Comparison of Subcutaneous Fat Thickness, Marbling and Quality Grade for Predicting Palatability of Beef

ABSTRACT Beef from yearling steers (n = 254) which were fed either grass only or high‐concentrate diets was used to study subcutaneous fat thickness as an alternative method for grading beef carcasses. Assigning carcasses to three expected‐palatability groups based on fat thickness was at least equivalent to, and perhaps slightly more precise than, the use of USDA quality grades for grouping the carcasses according to expected palatability. There were progressive increases in palatability of cooked beef as fat thickness of carcasses from cattle fed 90–160 days increased from less than 2.53 mm up to 7.61 mm, but quantities greater than 7.61 mm did not further improve palatability.