UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 
DEPARTMENT BULLETIN No. 1246 
Washington, D. C. 
August 13, 1924 
MARKET CLASSES AND GRADES OF DRESSED BEEF. 1 
By W. C. Davis, Investigator in Marketing Livestock and Meats, and O. V, 
Whalin, Specialist in Marketing Livestock and Meats, Bureau of Agri- 
c ultura I Econom ics. 
CONTEXTS. 
Page. 
Definition cf classifying and grading. 1 
Purpose of classifying and grading — 2 
Purpose of standard classes and 
grades 2 
Chief requisites of standard classes 
and grades of beef 3 
Difficulties in evolving standard 
classes and grades for beef 4 
Various bases for grading beef 5 
Definition of terms 6 
Fresh beef 9 
Basis of classification 10 
Standard classes of beef 10 
Grading fresh beef 14 
Basis of grading 14 
Standard grades of beef 15 
Grades of steer beef 20 
Grades of heifer beef 28 
Grades of cow beef 25 
Page. 
Standard grades of beef — Contd. 
Grades of bull beef 27 
Grades of stag beef 20 
Standard wholesale cuts of beef 30 
Percentage yields of wholesale cuts. 31 
Standard grades of beef cuts 33 
Grades of beef rounds 84 
Grades of beef loins 87 
Grades of beef ribs 39 
Grades of beef chucks 40 
Grades of beef plates and bris- 
kets 42 
Kosher beef 45 
Proportion of various classes of beef- 46 
Approximate distribution of steer 
beef by grades 46 
Complete classification of carcass 
beef and wholesale cuts 47 
DEFINITION OF CLASSIFYING AND GRADING. 
Classifying and grading a commodity consist merely in dividing 
it into lots or groups which have similar and uniform characteristics, 
and which show minimum variations in the essential factors which 
distinguish the group from other groups. It is an analytical 
process, going from the general to the particular, a grouping of in- 
dividual units in such a way that they present the greatest uni- 
formity possible. 
Classifying and grading are complementary terms. Both are a 
part of the same general process, but classification precedes grading. 
For example, all beef is first divided into a number of large units, 
such as steer beef, cow beef, bull beef, etc. These general units are 
called classes. That done, each class is still further subdivided into 
smaller and more specific groups, such as prime steer beef, good steer 
beef, medium steer beef, etc. These smaller units are called grades. 
1 Acknowledgment is made of valuable assistance rendered by C E. Gibbons. 
in Marketing Livestock and Meats, in the preparation of this bulletin. 
83928°— 24 1 
