Quality Grade (% USDA Choice):
Higher IGENITY scores for Quality Grade equal greater genetic potential to grade Choice. The IGENITY profile for Quality Grade reflects the percent USDA Choice or higher. In a group of animals with an IGENITY Profile score of “10” for Quality Grade, you would expect 44.5% more animal to grade USDA Choice (or higher) than a group of animals that score “1”.
Marbling Score:
Higher IGENITY scores for marbling equal greater genetic potential for marbling. In a group of animals with an IGENITY Profile score of “10” for Marbling, the average marbling can be expected to be 85.3 points greater than animals with a score of “1”. Beef Quality for Marbling uses a 1 to 999 point scale in the USDA Beef Grading system. Marbling points reflect how much intramuscular fat is present in the carcasses, and thus the potential to grade USDA Choice. The minimum marbling requirement for USDA Choice carcasses is 400 units of marbling. Each marbling score has 100 units. Therefore the 85 unit range from IGENITY Profile scores 1 to 10 equals almost one full marbling score.
Yield Grade:
Higher IGENITY Yield Grade scores equal a genetic potential for a higher USDA Yield Grade. Since higher Yield Grade values equate to more fat and/or less muscle, animals with higher IGENITY Profile scores are expected to be genetically fatter and/or lighter muscled. A group of animals with an IGENITY profile score of “10” for Yield Grade can be expected to receive a Yield Grade score that is 0.44 units of a grade higher than an animal that receives a score of “1”. A USDA Yield Grade 1 (Y1) relates to the lower IGENITY profile scores, while a USDA Yield Grade 5 (Y5) reflects higher IGENITY profile scores. Yield grade or estimated percent retail yield is graded as follows; YG1 yields 52.3% or more, YG2 yields 52.3% to 50%, YG3 yields 50% to 47.7%, YG4 yields 47.7% to 45.4%, YG5 yields less than 45.4%.
Hot Carcass Weight:
Higher IGENITY Profile Hot Carcass Weight scores equal heavier carcass weights. In a group of animals with an IGENITY Profile score of “10” for Hot Carcass Weight, the average carcass weight is expected to be 45.5 lbs. greater than a group of animals that score “1”. Carcass weight profile scores are related to expected differences in carcass weights assuming the cattle are harvested at approximately the same fat thickness. The targeted fat thickness for fed cattle is approximately 0.5 inch. Higher carcass weight scores will reach 0.5 inch of fat at heavier weights. In other words, animals with higher scores are later maturing.
Ribeye Area:
In a group of animals with an IGENITY profile score of “10” for Ribeye Area, the average ribeye area is expected to be 0.95 square inches greater than in a group of animals that score “1”. Lower IGENITY profile scores reflect smaller ribeye areas, with higher scores reflecting larger ribeye areas.
Fat Thickness:
In a group of animals with an IGENITY profile score of “10” for Fat Thickness, the average fat thickness is expected to be 0.10 inches greater than in a group of animals that score “1”. Lower IGENITY profile scores indicate less external fat, while higher scores reflect more external fat.
Tenderness:
The IGENITY profile score for Tenderness represents an animal’s genetic potential for tenderness as measured by Warner-Bratzler Shear Force (WBSF), with “10” the most tender and “1” the least tender. Lower shear force means more tender beef. In a group of animals with an IGENITY Profile Tenderness score of “10”, 2.27 lbs. less shear force is required than an animal with an IGENITY profile of “1”. This means higher IGENITY profile scores represent animals that are more tender than those with lower scores.
