Grading Poultry Carcasses Give me an A Created

Grading Poultry Carcasses Give me an A! Created By Jerry Taylor Agriculture Education Teacher Madison County High Georgia Ag. Ed. Curriculum Office July 2003

Why Grade Poultry Carcasses? • To insure quality before it is sold. • Keeps you from selling unwholesome poultry. • Did you know that grading is voluntary and paid for by the meat packer?

What are the Grades of poultry carcasses? • A - Sold in stores. • B – Often not a grade sold in stores. • C – Usually used for processing into other chicken foods. • Nongradable

Standards of an A Quality Poultry Carcass Factor A Quality Conformation Normal Fleshing & Fat covering Well fleshed with a well developed layer of fat. ¼” on breast & Legs 1” elsewhere ¾” Exposed flesh Discolorations Disjointed & Broken bones Missing Parts 1 disjointed & no broken Wing tips & tail

Standards of a B Quality Poultry Carcass Factors • Conformation • Fleshing & Fat Covering For B Grade • Moderately curved. • Moderately fleshed & fat covering. • Exposed Flesh • No more than 1/3 of part exposed. • 11/4” • 2 disjoints & no broken or 1 disjoint & 1 nonprotruding broken. • 2 nd wing joint, back not wider than base of tail and extending half way between base of tail and hip joints. • Discoloration • Disjointed & Broken bones. • Missing parts

Standards of a C Quality Poultry Carcass • Factors • Conformation • Fleshing & Fat Covering • Exposed Flesh • Discoloration • Disjointed & Broken bones. • Missing parts • C Quality • Abnormal • Poorly fleshed and covered in fat. • No Limit • wing, back not wider than base of tail and extending to area between base of tail and hip joints.

What Grade is this? A Grade No Defects

What Grade is this? B Grade Back is cut out halfway between the base of the tail and the hip joints.

What Grade is this? C Grade. More than 1/3 of flesh exposed on breast.

What Grade is this? B Grade. Parts of wing removed beyond the second joint.

What Grade is this? C Grade. Entire wing removed.

What Grade is this? C Grade. Over 1/3 of the drumstick is exposed.

What Grade is this? C Grade. Trimmed more than halfway between base of tail and hip joints.

What Grade is this? C grade. Protruding broken bone in wing tip.