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Three groups of yearling steers were subjectively evaluated for different traits by three graders immediately prior to slaughter. Live estimates were made of carcass weight, fat thickness at the 12th rib, rib-eye area at the 12th rib, percent kidney fat and estimated cutability. In addition, slaughter grade and a score for muscling were obtained. Carcass data obtained on these steers included carcass weight, fat thickness at 12th rib, rib-eye area at 12th rib, percent kidney fat, estimated cutability and carcass grade. Means and standard deviations for live scores and estimates and carcass scores and measures, intra-class correlations among graders for live scores and estimates, correlations of live estimates and scores with carcass measures and scores, and correlations among various carcass measures and scores were computed.The results of this study indicate that experienced cattle appraisers can subjectively estimate group means for carcass weight, fat thickness at 12th rib, percent kidney fat, rib-eye area at 12th rib, cutability and carcass grade reasonably accurately, provided the graders have a knowledge of the feeding and management program to which the cattle have been subjected and a knowledge of live weight.

Two calf crops of 204 steers were subjectively evaluated for carcass traits at about 452 days of age. Evaluations were made by three graders immediately prior to slaughter. One hundred four and 100 steers were involved from the 1961 and 1962 calf crops, respectively. The steers were from nine breeding groups including Angus, Hereford and Shorthorn breeds and their six reciprocal crosses. Live estimates were made of dressing percent, fat thickness at the 12th rib, rib-eye area at the 12th rib, percent kidney fat, cutability (percent), and slaughter grade. Carcass data obtained on these steers included carcass weight, fat thickness at 12th rib, rib-eye area at 12th rib, estimated percent kidney fat, carcass grade, estimated cutability, and actual cutability.The results of this study indicate that trained personnel can estimate group means accurately for cutability and carcass grade in live cattle. These results show that live cattle can be appraised more precisely for carcass cutability than for carcass grade.