One study used laboratory measurements and eight trained sensory panellists to compare the eating quality of 100 dark-cutting steaks to 100 normal steaks.

Can Canada reduce dark-cutting discounts?

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

When cattle are severely stressed before slaughter there’s an increased risk that the rib-eye will remain dark red instead of blooming to a bright red colour. This phenomenon is called dark cutting. Extremely dark fresh beef isn’t visually appealing to consumers and has a shorter shelf life, so Canada’s grading system assigns these carcasses to […] Read more

A side of beef. The grading system is the common language of the industry, writes Charlie Gracey.

Show us the money, Part 2: Balancing beef carcass quality and yield

Only by sharing grading information can the industry signal market demand to cow-calf producers

In my previous column, our editor kept me on track when she titled it Show Us the Money. That was appropriate because I have noted that cattle producers do follow the money. That is to say, they absolutely do respond to market signals, but when no such signal exists, they can’t. In this column, I […] Read more



Canadian beef grading standards will be replaced with two more yield grades, increasing the number to five.

Canadian beef yield grade standards change in January

Grade: News Roundup from the January 2019 issue of Canadian Cattlemen

*[UPDATED: Jan. 15, 2018] Canadian beef yield grade standards were updated in the new year to match those south of the 49th parallel. The Canadian Beef Grading Agency announced that the three yield grades of the Canadian beef grading standards will be replaced in January 2019 with five yield grades. The quality grades will remain […] Read more


Oscar Lopez Campos explains the potential for dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA).

X-ray beef grading

Developed by researchers to quickly estimate 
carcass composition, it could some day usher in 
robotic cutting into beef processing plants

Five years, 334 beef carcasses, 212 pork carcasses and 155 lamb car­cas­ses later, the meat science team at Agriculture and Agri-Food Can­ada’s Lacombe Research and Development Centre has proof that dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) technology is capable of accurately estimating carcass composition. DXA units might best be described as oversized scanners. Their use in […] Read more

Comment: Grading changes still on hold

Comment: Grading changes still on hold

On January 21 the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) published its proposed Safe Food for Canadians regulations for public comment. The overall aim is to streamline and tighten up on the regulation of Canada’s food supply. CFIA’s current food safety program is managed under 13 different regulations spread over five pieces of legislation covering nine […] Read more


Upgrading beef grading research

Upgrading beef grading research

Research on the Record with Reynold Bergen

Youthful carcasses that meet A, AA, AAA or Canada Prime quality grades are also assigned a yield grade. Yield grades estimate the red meat percentage of the entire carcass based on the thickness of the backfat and size of the rib-eye muscle between the 12th and 13th ribs. The method that the Canadian Beef Grading […] Read more

Charlie Gracey

Sharing the grade

The sharing of grading information is being seen as a necessary step for the future development of Canada’s beef business

Beef industry consultant Charlie Gracey weaves his way through several sticking points to conclude feedlots, and ultimately, packers are out of excuses for not sharing carcass information with cow-calf producers. “Now the industry has the opportunity to move forward. All the necessary pieces are in place. Electronic identification tags make it possible to link carcass […] Read more


Beef carcass quality is in the eye of the buyer

Beef carcass quality is in the eye of the buyer

There’s no question that feed can be used to manipulate carcass composition and quality. The ultimate question is what market you want to target. “The definition of quality can change dramatically depending on the buyer,” says Dr. Heather Bruce, associate professor, carcass meat science, University of Alberta. There are buyers in the market for all […] Read more

Editorial: Grading beefs

Editorial: Grading beefs

Those seeking quick changes to grade standards will likely be disappointed

The stars seem finally to be aligned to revise the Canadian beef-grading system, but don’t hold your breath waiting for it to happen. The last revision was in 1992 and a lot has changed since then. That in itself clearly has not been enough to force a change. The Canadian Beef Grading Agency (CBGA) has […] Read more