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Dressed Carcass Yield
Dressed carcass yield or dressing percentage is calculated by dividing hot carcass weight by live weight and multiplying by 100. It is impacted by the amount of fill, muscle, fat, breed-type, pregnancy status, etc. For example, an 828 lb. carcass divided by 1300 lb. live weight times 100 equals 63.7 dressing percentage.
More gastrointestinal tract content at harvest will result in a lower dressing percentage. Likewise, less gastrointestinal tract content at harvest produces a higher dressing percentage.
Light-muscled cattle at harvest have a lower dressing percentage. In contrast, heavier-muscled cattle at harvest have a higher dressing percentage.
Heavier-hided cattle (Bos Indicus type) at harvest would be expected to have a lower dressing percentage. Light-hided cattle (dairy type) at harvest have a higher dressing percentage. Mud or manure on cattle hides will reduce dressing percentage.
Extremely fat cattle at harvest have a higher dressing percentage than extremely lean cattle.
The normal range for dressing percentages is 55 to 70% with the current national average being 63.24%.
