Commercial Beef Header

Beef Carcass

In this section:

ArrowCut Diagram
ArrowBone Structure Nomenclature

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The Commercial Beef Utilization Guide offers a comprehensive breakdown of the available commercial cuts. Content includes illustrated descriptors on available trim for source grinding initiatives, the mature cattle grading system, specific risk material removal overview and a comprehensive legend on how to interpret all of the descriptors in each of the primal cuts.

The fully illustrated chart also organizes the different muscle groups of the hind and front quarters with a unique colour coding system for easy reference of the cranial, caudal, dorsal and ventral sections of the commercial cow.

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Cut Diagram

This Guide offers a comprehensive breakdown of the available commercial cuts. Further processing of this underutilized and continuously growing supply of domestic beef will present new opportunities for increasing profit margins and bolstering your bottom line. See how easy it is to utilize commercial beef today.

Cut Diagram
Interactive Cut Diagram: Flash animation
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The entire
Commercial Beef Utilization Guide Poster
in pdf format (7,9Mb)
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Bone Structure Nomenclature

The Commercial Beef Utilization Guide includes skeletal illustrations, muscle mycology and recommended purchasing approaches for maximum yield as well as processing efficiencies for every primal to provide a common language that works across the entire industry.

Diagram and Bone Structure Nomenclature

  1. Hock Bones
  2. Gambrel Cord (tendon of gastronemius – calcaneal tendon or achilles tendon)
  3. Hind Shank (tibia)
  4. Stifle Joint
  5. Knee Cap (patella)
  6. Round Bone (femur)
  7. Ball of Femur
  8. Protuberance of Femur
  9. Pelvic Bone
  10. Tail Bones (caudal vertebrae – 2 bones)
  11. Sacrum (sacral vertebrae – 5 bones)
  12. Loin Bones (lumbar vertebrae – 6 bones)
  13. Chine Bones (the split bodies of cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral vertebrae)
  14. Transverse Process of Lumbar Vertebrae
  1. Feather Bones (split dorsal processes of the thoracic vertebrae)
  2. Back Bones (thoracic vertebrae – 13 bones)
  3. Blade Bone Cartilage
  4. Ridge of Blade Bones (spine of the scapula)
  5. Blade Bone (scapula)
  6. Neck Bones (cervical vertebrae – 7 bones)
  7. Atlas Bone (first cervical vertebrae)
  8. Arm Bone (humerus)
  9. Fore Shank Bones (ulna, radius)
  10. Elbow (olecranon process of the ulna)
  11. Breast Bone (sternum)
  12. Rib Cartilages (costal cartilages)
  13. Chuck/Rib break between rib 5 and 6
  14. Rib/Loin break between rib 12 and 13

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