Beef Carcass Composition and Yield of Wholesale Cuts as Estimated from Left and Right Sides

Abstract

Variations in measurements and cut weights from left and right sides of beef carcasses were analyzed. Except for the slightly heavier mean weight of the left hindquarter and left kidney knob caused by leaving the hanging tender attached to the left side, little difference in mean cut weights was found. Slightly heavier briskets on the right side were probably due to a consistent deviation from the center in splitting the sternum. The reason is obscure for the slightly larger area of the left longissimus dorsi muscle as measured at the twelfth rib and also in the lumbar region. A variation in technique is suspected instead of a real difference in muscular development. Small significant differences found in weights of rump, round, and cushion round were thought to be due to cutting technique. Cutting data obtained from the left side of a carcass apparently is sufficiently accurate for most purposes.