I found the following article about Certified Angus Beef specifications on the internet a couple of weeks ago (September 13).
Beef Alert: Certified Angus Tightens Brand Specs
Certified Angus Beef, the marketing firm that represents member Angus growers internationally, is cracking down on its specifications, in large part to combat the rapidly increasing size of U.S. cattle. As cattle gain weight each year, the primal cuts such as the ribeye are getting bulkier and harder to cut for steaks, sometimes leading to a lack of uniformity in product.
Going forward, the largest carcass that will be certified is 1,000 lbs. and no ribeyes under 10 inches or over 16 inches will be certified. The firm is altering its yield grade specifications to recognize that with the rapidly changing size of American cattle, yield grade scores from the past no longer fairly graded many Angus carcasses.
CAB is also addressing external fat and back-fat issues, but is discussing the issue with USDA, growers and packers before altering specifications.
The main impetus for the change is a 2005 National Beef Quality Audit that found that many foodservice operators were cut weights that were too heavy and lack of uniformity in steak cuts. With ever-larger ribeyes and tenderloins, foodservice suppliers found themselves having to cut thinner steaks to meet foodservice weight requirements, or deliver steaks that were too heavy for their needs.
CAB says it will be the first Angus brand to adopt carcass and ribeye weight standard. "When the overall industry changes and production signals run counter to what our customers want, it is incumbent upon us to act," says Jim Riemann, CAB president.
by Pete Hisey on Wednesday, September 13, 2006
I was visiting with Allan Nation, editor of The Stockman GrassFarmer, later that morning and he said, "Mark this day down -- September 13, 2006 -- as a major turning point for the U.S. beef industry." He went on to say, "It may take ten or twenty years to get to where we need to be, but today marks the point that the beef industry will quit selecting for bigger and bigger cattle."
I agree... I think there will be a slow movement to get cow size and type back to where it needs to be. Most seedstock producers, however, will struggle because they don't know how to select for anything except bigger and bigger EPD numbers. It will be very slow and difficult for them to change their ways -- and their cattle.
Some of us never did get on the "bigger is better" train. We are right where we need to be and we are gonna stay there. During my discussion with Allan Nation, he said, "A paradigm shift is like a squad of soldiers marching in a straight line. When the sergeant yells 'About face' the guy that was last is now first." I don't know if PCC is first or last, but we are on the right track and we are still headed in the right direction.
One More Thing...
I found the following tidbit on another internet sight:
In 1986, nearly 97% of federally inspected cattle were Choice or Prime, but in 2005 that declined to 60%. The percentage of beef accepted in CAB has declined from 20% in 1999 to 15.6% in 2005.
During that same time period there has been the biggest push in the history of the beef industry to improve carcass traits -- especially marbling. Apparently, it hasn't worked. We had better eating cattle 20 years ago -- without trying -- than we have today.
