Surprising answer!

[Dylan Biggs]

Dylan, just trying to say that I think AAA has reaped about all the benefit they can from CAB even without the requirement of a % Angus. Not only do I agree with you that CAB should be at least 50% Angus, but I believe the producers of AAA and the commercial cattlemen that use Angus genetics should own the meat that is labeled CAB. As you know, the premium check directly from the consumer is much better than the one from the packer middleman!

ReobertMac Thank you. Producer product ownership, is that possible in the CAB system? It's a question that hadn't occurred to me. I'm guessing that once the CAB grading specs are confirmed CAB is the only entity that can sell the carcass or parts there of, under the CAB brand to licensed CAB establishments. Making it impossible for producers to maintain ownership of CAB product to the retail level. Is that how it works?

I think you are correct...CAB is a licensing program, not a true branded beef program. I think some other Angus branded programs could(and maybe are) side draft off the CAB success, but the problem is finding processors that custom process the producer owned labeled beef.

It took us literally years to find a processor that would work with us on all facets of our branded program, so I appreciate the problem. Its one thing to cut a carcass, brown wrap it and send it home to a freezer and an entirely different thing to trim package and present product for retailers and top end chefs.

 

[Dylan Biggs]

Soapweed in your example The 51 percent black hided critter should qualify. the 51 black hided animals should qualify and the other 49 critters would go to some other high end market. USDA inspectors determine which animals qualify for CAB.

That's my understanding of it also, one animal at a time for all grading specs.

 

[Dylan Biggs]

I'm sure this horse is dam close dead but just to be sure:

I got a return phone call yesterday from the national livestock carcass grading specialist who's job it is to audit all beef graders in Canada. He confirmed the accuracy of a number of the posts over the last couple of days regarding the spes for CAB grading in Canada. Specifically that to qualify for CAB:

* Min of 51% black hide coloration.
* Modest or higher degree of marbling
* Medium or fine marbling texture
* "A" maturity
* 10 to 16-square-inch ribeye area
* Less than 1,000-pound hot carcase weight
* Less than 1-inch fat thickness
* Moderately thick or thicker muscling
* No hump on the neck exceeding 5 cm (2 inches)
* Practically free of capillary rupture(bruising)
* No dark cutting characteristics

He also added no dairy cattle are accepted or any bulls or any appearance of staginess(* #9). He said there were no requirements or standards regarding content of Angus blood to qualify.

So, if a person only had one critter, and it met all the specifications, and it was black and white spotted, but the black coloring on the critter was 51% and the white was only 49%, would that critter qualify to be CAB? :???: :? :wink:

I know it sounds crazy, but that's my understanding of it. That's why I posed the question a ways back in this discussion of how they actually calculate or estimate the color %.

:???:

 

[Juan]

in answering -Soap's question about cert. hereford verses angus I'll defer to Jigs. He got it about right and I'm a very slow typer.

thANKS JIGS

 

[PATB]

You have to ask a usda grader that works at a plant that handles CAB how they determine percent black hide.

 

[jigs]

in answering -Soap's question about cert. hereford verses angus I'll defer to Jigs. He got it about right and I'm a very slow typer.

thANKS JIGS

even a stopped clock is right twice a day :???:

 

[flyingS]

I'm sure this horse is dam close dead but just to be sure:

I got a return phone call yesterday from the national livestock carcass grading specialist who's job it is to audit all beef graders in Canada. He confirmed the accuracy of a number of the posts over the last couple of days regarding the spes for CAB grading in Canada. Specifically that to qualify for CAB:

* Min of 51% black hide coloration.
* Modest or higher degree of marbling
* Medium or fine marbling texture
* "A" maturity
* 10 to 16-square-inch ribeye area
* Less than 1,000-pound hot carcase weight
* Less than 1-inch fat thickness
* Moderately thick or thicker muscling
* No hump on the neck exceeding 5 cm (2 inches)
* Practically free of capillary rupture(bruising)
* No dark cutting characteristics

He also added no dairy cattle are accepted or any bulls or any appearance of staginess(* #9). He said there were no requirements or standards regarding content of Angus blood to qualify.

So, if a person only had one critter, and it met all the specifications, and it was black and white spotted, but the black coloring on the critter was 51% and the white was only 49%, would that critter qualify to be CAB? :???: :? :wink:

That is probably not what the first specification is referring to. I assume if there were 100 fat critters ready to be processed, as long as 51 head were black-hided, and the others all met the other specifications, the whole one hundred head would qualify as CAB.

In one way this doesn't seem "fair," since there is no guarantee that any of them actually have any Angus blood in their veins. In another way, the CAB label on these cattle is still pretty much guaranteeing a premium product with the same uniform taste and consistency as any other Certified Angus Beef. The Angus breed is still the overall winner, because consumers correlate Certified Angus Beef with good taste and delightful dining. The very word "Angus" has positive name recognition.

Sometimes everything in life isn't fair and equitable. I am reminded of the big community gathering where an old rancher is picked out of the crowd, called to the front of the people, and is publicly honored for his years of selfless community service. He has been taken by surprise, and is in awe over being in the spotlight. He is asked to say a few words, and fumbles with the microphone as he begins to speak. "I really don't deseve this," he says, "but I've got hemorrhoids, and I don't deserve them, either." :wink:

I think that everyone is mis interpreting the 51% black hided requirement. It has nothing to do with the color of the cattle. When you sell a set of calves that a buyer wants to qualify for CAB you are required to sign an affidavitt that says that your calves are genetically at least 51% angus. If they show to much of another influence a buyer won't even look at them and if you try to sneak a few in they will sort them off wether it is at the barn or in the country.

 

[katrina]

All we had to do was put the special tags in the calves ears and write on the form the id number of the angus bull sire of the calves...... Otherwise the calf could be pink with yellow poke a dots.. They feed them for awhile and then sort cattle that they think that will not grade..(some do :wink Which makes you in the running for the best feed value calf.. And then they sort again accordingly to what they think are ready for the market... I don't ever remember a black hide requirement.. All the requirements are made after the hide is off...

 

[PATB]

We are getting angus source and CAB intertwined. Angus source requires a registered angus bull, tags and paper work.

 

[Dylan Biggs]

We are getting angus source and CAB intertwined. Angus source requires a registered angus bull, tags and paper work.

PATB good clarification!

 

[Dylan Biggs]

I think that everyone is mis interpreting the 51% black hided requirement. It has nothing to do with the color of the cattle. When you sell a set of calves that a buyer wants to qualify for CAB you are required to sign an affidavitt that says that your calves are genetically at least 51% angus. If they show to much of another influence a buyer won't even look at them and if you try to sneak a few in they will sort them off wether it is at the barn or in the country.

Definitely a different interpretation. If correct than Red Angus cattle could qualify if they are the result of a mating of two Angus black red carrier parents? If so that would be contrary to all the information I have read so far, assuming my comprehension abilities are interpreting the material correctly. I guess the dead horse needs another beating. Don't get me wrong I actually like horses. Maybe we should beat a mule instead. Not that I have anything against mules.