[Federal Register Volume 64, Number 184 (Thursday, September 23, 1999)]
[Notices]
[Pages 51501-51502]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 99-24771]


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DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

Agricultural Marketing Service
[No. LS-99-09]


United States Standards for Grades of Feeder Cattle

AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.

ACTION: Notice and request for comments.

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SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the Department of 
Agriculture (USDA) is soliciting comments on a proposal to revise the 
United States Standards for Grades of Feeder Cattle. Specifically, USDA 
is proposing to adjust the minimum requirements for the three thickness 
grades to accommodate thicker muscled cattle and reflect current 
marketing practices. Additionally, the Department is proposing to 
adjust the frame size parameters to reflect the genetic changes that 
have taken place in the cattle population since 1979 when the current 
standards were adopted. Industry and other groups, including States' 
Departments of Agriculture that officially grade feeder cattle for 
marketing programs, requested that these changes be made. All other 
grade aspects of the current standards will remain unchanged.

DATES: Comments must be submitted on or before November 22, 1999.

ADDRESSES: Written comments may be submitted to Herbert C. Abraham, 
Chief, Standardization Branch, Livestock and Seed Program, Agricultural 
Marketing Service, US Department of Agriculture, Room 2603 South 
Building, STOP 0254, PO Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456; faxed 
to (202) 720-1112; or e-mailed to Herbert.A[email protected].
    Comments should reference the date and page number of this issue of 
the Federal Register. All comments received will be made available for

[[Page 51502]]

public inspection at the above address during regular business hours 
(8:00 a.m.-4:30 p.m.).
    The current US grade Standards for feeder cattle, along with the 
proposed changes, are available either through the above addresses or 
by accessing AMS's Home Page on the Internet at www.ams.usda.gov/
standards/stanls.htm.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Herbert C. Abraham, Chief, on (202) 
720-4486.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing 
Act of 1946, as amended, directs and authorizes the Secretary of 
Agriculture ``to develop and improve standards of quality, condition, 
quantity, grade, and packaging and recommend and demonstrate such 
standards in order to encourage uniformity and consistency in 
commercial practices * * *'' AMS is committed to carrying out this 
authority in a manner that facilitates the marketing of agricultural 
commodities and makes copies of official standards available upon 
request. The United States Standards for Grades of Feeder Cattle do not 
appear in the Code of Federal Regulations but are maintained by USDA.
    AMS is proposing to change the United States Standards for Grades 
of Feeder Cattle using the procedures it published in the August 13, 
1997, Federal Register and that appear in part 36 of Title 7 of the 
Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
    The current United States Standards for Grades of Feeder Cattle 
were adopted September 2, 1979. These grade standards were originally 
used more extensively in the Eastern United States where marketing 
feeder cattle by commingling ownership and packaging by grade and 
weight is popular due to the small average cow herd size. Nevertheless, 
the feeder cattle standards have become the descriptive standards of 
choice by most of the feeder cattle industry nationwide. More 
importantly, these standards have served to educate the industry about 
the importance of frame size in feeder cattle and how frame size 
relates to an animal's predetermined, market ready weight. 
Additionally, the standards have emphasized the importance of muscle 
thickness as it relates to the beef cattle industry.
    Significant changes (genetic and management) have taken place in 
the feeder cattle segment of the beef industry since the current grade 
standards were adopted. The industry has moved from essentially four 
basic breeds in the 1950's to nearly 100 in the 1990's, resulting in a 
dramatic effect on the basic genetics of the beef cattle population. 
Consequently, feeder cattle type--as it relates to mature size--has 
also changed dramatically. This, linked with changes that have occurred 
during the same time period in feeder cattle management practices, has 
caused a growing concern by USDA that the current feeder cattle 
standards have become outdated since their adoption 20 years ago.
    The feeder cattle grades are based on differences in frame size and 
muscle thickness--two of the most important genetic factors affecting 
merit (value) in feeder cattle. Frame size refers to the animal's 
skeletal size--its height and body length--in relation to its age. 
Frame size relates to the weight at which, under normal feeding and 
management practices, an animal will produce a carcass of a given 
grade. Large framed animals require a longer time in the feedlot to 
reach a given grade and will weigh more than a small framed animal 
would weigh at the same grade. Muscle thickness is related to muscle-
to-bone ratio at a given degree of fatness and hence to carcass yield 
grade. Thicker muscled animals produce a higher percentage yield of 
lean meat. The current grades recognize three frame size grades and 
three muscle thickness grades. The three frame sizes are Small Frame, 
Medium Frame and Large Frame. The three muscle thickness grades from 
the thickest to the thinnest are No. 1, No. 2 and No. 3.
    USDA entered into a project with Colorado State University funded 
by the USDA, AMS, Federal/State Market Improvement Program to 
determine: (1) The live weights at which the current population of 
Large, Medium, and Small framed feeder steers and heifers attain a 
degree of finish associated with a carcass quality grade of low Choice, 
and; (2) an effective approach for stratification of feeder cattle into 
muscle thickness categories that reflect eventual differences in 
carcass muscularity and ultimate USDA Yield Grade. Results of this 
project indicated that the current standards could be improved by 
increasing the minimum weights specified for frame size grades to more 
accurately reflect today's beef cattle population. Also, the project 
indicated that the proposed adjustments in the muscling grades may 
distribute feeder cattle numbers more evenly among the No. 1, No. 2, 
and No. 3 grades and would more effectively identify carcass USDA Yield 
Grade differences among feeder cattle.
    Based on these findings, and the feeder cattle industries' request, 
AMS proposes the frame size parameters be changed:

------------------------------------------------------------------------
                               Small frame    Medium frame   Large frame
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Steers:
    From (current)...........      <1000 #      1000-1200 #      >1200 #
    To (proposed)............      <1100 #      1100-1250 #      >1250 #
Heifers:
    From (current)...........       <850 #       850-1000 #      >1000 #
    To (proposed)............      <1000 #      1000-1150 #      >1150 #
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    The Department also proposes to change the muscle grades:

Upper \2/3\ of current #1 muscling grade = proposed #1
Upper \1/3\ of current #2 and lower \1/3\ of current # 1 = proposed #2
Lower \2/3\ of current #2 = proposed #3
Less than current requirements for #2 = proposed #4

    AMS is publishing this notice with a 60-day comment period which 
will provide a sufficient amount of time for interested persons to 
comment on the proposed revision to the standards.

    Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

    Dated: Sepember 17, 1999.
Barry L. Carpenter,
Deputy Administrator, Livestock and Seed Program.
[FR Doc. 99-24771 Filed 9-22-99; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P