| A | B |
|---|
| Cutability | Yield of closely trimmed, boneless retail cuts that come from the major wholesale cuts of carcass |
| Degrees of muscling | Thick, average, thin |
| Quality Grade | Determined by the quality of lean muscling and yield |
| Quality of Lean | Determined by firmness of lean, firmness of fat, and distribution of external finish |
| Thick Muscling | Helps offset backfat thickness |
| US No. 1 | Must have at least average muscling |
| Yield | Evaluated by thickness of backfat and degree of muscling |
| 60.4% or higher | US No. 1 |
| USDA | United States Department of Agriculture |
| USDA | Sets quality standards for beef, pork, and poultry |
| 42 months | Maximum age of Standard, Select, Choice, or Prime grades |
| Barrow | Male swine castrated before sexual maturity |
| Slaughter | To be killed and sold as meat |
| US No. 2 Small Frame | Grade of a feeder heifer that has moderate muscling and has a small skeleton |
| Stag | Male castrated after reaching sexual maturity |
| Marbling | The dispersal or intermingling of fat among the muscle fiber in the ribeye between the 12th and 13th ribs |
| Frame size | The size of the animal's skeleton (height & body length) |
| Feeder | To be fed heavier weights before slaughter |
| Commercial grade | Over 42 months old |
| Utility, cutter, or canner | No age limit |
