the flesh
carrying well upto the crest of the
breast bone along with its entire
length.
•The breast has a substantial covering of flesh
with the carrying upto the crest of the breast bone
sufficiently to prevent a thin appearance.
3. Fat covering •The fat is well distributed so that
there is a noticeable amount of fat in
the skin in the areas between the
heavy feathers tracts
•The fat under the skin is sufficient to prevent a
distinct appearance of the flesh through the skin,
especially on the breast and legs.

64. 4 Defeathering •Free of pin feathers, diminutive
feathers and hair which are visible to
the inspector or grader
Not more than an occasional protruding
pin feather or diminutive feathers shall be
in evidence under a careful examination.
5. Cuts and tears •Free of cuts and tears on the breast
and legs.
•The carcass may have very few cuts and
tears.
6. Discoloration •Free from discoloration due to bruising,
free of clots; flesh bruises and
discoloration of the skin such as “blue
back” are not permitted on the breast or
legs.
•Discoloration due to bruising; free of
clots; moderate areas of discoloration
due bruising in the skin or flesh.
7. Freezer burn •May have an occasional pock marks
due to drying of the inner layer of skin
(derma), provided that none exceeded
the area of a circle 0.5 cm in diameter
on chickens.
•May have a few pock marks due to
drying of the inner layer of skin (derma),
provided that no single area exceeds that
of a circle 1.5 cm in diameter.

67. Judging
• The aim is to efficiently produce carcasses of the type and
quality demanded by the consumer.

68. • Carcass - the part of the animal which remains after the removal of the
head, feet, hide and internal organs - the carcass is composed of bone,
muscle, fat and connective tissue
• Finish - the amount of fat covering on a market animal - over finished –
the animal has too much fat cover - under finished – the animal doesn’t
have enough fat cover to fall into a desired grade
• Cutability - the saleable meat in proportion to the total carcass - a high
cutability, or high proportion of red meat to bone and fat, is desirable

69. • Trimness - freedom from excess fat or finish - this can be determined by
looking at places where fat tends to accumulate – the brisket, flank and
twist
• Grade - the description a carcass receives based on the maturity of the
carcass, the quality (color, texture, and firmness of the muscle, marbling
and fat) and the meat yield.
• Meatiness - the degree of muscling - a meaty animal will have superior
muscling

70. BEFF CARCASS JUDGING
Max. marks Marks awarded
General
Conformation Compact, Well fleshed, small bone 15
Finish Smooth, even cover of firm creamy fat 10
Quality Flesh marbled, fine grain, good colour 5
Internal fat
Suet (found around the loins and kidneys)
in proportion to general finish
2
Weight According to trade requirements 5
Soundness
Well dressed, free from bruises and
scores
3
Total 40

71. Hind quarters
Loin Well fleshed not excessively fat 15
Rump Full, evenly fleshed to tail head 5
Round Full, extending well down hock 12
Flank Thick and full of meat 2
Leg Fine bone, fat extending well
down shank
2
Total 36
Fore Quarters
Ribs Well fleshed, deep, good eye
muscle, smooth finish
15
Shoulder Compact well covered 2
Neck Short and thick 2
Brisket Short and well fleshed 4
Shank Fine bone 1
Total 24
Grand total 100

73. Judging of mutton carcass
Max.
marks
Marks
awarded
General
Weight According to trade requirements 10
Conformation Compact, well fleshed legs and loin 10
Condition Smooth covering of white fat, well fleshed 10
Quality Flesh sappy and food colour 10
40
Carcass Well dressed, clean, free form cuts and bruises 10
Shoulders Neat but well fleshed, smooth finish 7
Ribs Well barrelled, short and well fleshed 6
Loins Eye muscle* ( broad and long, correct cover of
fat
♣
)( kidney fat not excessive)
20
Legs Thick, plump
♦
(uniform layer of fat, extending well
down the shank.)
15
Neck Short and neat 2
60
Grand total 100

74. • * A good eye muscle should measure about 1.4 inches (3.5 cm) in
depth on a carcass of about 45 lbs (20 kg) at nine months old or
under. Eye muscle or rib eye area is measured at 10th rib level. Loin
eye area is measured at the lumber area.
• ♣ The optimum thickness of fat over the eye muscle is about 0.25
inches (6mm).
• ♦ In a good leg the width across is equal to or greater than the length
or the bone.

