Page 126 - Calculating Agriculture Cover 20191124 STUDENT - A

11-18 Large Animal: Beef, Swine and Sheep CH 11]

Table 11.8 Dressing percent of livestock

Cattle (%) Sheep (%) Hogs (%)

Steers & Heifers Lambs Barrows & Gilts
Choice & Prime 63 Choice 50 U.S. No. 1 69
Standard & Good 60 Good 50 U.S. No. 2 70
Commercial 56 Fat ewes 51 U.S. No. 3 & 4 72
Thin ewes 46 U.S. Utility 67
Cows
Utility, Cutter Sows 70
& Canner 52

Dressed Weight.
Dressed weight refers to the weight of an animal after being eviscerated and partially
butchered — removing all the internal organs, hide, head and the inedible portions of the tail
and legs. It includes the bones, cartilage and other body structure still attached after this initial
evisceration. Dress weight is calculated by multiplying the live weight by the dressing
percentage.

Dress Weight = Live Weight x Dress %

Example A: Hogs that dressed at 70%, and weighing 220 pounds live, what is the dressed
weight of the carcass?

Solution:
Dress Wt. = Live Weight x Dress %
= 220 # x 70%
= 220 # x 0.70 Convert percent to decimal value
Dress Wt. = 154.00 #

Example B: Steers lose between 40% and 60% of their live weight in dressing. Calculate the
dressed weight for a steer weighing 1050 pounds with a dress loss of 40%.
Solution:
DRESS % = TOTAL % - LOSS %
60% = 100% - 40%

Dress Wt. = Live Weight x Dress %
= 1050 # x 60%
= 1050 # x 0.60 Convert percent to decimal value
Dress Wt. = 630 #

Dressing Percent. The dressing percent is used as one of the most basic means of
expressing the worth of a slaughter animal. Sometimes it is referred to as the "yield." Table 11.8
gives the approximate average dressing percent of various classes and grades of livestock.
Dressing percent is the percentage of the live animal weight that becomes the carcass weight at
slaughter. It is determined by dividing the carcass weight by the live weight, then multiplying
by 100. The formula for determining dressing percent is:

chilled carcass wt.
Dressing percent = ———————— x 100%
live wt.

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