As cattle producers continue feeding animals to heavier carcass weights, beef cutout values are benefiting from improved quality, but Dr. Megan Eckhart of Oklahoma State University says producers also need to watch the potential discounts that can come with excessive external fat. Eckhart spoke with Associate Farm Reporter Carli Davenport at the American Wagyu Association’s annual conference about current beef cutout values and carcass quality.
Heavier Carcasses Bring Both Value and Risk
“Producers, as a whole, we’re kind of on this trend of increasing carcass weight,” Eckhart said. “And with increasing carcass weight, generally means we’ve fed cattle longer.”
She said feeding cattle longer generally results in more fat deposition, which can improve beef quality and increase carcass value. “Because we’ve fed them longer, they have increased fat deposition, which is really good for quality,” Eckhart said. “And so we’re increasing our carcass value, our cutout value because of quality.”
However, Eckhart said there is a balance producers need to consider as carcass weights continue to increase. “We’re going to take more discounts for yield grade fours and fives as we’ve fed them longer, more external back fat,” she said. “Which would be factored into the yield grade equation, and ultimately probably compromising some of our total carcass cutability.”
Loin and Round Cuts Continue to Capture Value
When looking at the different primals contributing to beef cutout values, Eckhart said producers should pay attention to where demand is strongest throughout the year.
“You look at some of the differences in value across primals, and most times of the year, our loin and our round primals and cuts that are derived from them are going to capture the greatest value across the carcass,” she said.
With the grilling season winding down, Eckhart said some of the cuts commonly used on the grill are still capturing value while warm temperatures remain. “We’re kind of reeling out the end of that grilling season or summer months, it’s still nice and warm, so capturing some value still in some of our thin meats, our flanks, and other things we like to put on the grill,” Eckhart said.
She said middle meats have also continued to perform well in terms of premiums. “We’re doing pretty good as far as premiums in the space of middle meats throughout the year,” she said.
As temperatures begin to cool, Eckhart expects seasonal demand to shift toward other portions of the carcass. “As we kind of come into our roast season and the temperatures hopefully start to come down and cool off a little bit, we can kind of see maybe a little bump in our chucks and our rounds and some of the cuts that we’re going to get for our stew and roast season,” she said.
Carcass Quality Remains Important to Beef Demand
Eckhart said the beef industry has made significant progress improving carcass quality over the past decade, regardless of the type of cattle being raised. “Becoming more important over the last 10 years, we’ve done an exceptional job of increasing the quality of our beef, regardless of what kind of cattle we’re raising,” she said.
As consumers continue seeking higher-quality beef at the retail level, Eckhart said the industry has been able to keep pace with that demand. “As we continue to increase the demand as a consumer for higher quality beef at the retail level that we can take home and feed to our families, we are still keeping up pretty well as an industry and maintaining this increased trend for higher carcass quality,” she said.
Eckhart pointed to continued growth in premium Choice and Prime products. “We’re seeing more premium Choice products and Prime products,” she said. “And so if you’re raising cattle out there, just keep feeding them higher and higher quality.”
OSU Meat Judging Team Begins 2027 Season
In addition to her work at OSU, Eckhart is also one of the university’s meat judging coaches. She said meat judging provides students with opportunities to learn about several areas of the beef and agriculture industries. “This is a really awesome opportunity for students, really of all ages,” Eckhart said. “We have youth opportunities across the nation and growing in the state of Oklahoma for 4-H and FFA students for meat judging.”
Eckhart is taking over the role following Dr. Gretchen Mayfield, who coached the Oklahoma State meat judging team for many years. “Dr. Gretchen Mayfield has been the meat judging coach at Oklahoma State for many, many years and has definitely left me some big shoes to fill,” Eckhart said. “She’s been an incredible woman to kind of follow as a mentor into this space.”
The OSU team is now beginning preparations for the 2027 meat judging season. “We’re just now hitting the road and getting started with our junior team for the 2027 meat judging season, and we’re really excited,” Eckhart said. “We’re actually going on our first trip next week.”
Eckhart said one of the biggest benefits of meat judging is the exposure it provides students to careers throughout agriculture. “The best thing about meat judging is it does a really good job, whether you have experience in it or even in agriculture or in the cattle feeding industry, it does a really good job of exposing you to opportunities in the ag industry,” she said.
Those opportunities extend across the beef industry, including veterinary science, business and production. “Specifically the beef industry across the nation, everything from vet science, ag business, meat and beef production, animal science production,” Eckhart said. “So, really, really excited to take on this role.”