75. Judging of pork carcass
scale of points
General
Weight According to trade requirement 10
Form Long level back, neat shoulders, short legs. 10
Condition Well fleshed, suitable quantity of fat 2
Quality Small bone, fine skin free from wrinkles, kidney fat smooth,
white and firm
8
40
Carcass
Side Long and deep, well fleshed and firm 15
Shoulders Compact not excessively fat 5
Loins Long, well fleshed, even thickness of fat throughout 15
Ham Short and plump, firm, correct covering offal 12
Belly Thick and lean 6
Head Light 3
Carcass Well dressed, free from hair, scores and bruises 4
60

76. Fabrication
• The term meat cutting may aptly be defined as the art, skill or craft of
separation of carcass wholesale primal cuts into different portions as to
suit various needs in the meat trade and to facilitate easy handling by the
butchers.
There are few primary objectives in cutting all kind soft meat.
• Separate thick from thin thick muscles which are better adapted for certain
methods of preparations than the thin muscles, therefore, they should be
separated when breaking down a carcass.
• Separate fat from lean cuts with a high degree of fat should be separated
from these cuts more muscular in nature, and with a lesser degree of fat.
• cut at right angles to the grain of the dominant muscle.
• Always use knives for cutting meat and saw for bones.

77. • The specialized operation -thorough understanding of the carcass
types, anatomy, consumer’s diet habits and a sound knowledge of
human psychology.
• In India we have cuts recommended by the ICAR, New Delhi

78. Factors in meat cutting
• Carcass
A neat job of cutting and trimming can be done only in a thoroughly
chilled carcass and it is essential that the chilled carcass should possess
an internal temperature of 1-20 C.
• Butcher
Must be adequately trained at the job and should possess dexterity or
accuracy in cutting techniques.

79. • Cutting procedure
Must be an approved one and in line with a standard procedure and
steps mentioned in it should be scrupulously followed.
• Cutting room
The cutting operation should be carried out only in a specialized meat
cutting room with a temperature should not exceed 12 0C and 70 to
80% relative humidity.
The environment helps to maintain the wholesomeness of the meat.
Besides, the room should have enough sanitary and cleaning facilities.

80. • Equipment and machinery
All the required equipment like different kinds of knives and saws,
stainless steel top meat cutting tables and machinery, like electrically
operated meat cutting saws, should be available in the meat cutting
room and they should be sufficient sharp and in good working
condition.

81. • Cutting principles
Three basic principles of cutting techniques are to be adopted.
• The muscular portion must be cut with knife,
• The bone structures must be severed with saw, and
• Whenever joints are involved, “breaking” or “disjointing” with far less physical
effort must deal them with.

82. • Outlets for cuts and trimmings
There should be organized outlets for all the cuts and trimmings and the
meat cutting room should present a synchronized working atmosphere.
For example, the fresh cuts must be immediately packed properly and
sent to the trade or chilling room, fats must be transferred to the fat
rendering unit, and trimmings may be taken to mincing or processing hall:
certain primal cuts such as ham, shoulder and side and spare ribs should
be sent to the curing room.

83. BEEF CUTTING/ FABRICATION OF BEEF
CARCASSES
• Beef carcass before cutting, it is split into two halves or sides of beef
carcass.

84. • Steps for making wholesale cuts of beef carcass
• The right side of beef carcass is known as in CLOSED OR RIGHT
SIDE (Kidney close) and the left side as the OPEN SIDE (Kidney free).
• Each side is made into different cuts as outlined below.

86. • Step 1: Ribbing or quartering
• The beef side is separated into forequarter and hind quarter by making cut between the
12th and 13th rib, leaving the last rib on the hindquarter (Chicago style).
• This procedure is known as “Ribbing” or “Quartering”.
• Step 2: Wholesale cuts of forequarter
• The posterior RIB and PLATE portion is separated from the anterior CHUCK, BRISKET and
SHANK complex by cutting between 5th and 6th ribs.
• The upper RIB is separated from the lower PLATE by a straight and parallel cut to
the backbone by joining the two points at the loin and chuck ends. These points are
located at a distance of 8 inches from their respective protruding edges of chine.
• The chunk, brisket and shank complex are placed on the table with rib side down. The
SHANK is removed by cutting parallel to the underline and just dorsal to the prominence
(lateral condyle of the humerus) on the lower extremity of the humerus.

