Deck 8: Market Classes and Grades of Livestock, Poultry, and Eggs

Question 1

Compare and contrast USDA grading and inspection.

Answer 1

Based on the preference of seller and buyer the grading of animals, its products and animal carcasses is usually done by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). By doing this USDA improves the communication between buyers and sellers and it helps for the producers of live-stock that is required as per the buyer's requirements. However, certain private companies have their own grading system. For example, USDA standard quality grades for cows are choice, select, standard, commercial, utility, cutter and canner. The USDA grading is a voluntary process.
The Meat inspection process is taken care by the United States Food safety and inspection service of USDA. It's completely makes sure of the products and it is a mandatory process focus on wholesomeness and safety of the products. It inspects live and dead animals. If the product is approved then only it moves forward for grading and supply chain management.

Question 2

Discuss the age and sex classes of livestock.

Answer 2

The domesticated animals like cow, goat, cattle's, etc are called livestock. They are major food source all over the world, which gives milk, fiber, meat, draught, antlers, leather, wool, etc. For example, in the United States there are 2.2 million farms for livestock in 2012 as per the records.
The correct terminology for these animal species is as follows: Hen-female chicken, Cockerel- male chicken. Steer- castrated male bovine, Cow- female bovine, and Bull-male bovine. Doe is a female goat, buck-male goat, and Wether- castrated male goat. Gilt is a female pig, Boar-male pig and Barrow-castrated male pig, Hen- female turkey and Tom-female turkey. Ram is a male sheep, eve is a female sheep, and Wether is a castrated male sheep.
For example, the classes of the cattle's according to their sex are bullock, bull, steer, cow and heifer.

Question 3

Compare and contrast quality and yield grading.

Answer 3

The grading of by-products is done on two ways, namely quality and yield grading. The quality grading looks for the consumer satisfaction and checks for whether the product has quality or not. The Major United States quality grades are choice, prime, and select, utility. The two major factors that the quality grading depends on are marbling and maturity.
The yield grading is the second method, which looks for that the by-product has how much meat weight, bone Wight and presence of amount of fat, etc. The yield grading is differentiated into five categories ranging from 1 to 5.

Question 4

Describe the quality and yield grades of the primary livestock species and the factors used to determine them.

Question 5

How does grade affect pricing of carcasses and live animals?

Question 6

What is the role of a live animal grading system?

Question 7

Describe poultry age, classes, and grades.

Question 8

Describe the interior and exterior characteristics used in egg grading.

Question 9

Describe the egg size classes and associated weight per dozen standards.

Question 10

Define marketing and describe the role of market classification systems and grade standards.