David J. Workman
Hardy County Extension Agent
WVU Extension Service
This article was published in the May 2001 issue of West Virginia FarmBureau News.
Most cattle producers are unfamiliar with a change to the grading standards for livefeeder cattle that occurred in October 2000. This change took place in the middle ofthe fall cattle marketing season. For the last part of 2000, states were busygetting familiar with the new standards so no change was implemented then. In thespring of 2001, the grading of feeder cattle at sales across the United States willreflect the changes.
The grades and grading system that we have been applying have been around for manyyears. The Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946 originally mandated the standards andcharged the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture with "promulgating" them.
These grading standards have allowed for many advances in cattle marketing. Theyare used as a tool for penning cattle at officially graded sales. This allows forputting together large numbers of cattle that belong to different owners. This largelot can then be offered for sale as a uniform group of like cattle or calves. Historically, larger lots have yielded more dollars for producers than smaller lotsor groupings of cattle.
These standards also certify the grades used to make contracts for cattle on thefutures market. They do offer a valuable tool for marketing of cattle and calves.
The grad of feeder cattle is determined by evaluating three general value-determiningcharacteristics-frame size, thickness, and thriftiness. Frame size is a skeletalmeasurement that takes into consideration height and body length in relation to age. Thickness refers to the development of the individual animal's muscling in relationto its skeletal size. Thriftiness is an appraisal of the apparent health of the animal andits ability to grow and fatten normally.
Frame size standards for thrifty feeder cattle are assigned one of three marks, L(large frame), M (medium frame), and S (small frame). Large-frame cattle would possess thetypical minimum qualifications for the grade including thriftiness and have tall and longbodies for their age. Large-frame steers and heifers would be expected to reach aU.S. Choice carcass grade (about 0.5 inches of fat at the 12th rib) at a weight heavierthan 1,250 pounds.
Medium-frame cattle would be expected to possess the same minimum qualifications forthe grade including thriftiness and have slightly long and tall bodies for their age. They would be expected to produce a U.S. Choice carcass (about 0.5 inches of fat atthe 12th rib) at live weights of between 1,100 and 1,250 pounds for steers and a liveweight of 1,000 to 1,150 pounds for heifers.
Small-frame cattle would be thrifty but have small frames and shorter bodies. Steers and heifers in this grade would be expected to produce a U.S. Choice carcass(about 0.5 inches of fat at the 12th rib) at live weights of less than 1,100 and 1,000pounds respectively.
The thickness (muscling) grades range from Number 1 to 4. Number 1 muscled cattleshow predominant beef breeding. They are moderately thick and full in the forearmand gaskin, with a well-rounded appearance through the back and loin and moderate widthbetween the legs (both front and rear). Cattle show this thickness with a slightly thincovering of fat, but that cover may vary.
Number 2 muscled cattle show a high proportion of beef breeding. A slight degreeof dairy breeding also may be detected. They are slightly thick and full in theforearm and gaskin. They show a rounded appearance through the back and loin withslight width between the front and rear legs. Like the Number 1s, the Number 2s show thisthickness with a slightly thin covering of fat which may vary.
Number 3 muscled cattle are thrifty and thin through the forequarter and the middlepart of the rounds. The forearm and gaskin are thin, and the back and loin have asunken appearance. The legs are closely set. Number 4 muscled cattle are stillthrifty, but they have less thickness that the minimum requirements for the Number 3grade.
There is one final grade - Inferior- which includes cattle that are unthrifty and arenot expected to perform normally in their present state and those that are "doublemuscled." Inferior cattle can have any combination of thickness and frame size.
How will this affect you as a calf producer as you sell or market your calves in thefuture? Where we have had only four grades or so to concern ourselves with in thepast, we now have 13. They are L1, L2, L3, L4, M1, M2, M3, M4, S1, S2, S3, S4, andInferior. This will give potential buyers an even clearer picture of the calvesoffered for sale. Producers and buyers alike will benefit as the entire beefindustry looks to improve the quality and consistency of the product that eventually findsits way to our dinner table.
If you would like a copy of the United States Standards for Grades of Feeder Cattle,you can visit the U.S. Department of Agriculture Web site (