Ultrasound Interpretation

Page Index:

• Beef Image Analysis (BIA) Ultrasound
• Tallgrass Beef Company Optimum Ranges – Harvest Age Animal
• Code Explanation

Beef Image Analysis (BIA) Ultrasound: BIA live animal carcass ultrasound is an automated, chuteside software system that captures images and calculates trait measurements on an objective basis. The traits determined by BIA ultrasound software are:
Ribeye Area (REA) Backfat Thickness (BF) Ribeye Area/Hundred lbs Live Weight (REA/CWT)	Percent Intramuscular Fat (% IMF) Ribeye Shape Score (RES) Stress Score (SS) Tenderness Score (TEND)
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Tallgrass Beef Company Optimum Ranges – Harvest Age Animal:

REA = 10-15 BF = 0.2 – 0.4 in. (At Yearling Ultrasound) BF = 0.4 – 0.65 in (At Harvest) REA/CWT = 1.0 – 1.5 (At Yearling Ultrasound) REA/CWT = 1.5 – 2.0 (At Harvest – Dressed Weight Basis) % IMF >= 3.5% + (USDA High Select or better)

RES >= 0.50 + SS = <=2.0 TEND = <=2.5 QG = High Select – High Choice YG = <=3.9 HCWT = 650 – 850 lbs

Code Explanation:

RES = Ribeye Shape Score. Indicative of desired shape of the ribeye muscle. Correlated to eventual Yield Grade, Cutability, and % Retail Product.
Score ranges from 0.0 to 1.0.
Acceptable score is 0.4 or greater.
Ideal score is 0.50 or greater.

SS = Stress Score. Correlated to immune system strength of calf. Score ranges from 10-50.
10=No Stress
20=Slight Stress
30=Slightly Moderate Stress
40=Moderate Stress
50=Severe Stress
Impacts DTF, ADG, WDA, TCOG, Health Costs, QG, and YG.
Ideal score is 2.0 or less.

TEND = Tenderness Score. Correlated to actual Warner-Bratzler Shear Force (WB) in carcass ribeye steak at 12th rib location. Correlation Coefficients between WB and TEND currently average 0.85 – 0.87. Score ranges from 10-50.
10=Very Tender
20=Tender
30=Slightly Tender
40=Slightly Tough
50=Tough
Ideal score is 25 or less.
Acceptable score in yearling bulls is 28 or less.

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