The muscle area in a ribeye is a good indicator of the amount of muscle in a cattle carcass.
Parameters:
(1) gender (steer or heifer)
(2) live weight in pounds
expected muscle area in a ribeye in square inches =
= (gender factor) * 1.1 * (live weight in pounds) / 100
where:
• The gender factor for a steer is 1 and for a heifer is 0.90 to 0.92.
• 1.1 square inches of muscle is expected for every 100 poinds of live weight.
Interpretation:
• A ribeye muscle area greater than the expected value indicates above average muscle mass.
• A ribeye muscle area less than the expected value indicates a below average muscle mass.
