PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT DRAFT UGANDA 
STANDAR D 
  DUS DARS  1245 
First  Edition  
2022 -mm-dd 
 
 Reference number  
DUS DARS 1245 : 2022  
 
© UNBS 2022  
   
Bovine (beef) meat — Carcasses and cuts  
 
 PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDUS DARS  1245 : 2022  
ii                © UNBS  2022  - All rights reserved  
 Compliance with this standard does not, of itself confer immunity from legal obligations  
A Uganda Standard does not purport to include all necessary provisions of a contract. Users are 
responsib le for its correct application  
© UNBS 2022  
All rights reserved. Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilised in any 
form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without prior  written 
permission from UNBS.  
Requests for permission to reproduce this document should be addressed to  
The Executive Director  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards  
P.O. Box 6329  
Kampala  
Uganda  
Tel: +256 41 7 333 2 50/1/2 
Fax: +256 41 286 123  
E-mail: info@unbs.go.ug  
Web: www.unbs.go.ug  
 
 
  PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFTDUS DARS  1245 : 2022  
© UNBS  2022  - All rights reserved                 iii National foreword  
Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS) is a parastatal under the Ministry of Trade, Industry and 
Cooperatives established under Cap 327, of t he Laws of Uganda, as amended. UNBS is mandated to co -
ordinate the elaboration of standards and is  
(a) a member of International Organisati on for Standardisation (ISO);   
(b) a contact point for the WHO/FAO Codex Alimentarius Commission on Food Standard s; and  
(c) the National Enquiry Poin t on TBT Agreement of the World Trade Organisation (WTO).  
The work of preparing Uganda Standards is carried out through Technical Committees. A Technical 
Committee is established to deliberate on standards in a given field or area and consists of represent atives of 
consumers, traders, academicians, manufacturers, government and other stakeholders.  
Draft Uganda Standards adopted by the Technical Committee are widely circulated to stakeholders and the 
general public for comments. The committee reviews the com ments before recommending the draft standards 
for approval and declaration as Uganda Standards by the National Standards Council.  
This Draft Uganda Standard , DUS DARS 1245:2022 , Bovine (beef) meat — Carcasses and cuts , is identical 
with and is being reproduced from an African  Standard , DARS 1245 :2022 , Bovine (beef) meat — Carcasses 
and cuts , and is proposed for adoption as a Uganda Standard.  
The committee responsible for this document is Technical Committee UNBS/ TC 213, Live animals, meat and 
meat products . 
Wherever the words, “African  Standard " appear, they shou ld be replaced by "Uganda Standard ". 
  
 
   AFRICAN 
STANDARD  DARS  
1245  
First Edition 2022  
 
 Reference No. DARS 1245 :2022 (E) 
ICS 67.120 .30 
 
 
© ARSO 2022  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bovine (beef) meat — Carcases and cuts  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DARS  1245 :2022 
ii © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved   
Table of contents  
 
 
1 Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .............  1 
2 Normative references  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  1 
3 Terms and definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  2 
4 General requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  2 
5 Grading specifications  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  2 
5.1 Grading requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  2 
5.2 Grade additional requirements  ................................ ................................ ..............................  3 
5.3 Beef prime cuts  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  4 
6.1 Specific requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ .................  5 
6.2 Hygienic requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  5 
7 Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ . 6 
7.1 Heavy metals  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  6 
7.2 Veterinary drugs residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 6 
7.3 Dioxins and semi dioxins  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 6 
7.4 Pesticide residues  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  6 
8 Chilling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  6 
9 Freezing and storage  ................................ ................................ ................................ .....................  6 
10 Transportation  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................  6 
11 Meat marking ink  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............................  6 
12 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ....... 7 
13 Labelling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  7 
14 Sampling  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ .........  7 
 
  DARS 1245 :2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  iii Foreword  
 
The African Organization for Standardization (ARS O) is an African intergovernmental organization 
established by the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of 
African Unity (AU)  in 1977 . One of the fundamental mandates of ARSO is to develop and harmoniz e 
African Standards (ARS) for the purpose of enhancing Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase 
Africa’s  product and service competitiveness globally and uplift the welfare of African communities.  The 
work of preparing African  Standards is normally carried out through ARSO  technical committees. Each 
Member State  interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the 
right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, Regional Economic Communities 
(RECs), governmental and non -governmental  organizations , in liaison with ARSO , also take part in the 
work.  
 
