Carcass Yield

Carcass yield is one of the criteria of the grading. Generally sheep, goat, cattle and buffalo carcasses include the portions of body after removal of the blood, hide/skin, head, feet, digestive tract, bladder, pluck and adhering tissues etc. In case of pig carcass, skin and head are included in the carcass. Carcass mainly consists of muscular tissues, fatty tissues, bones, tendons and other connective tissues, large blood vessels etc. Approximately, 50,55 and 75 per cent of the live weight of sheep, cattle and pigs respectively remains in the carcass.

It provides information about the amount of meat and different by products obtained from alive animal after slaughter and dressing.

Percentage of meat and Different by-products available from cattle,pig and sheep carcass

source : Hald-Christensen(1986) Bengtson Holmquist (1984) Gerard(1977),Filstrup(1976).

From a study of buffalo carcass,following observation regarding meat yield and yield of other by-products are obtained

yield of meat and by-products based on live weight of buffalo

Dressing percentage is a comparison of the carcass weight in relation to the live weight of the animal and it is calculated as follows: 

Dressing percentage =(Dressed weight(carcass weight)/ Live weight of the animal)x 100

Sometimes edible offals like heart, liver, kidney, spleen etc. are also included in the dressing percentage because these are sold with the meat at same price. 

Dressing percentage of meat animals ranges from 45 to 70 per cent. The animals with heavy fat and the carcass with skin usually provide dressing percentage above 60 per cent. Generally pig carcass with skin and heavy subcutaneous fat provides dressing percentage more than 60 per cent. In some animals, muscles exist in double i.e., dopplender condition and these animals produce higher dressing percentage. This condition is more common in cattle. 

Dressing percentage of meat animals depends on the following factors: 

(i) Species: Dressing percentage varies from species to species. For example, dressing percentage of pig is generally higher than that of cattle. 

 Dressing percentage of different meat animals and poultry 

(ii) Breed: The animals from same species but from different breed produce different dressing percentage. For example, large white Yorkshire pig yields more meat than indigenous pig breed. 

(iii) Stage of maturity: Matured i.e., adult animal produces higher dressing percentage than young (i.e., immature) animal. 

(iv) Degree of finish: Finish represents external, internal and intramuscular fat of a carcass. Higher finish gives higher dressing percentage. 

(v) Intestinal content: As dressed carcass is free from intestinal content, the animal with more intestinal content produces the carcass of less dressing percentage. For example, intestinal content of calf is relatively more (percentage wise) than that of adult cow and calf produces less dressing percentage than adult cow.