87. • The cutting is continued through the breastbone and lower ends of ribs from
the point of shank and parallel to back bone and BRISKET is removed. This can
also be separated by a cut that is perpendicular to the 4th rib at a point about 4
cm proximal to the olecranon process of the elbow.
• The large thick square cut remaining is CHUCK.
• Step 3: Wholesale cuts of hindquarters
• The kidneys along with their adjoining fat are removed leaving very little fat on
the tenderloin and it is known as “KIDNEY KNOB’.
• The FLANK is removed by cutting from a point immediately ventral to
the aitchbone and following the natural seam until the thick muscle of the flank is
reached and then making a straight cut to a point about one and a half inches
below eye muscle.
• The ROUND is separated from the LOIN by cutting at a point about one and half
inches anterior to the aitch bone and parallel to the rib end of loin.

88. If desired, the RUMP can be divided from the ROUND by making a cut immediately parallel and
ventral to aitchbone.
The loin is usually divided into anterior and posterior section at the anterior tip of the hip and
between the lumbar and sacral vertebrae. The posterior third portion containing the hip bone
(ilium) is known as the SIR LOIN and the anterior portion containing five lumbar and one thoracic
vertebrae is known as SHORTLION.
Percentage of wholesale cuts of beef carcass
Forequarter ( 51%) Hindquarter (49%)
Rib 9.0% Kidney Knob 4.0%
Plate 9.5% Flank 4.0%
Shank 4.0% Loin 17.5%
Brisket 4.5% Round 23.5%
Chuck 24.0%

89. FABRICATION OF PORK CARCASSES
• Steps for making wholesale cuts of pork carcass
• Each side of pork carcass is subjected to the following cutting procedure
• Step 1
• The feet are removed in the case of the front feet at about 1” above the knee and for the hind
feet at the lower edge of hock.
• Step 2
• The anterior “ROUGH SHOULDER” is separated from the posterior “ROUGH MIDDLE” and “ROUGH
HAM” portion by cutting between second and third ribs.
• Thus “ROUGH SHOULDER” is made into three wholesale cuts as described below
• The JOWL is trimmed by cutting close to the neck line.
• The BOSTON BUTT is the upper one third of the skinned shoulder and is separated by cutting
parallel to the back from a point just vertical to the exposed section of the shoulder
blade. The lower two third portion is known as PICNIC SHOULDER.

92. • Step 3
• The “ROUGH HAM” is separated from the rough middle by cutting
between second and third sacral vertebrae at right angles to the line of the
leg and a REGULAR HAM is made form this rough ham by suitably trimming
the fat and lean on the exposed surface of the ham.
• Step 4
• The “ROUGH MIDDLE” is separated into upper LOIN and lower SIDE &
SPARE RIBS or BACON by a parallel cut to the backbone, made at a point 3
fingers width below the vertebral column at the shoulder end and
extending it up to the leg end in a manner just to miss the tender lion
muscle.
• The wholesale cuts obtained from each side will be Jowl, Boston Butt,
Picnic Shoulder, Loin, Side and Spare Ribs and Ham.

93. FABRICATION OF LAMB CARCASSES
• Steps for making wholesale cuts of lamb carcass
• The carcass is divided into FORE-SADDLE and HIND-SADDLE by cutting between the last 2 ribs (12-13th rib). The
left and right sides are not separated in case of beef carcass.
• The thin meat is taken off from the natural seam between flank and leg. Cut is made forward from the last rib
at a point midway of the last rib. This cut is continued forward to a point 1/2” above the elbow joint. The SHANK
& the ROUGH BREAST are obtained. From the rough breast the FORE SHANK (TURKEY LEG) is removed.
• The NECK is removed at a point where it blends with the shoulder.
• A cut is made between the fifth and sixth ribs to remove the SHOULDER
• The portion left behind from the sixth rib to the twelfth rib is the RACK.
• The LOIN is removed from the hindquarters by sawing just in front of the hipbone and the last two lumbar
vertebrae.
• The remaining portion is the LEGS.
• The final cuts are
• Fore-saddle 53%
• Rack Rib 10 %, Shoulder 25%, Neck 4%, Shank 6 % and Breast 8 %
• Hind-saddle 47%
• Leg 32%, Loin 10%, Flanks 3% and Suet and Kidney 2%