If you are having problems logging in please use the Contact Us in the lower right hand corner of the forum page for assistance.

Reply to thread

Message

Porker:

Just a note about "aging" and how long "carcasses hang in wait" for a USDA grader.....

It is standard in most of the larger US packing facilities that harvest feedlot cattle (mostly A and B maturity cattle) to have carcasses hang for 36 hours or less---only one I know of lets carcasses hang for 36 hours (they claim they can make up loss in carcass weight (shrink) in improved quality grade)---the remainder have the carcasses moving past the grader at 24 hours and then onto the fabrication floor.

Onto the issue of "aging" the vast majority of beef today is "wet" aged meaning that is ages as it's vacuum packaged not as it hangs. "Dry" aged is aging while beef hangs. In some cases it is aged so long that a mold begins to form on the backfat/outter fat of the carcass. Dry aging is very costly because of the loss of water/shrink in the carcass. Incidently in trained consumer taste panel tests, there is not significant difference in taste or preference between wet and dry aged beef!

How long does the BSE test take? While I'll readily admit that I haven't kept up on technology I'm guessing it's longer than 36 hours---which leads to the point that an animal less than 20 months has never been found to be BSE positive when evaluated by the "gold" standard BSE test--

Now on the side of the harvest of cattle over 30 months, or typically market cows and bulls--99.999% of these cattle are not graded-they are inspected if the meat will be sold for human consumption, but not graded. They are often assigned a house or plant grade but rarely a USDA grade. So what does this mean??? Well that usually these carcasses don't hang nearly as long as feedlot beef carcasses, because the packers aren't waiting for the "bloom" to come for a better grading carcass!

I hope I'm not out of line pointing this out---I spent 5 years of my life collecting carcass data in a packing plant--everyone who is beef producer should spend some time in one! I can say I don't love the packers but also have a respect for them (hopefully that doesn't cause too much controversy!)

Have a great day everyone,

TTB

<blockquote data-quote="Turkey Track Bar" data-source="post: 6208" data-attributes="member: 98">Porker:Just a note about &quot;aging&quot; and how long &quot;carcasses hang in wait&quot; for a USDA grader.....It is standard in most of the larger US packing facilities that harvest feedlot cattle (mostly A and B maturity cattle) to have carcasses hang for 36 hours or less---only one I know of lets carcasses hang for 36 hours (they claim they can make up loss in carcass weight (shrink) in improved quality grade)---the remainder have the carcasses moving past the grader at 24 hours and then onto the fabrication floor.&nbsp; Onto the issue of &quot;aging&quot; the vast majority of beef today is &quot;wet&quot; aged meaning that is ages as it&#039;s vacuum packaged not as it hangs.&nbsp; &quot;Dry&quot; aged is aging while beef hangs.&nbsp; In some cases it is aged so long that a mold begins to form on the backfat/outter fat of the carcass.&nbsp; Dry aging is very costly because of the loss of water/shrink in the carcass.&nbsp; Incidently in trained consumer taste panel tests, there is not significant difference in taste or preference between wet and dry aged beef!How long does the BSE test take?&nbsp; While I&#039;ll readily admit that I haven&#039;t kept up on technology I&#039;m guessing it&#039;s longer than 36 hours---which leads to the point that an animal less than 20 months has never been found to be BSE positive when evaluated by the &quot;gold&quot; standard BSE test--Now on the side of the harvest&nbsp; of cattle over 30 months, or typically market cows and bulls--99.999% of these cattle are not graded-they are inspected if the meat will be sold for human consumption, but not graded.&nbsp; They are often assigned a house or plant grade but rarely a USDA grade.&nbsp; So what does this mean???&nbsp; Well that usually these carcasses don&#039;t hang nearly as long as feedlot beef carcasses, because the packers aren&#039;t waiting for the &quot;bloom&quot; to come for a better grading carcass!&nbsp; I hope I&#039;m not out of line pointing this out---I spent 5 years of my life collecting carcass data in a packing plant--everyone who is beef producer should spend some time in one!&nbsp; I can say I don&#039;t love the packers but also have a respect for them (hopefully that doesn&#039;t cause too much controversy!)Have a great day everyone,TTB</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Turkey Track Bar, post: 6208, member: 98"] Porker: Just a note about "aging" and how long "carcasses hang in wait" for a USDA grader..... It is standard in most of the larger US packing facilities that harvest feedlot cattle (mostly A and B maturity cattle) to have carcasses hang for 36 hours or less---only one I know of lets carcasses hang for 36 hours (they claim they can make up loss in carcass weight (shrink) in improved quality grade)---the remainder have the carcasses moving past the grader at 24 hours and then onto the fabrication floor. Onto the issue of "aging" the vast majority of beef today is "wet" aged meaning that is ages as it's vacuum packaged not as it hangs. "Dry" aged is aging while beef hangs. In some cases it is aged so long that a mold begins to form on the backfat/outter fat of the carcass. Dry aging is very costly because of the loss of water/shrink in the carcass. Incidently in trained consumer taste panel tests, there is not significant difference in taste or preference between wet and dry aged beef! How long does the BSE test take? While I'll readily admit that I haven't kept up on technology I'm guessing it's longer than 36 hours---which leads to the point that an animal less than 20 months has never been found to be BSE positive when evaluated by the "gold" standard BSE test-- Now on the side of the harvest of cattle over 30 months, or typically market cows and bulls--99.999% of these cattle are not graded-they are inspected if the meat will be sold for human consumption, but not graded. They are often assigned a house or plant grade but rarely a USDA grade. So what does this mean??? Well that usually these carcasses don't hang nearly as long as feedlot beef carcasses, because the packers aren't waiting for the "bloom" to come for a better grading carcass! I hope I'm not out of line pointing this out---I spent 5 years of my life collecting carcass data in a packing plant--everyone who is beef producer should spend some time in one! I can say I don't love the packers but also have a respect for them (hopefully that doesn't cause too much controversy!) Have a great day everyone, TTB [/QUOTE]

Verification: What city in Missouri has a big arch?