ARSO  Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.  
 
The main task of technical committees is to prepare ARSO  Standards. Draft ARSO  Standards adopted 
by the technical co mmittees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an ARSO  
Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.  
 
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the su bject of 
patent rights. ARSO  shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.  
 
This African Standard was prepared by ARSO/TC 07, Meat, poultry, eggs and related products.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation  2022 — All rights reserved* 
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International House 3rd Floor  
P. O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel. +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
  
                                                 
© 2022 ARSO — All rights of exploitation reserved worldwide for African Member States’ NSBs.  DARS  1245 :2022 
iv © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved   
Copyright notice  
 
This ARSO document is copyright -protected by ARSO. While the reproduction of this document 
by participants in the ARSO standards development  process is permitted without prior permission 
from ARSO, neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored or 
transmitted in any form for any other purpose without prior written permission from ARSO.  
 
Requests for permission to repro duce this document for the purpose of selling it should be 
addressed as shown below or to ARSO’s member body in the country of the requester:  
 
 
© African Organisation for Standardisation 2022 — All rights reserved  
 
ARSO Central Secretariat  
International Ho use 3rd Floor  
P.O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square  
NAIROBI, KENYA  
 
Tel: +254 -20-2224561, +254 -20-3311641, +254 -20-3311608  
 
E-mail: arso@arso -oran.org  
Web: www.arso -oran.org  
 
Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement. 
Violators may be p rosecuted.  
 
 
 
  DARS 1245 :2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  v  
 DARS 1245 :2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  1  
Bovine (beef) meat — Carcases and cuts  
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This Draft African Standard specifies methods of grading and grades of beef, quality and safety 
requirements and methods of test of carcasses thereof, intended for human consumption.  
 
This standard also defines major portions of meat cuts from the carcass es for sale.  
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content 
constitutes requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For 
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
 
AOAC Official Method 972.25, Lead (Pb) in food. Atomic absorption spectrophotome ter 
 
CAC/RCP 1, Recommended international code of practice — General principles of food hygiene  
 
CAC/RCP 58, Code of hygienic practice for meat  
 
CAC/MRL2: Maximum residue limits (MRLs) and risk management recommendations (RMRs). for 
residues of veterinary drugs in foods  
 
ARS 56, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — General requirements  
 
ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms 
— Part 1: Colony count at 30 ˚C by the pour plate technique  
 
ISO 4833 -2, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorg anisms 
—Part 2: Colony count at 30 ˚C by the surface plating technique  
 
ISO 16649 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of beta -glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli — Part 2: Colony -count technique at 44 ˚C using 5 -
bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide  
 
ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 1: Technique 
using Baird -Parker agar medium  
 
ISO 7937, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
Clostridium perfringens — Colony -count technique  
 
ISO 10272 -1: Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for detect ion and enumeration of 
Campylobacter spp. — Part 1: Detection method  
 
ISO 11290 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration 
of Listeria monocytogenes and of Listeria spp. — Part 1: Detection method  
 
ISO 16654, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of 
Escherichia coli 0157.  
 
ISO 21528 -1 
 
ISO 215828 -2 
AFRICAN STANDARD  DARS 1245 :2022 
2 © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved   
CAC/GL 50  
 
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purpose of this standard the following terms and definition s shall apply . 
 
3.1  
carcass  
body of slaughtered cattle after bleeding and dressing  
 
3.2 
cold dressed weight (CDW)  
weight of the chilled carcass  
 
3.3 
dressing  
 progressive removal of head, hide, viscera, genitals or gums, urinary bladder and feet up to the carpal 
and tarsal joint and udder and where necessary halving the carcass”  
 
3.4 
halving  
dividing the carcass lengthwise into two sides through the midline  
 
 
4 General requirements  
 
4.1.1   Cattle from which beef is derived shall be slaughtered and inspected in licensed facilities in 
accordance with CAC/RCP 58 . 
 
