High carcass quality is helping fuel strong beef demand

ZISK
Apr 3
1 min read

Much has been written about rising harvest weights in the beef sector, which have helped sustain production despite tight cattle supplies. Less attention, however, has been paid to the parallel trend of improving carcass quality grades. The percentage of cattle grading USDA Prime averaged 9.2% in 2023, increased to 11.8% in 2025, and has exceeded 14% so far in 2026. This trend may be playing an underappreciated role in supporting beef demand.

Heavier harvest weights have contributed to higher quality grades, as cattle are being fed longer and finished at higher weights. Strong cattle prices and moderate cost of gain have provided that incentive. However, the improvement in carcass quality is not unique to the current market environment. The figure below shows a clear increase in the percentage of cattle grading USDA Prime and a decrease in cattle grading USDA Select over the past two decades.

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