What are the primary factors that affect yield grade in beef?

The primary factors that affect yield grade in beef are indeed fat thickness, rib eye area, carcass weight, and KPH fat (kidney, pelvic, and heart fat). Yield grade is essentially a prediction of the amount of lean meat that can be obtained from a carcass, and these four components play significant roles in determining that value.

Fat thickness is crucial because it directly influences the amount of usable meat; if there is too much fat, the yield grade will be lower since excess fat does not contribute to the quantity of sellable meat. The rib eye area is a measure of the muscle yield; a larger rib eye indicates a higher potential for lean meat. Carcass weight helps establish the overall size and potential meat yield of the animal, while KPH fat helps assess the internal fat content, which also factors into the quality and quantity of the meat that can be harvested.

In contrast, the other choices do not focus specifically on yield grade. The factors in the second choice pertain more to quality grade evaluation rather than yield, while the third option involves aspects related to processing rather than the carcass itself. The factors in the last choice could influence growth rates or overall health but do not directly impact the yield grade used in carcass