4.1.2  . The cattle and carcasses shall be subjected to anti and post mortem veterinary inspection, 
respectively as prescribed in the meat control Act of respective member state and beef carcasses 
thereof shall be certified as being sound and free from contagious and infectious diseases and fit for 
human consumption  
 
4.1.3  The certified carcasses shall bear an approval mark of such inspection, the symbol or number or 
name of the facility where they were pre pared, and the legend 'PASSED' denoting wholesomeness.  
 
4.1.4  . The marking ink used for inspection marks or grade marks shall be of food grade material  
 
4.1.5  The beef shall be prepared in a plant which is regularly operated under supervision of the relev ant 
competent authority.  
 
4.1.6  The beef shall be prepared, handled and delivered under hygienic conditions.  
 
4.2 Preparation of beef carcasses and beef cuts  
 
4.2.1  Beef carcasses and cuts shall have been neatly butchered, trimmed, weighed and properly 
labelled.  
 
4.2.2  Beef carcasses shall be free from bruises or blemishes of any kind.  
 
4.2.3  They shall be delivered in good condition and shall show no evidence of deterioration at the time 
of delivery.  
 
5 Grading specifications  
 
5.1 Grading requirements  
 DARS 1245 :2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  3 Bovine carcasses shall be classified according to age, conformation, muscle development and fat cover. 
Once inspected, the carcass shall bear two stamps;  
 
a) Health stamping: Brown ink and oval stamp.  
b) Stamping of qualification: Red ink and rectangular stamp b y species and quality:  
Grading of beef shall be done as per  the requirements specified in clause 5.1 Table 1 and clause 6.2 
Table 2.  
 
Table 1 — Grading Requirements beef carcasses  
 
S/No.  Grade  Animal  Age 
Months  Dentition  CDW weight  
kg Fat cover  
mm 
a) Prime  Steers and bulls  Max. 30  Max. 6 incisors  Min. 150  15 
Heifers  Max. 18  Max. 2 incisors  Min. 100  15 
b) Choice  Steers and bulls  Max. 42  No Limit  Min. 150  20 
Heifers  Max. 18  2 incisors  No limit  20 
c) Standard  All eligible slaughter 
stock  No limit No limit  Min. 100  No limit  
No limit  
d) Commercial  All eligible slaughter 
stock  No limit  No limit  No limit  No limit  
 
The qualification of adult bovine carcasses is done by the following three categories:  
 
i. Extra quality: this quality is reserved for bovine under 3 years of age (4 adult teeth) with a very 
important muscular development and all convex profiles associated with an abundant fat cover 
uniformly on the back and kidneys. Kidneys must be completely covered with fat. The fat should  
be white to yellowish -white in color.  
 
ii. First quality: adult bovine not included in the previous category are classified in this category, 
whose carcasses have a convex to straight profile and well -developed musculature. The fat is 
abundant and may show interruptions in certain parts of the carcass and the internal fat deposits 
(at the level of the kidneys) may be less abundant but the kidneys remain completely covered.  
 
iii. Second quality: This category includes bovine carcasses with straight profiles and av erage 
muscle development. Cover fat and internal fat deposits are low to medium  
5.2 Grade additional requirements  
 
In addition to the requirements given in Table 1, the following additional requirements shall be met.  
 
5.2.1  Prime grade  
 
5.2.1.1  Prime grade  beef shall be derived from carcasses with very good conformation and shall be well 
finished. The fat covering shall be a white -creamy colour and of firm consistency. The rib eye muscle shall 
be well rounded with a bright cherry red colour and a moderate a mount of marbling. The lean muscular 
meat shall have a fine texture.  
 
5.2.1.2  Final grading of carcasses meeting the prime grade specification shall not be done until after they 
have been chilled overnight and quartered between the 10th and 11th rib for in spection of the rib eye 
muscle.  
 
