Product Quality

Quality beef starts on the farm with quality herd health, care, and nutrition. On this page, you’ll find valuable information on beef calf and cow production management, antibiotic use, replacement heifer selection, grades of beef, and beef quality assurance.

Grades of Beef in the US

US beef is processed under strict guidelines that ensure the end product is safe and correctly labeled. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) provides standards for the different grades of beef to help consumers identify quality products.

The quality grading is voluntary and is based on factors that affect the meat’s flavor, juiciness, and tenderness. These factors include marbling, color, texture, and animal age.

Currently, there are three USDA beef grades for good quality meat – Prime, Choice, and Select. Prime is the top quality grade. Prime beef is produced from young, well-fed cattle and has the highest degree of marbling and flavor.

Choice beef cuts have less marbling than Prime, but are still tender and juicy. Compared to Prime and Choice, Select beef has the least marbling and may lack the flavor and juiciness of the higher grades.

Beef Quality Assurance

In the United States, National Beef Quality Audits have concluded that the key to improving competitiveness and increasing market share is to improve beef quality and uniformity. By utilizing the Beef Quality Assurance and its principles, producers can increase consumer confidence and enhance their industry commitment.

Beef Quality Assurance, or BQA, is a national certification program that offers training and technical assistance to beef cattle producers.

The program is designed to help maintain a quality food supply and ensure safe, high-quality products through proper animal care and management practices. These practices include information on cattle handling, vaccine administration, and injection-site lesions elimination.

BQA-certified producers attest that their beef cattle management, health practices, and husbandry meet industry and regulatory standards.

Beef Processing and Product Marketing

For many beef cattle producers, having an animal custom butchered is an established, common practice. Many of these producers are now marketing their meat directly to consumers as ‘freezer beef’.

As most cattle farmers don’t harvest beef on-farm, a trustworthy meat processor is a must. When it comes to beef processing, it’s important for producers to have a good working relationship with their local butchers. This will ensure that your product is cut and marketed according to your and your consumers’ expectations.

Beef Quality Educational Resources and Information

Finding the right processor and having a solid marketing program for your end product is essential. With Penn State Extension’s Beef Cattle Course, producers will gain information on live cattle evaluation, concepts for marketing beef cattle, as well as carcass breakdown and evaluation.

For beginners wanting to get into cattle-raising, the Beef Production and Management course is a great starting point. The aim of the course is to give aspiring beef producers a thorough training in selecting a breed, handling cattle health issues, providing adequate nutrition, managing reproduction, and marketing end products.