@ Mainemeatman and or too fdarn.. those logo`s as too being Premium or 5 -4 stars is just that marketing tools. NOW A -AA or AAA, now there a question for me. Doesnt that go to chickens ???


As to age of Beef, Age doesnt matter to USAD Grading,

Why or how beef is dark or as others called Cherry beef. Two reasons, one is Age Older the animal the darker the meat gets. It goes along as too Veal and the very pale lite color it has

Second and No matter the Age of the animal, "IF" it panic`s on the kill flood or was over work before hand. The Meat will turn dark. So still as a buyer i look for the lighter color in beef, After Marbling. Just so i dont in case get a 5 year old animal. or seen those pre-pack cut tenderloins, and how dark they are ?
Even being a Filet Mignon seen or had some still tough to eat.

Also to seeing the age look at the Bone, seen those really cheap Beef Ribs that come in on the 4th of July. But the Bone is Flat. As the animal gets older the Rib bone mostly will flat-in out VS being a Rounder Bone.

And Your RIGHT Fdarn on looking for if it is a Male or female. I never was able to cut up a hanging beef, But seen it done many times, For I was a cattle Raiser before being a meat-cutter. As stated They went to the Box beef when i started cutting in 1989..

@ Fdarn,,So and the Fat on Top side of the round is where i learn that. Heifers will have the smooth and fuller covering of Fat there VS Males- steers.

oh, FYI, Veal is a No Roll,, anything can be a No Roll, Now if not changed , to make Choice or prime that 12th rib had to have so many Centimeters in that eye of the rib-eye, i think it was 22. Less it got down graded to select. again the bad thing on select, it a big field or range of very different animals.

The correct spelling is EH! pronounced A. Thats funny! And yes we do say that sound every now and then.