JUDGING READY-TO-COOK CARCASSES

USDA STANDARDS

Summary of Poultry Judging Event specifications of quality
for individual carcasses of ready-to-cook chicken or turkey

(In the state contest, only 2-6 lbs RTCs will be used)

Factors

A Grade

B Grade

C Grade

EXPOSED
FLESH1

Carcass weight

Min.            Max.

None           2 lbs

2 lbs            6 lbs.

6 lbs.           16 lbs.

over 16 lbs    None

Breast & legs2

 

 

 

1/4"

1/4"

1/2"

1/2"

Elsewhere2,3

 

 

 

1"

1 1/2"

2"

3"

All parts

One-third of flesh exposed on each part of carcass4, provided meat yield is not appreciably affected5

NO LIMIT

 DISJOINTED
AND
BROKEN
BONES

1 disjointed
and
None broken

2 disjointed

and

none broken

or

1 disjointed and

1 nonprotruding broken

NO LIMIT

MISSING
PARTS

Tail and wing tips

Tail, wing tips, and second wing joint

Back area not wider than base of tail and extending halfway between base of tail and hip joints.

Tail and wings

Back area not wider than base of tail extending to area between hip and joint.

1Maximum aggregate area of all exposed flesh on each part.

2A Grade A carcass may have cuts or tears that do not expand or significantly expose flesh, provided the total aggregate length does not exceed ¼ inch on the breast or either leg and 1½ inches on the back or either wing.

3"Elsewhere" means the back and 2 wings.

4The parts of the carcass shall be each wing, each leg (drumstick and thigh together), entire back, and entire breast with each permitted to have one-third of the flesh exposed by cuts, tears, and missing skin.

5Meat yield is "not appreciably affect" if a trim is <1/8" in thickness (approximately the thickness of a nickel).  An excessive trim that would move the carcass one grade lower would have the cupped effect that looks deeper than 1/8" (thickness of a nickel)

 

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