5.2.1.3  The carcass shall be free of blemishes other than statutory excisions.  DARS 1245 :2022 
4 © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved   
5.2.1.4  Carcasses retained for measles shall be excluded from this grade.  
 
5.2.2  Choice grade beef  
 
5.2.2.1  Choice grade beef shall be derived from well -proportioned and well fleshed carcasses with evenly 
distributed fat.  
5.2.2.2  The hindquarters shall be free from blemishes but superficial blemishes shall be allowed in the 
forequarters.  
 
5.2.2.3  Carcasses retained for measles shall excluded from  this grade.  
 
5.2.3  Standard grade beef  
 
5.2.3.1  Standard grade beef shall be derived from carcasses with some covering of fat.  
 
5.2.3.2  Carcasses having extensive and penetrating blemishes affecting the prime cuts shall not be 
included in this grade.  
 
5.2.4  Commercial grade beef  
 
5.2.4.1  Commercial grade beef shall be derived from plain carcasses of steers, heifers, cows or bulls.  
 
5.2.4.2  This grade shall include beef from higher grades which are severely blemished.  
 
5.3 Beef prime cuts  
Beef prime cuts  shall be described as follows:  
 
5.3.1 Leg 
Cut extending from stiffle joint to the hock joint.  
 
5.3.2 Silver side  
Cut taken from the outer side of the buttock (round) with all leg muscle below the stiffle joint removed.  
 
5.3.3 Topside  
Cut taken from the in ner side of the buttock (round).  
 
5.3.4 Thick flank steak  
Cut taken from around the femur or round bone to the fore of the buttock.  
 
5.3.5 Rump steak  
Cut taken from between the rump knuckle bone of the buttock and the point of the hip bone.  
 
5.3.6 Sirloin  
Cut extending from the rump to and including the eleventh rib with a thin flank removed, and may be sold 
on the bone or boned and rolled with or without the eye fillet.  
 
5.3.7 Rolled loin  
Striploin rolled with fillet.  
 
5.3.8 Fore rib  
Cut of beef in front o f Sirloin comprising of the five bones loin located between the shoulders and the mid 
back 
 
5.3.9 Middle rib  
Consists of 5 ribs to 10 ribs depending upon the ribs left on the hindquarters.  
 
5.3.10 Thick rib / Top rib  
Cut found on the shoulder in the fore quarter of the carcass.  
 DARS 1245 :2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  5 5.3.11 Brisket  
Cut taken from that portion of the carcass which extends along the outer edge of the forequarter from the 
neck up to, and not including, the eleventh rib. It may be sold on the bone, or boned and rolled.  
 
5.3.12 Shin  
Cut from the knee to the arm bone joint.  
 
5.3.13 Chuck ribs  
Cut comprising the last end of chuck and including the first three ribs.  
 
5.3.14 Neck  
Portion which comprises of the neck bones.  
 
6.1 Specific requirements  
 
The following requirements shall apply  to the specified types of beef carcasses or cuts:  
 
6.1.1 Chilled carcass  
The carcass shall be chilled so that the temperature at the deepest portion of the flesh near the bones 
shall be between 1 °C and 4 °C and shall show no evidence of deterioration.  
 
6.1.2 Frozen carcass  
The carcasses shall be frozen so that the temperature at the deepest portion shall be at least -18oC 
when delivered and shall show no evidence of deterioration  
 
6.1.3 Chilled Beef cuts  
These shall be obtained from chilled carcasses.  
 
6.1.4 Frozen  beef cuts  
. Frozen beef cut s shall be obtained from chilled carcasses. The cut shall show no evidence of 
deterioration . 
 
6.2 Hygienic requirements  
 
 The products covered by the provisions of this African Standard shall be prepared and handled  in 
accordance with CAC/RCP 58  
Beef carcasses and cuts shall comply with the microbiological limit given in table 2 when tested in 
accordance with the methods given therein . 
 
Table 2 — Microbiological limits for beef, carcasses and beef cuts  
 
S/No.  Sampling 
plan 
N             C  Microorganism  Limit  
m               M  Test method  
i.  5             2  Total plate count, cfu/g,  105          106 ISO 4833 -1  
ii.  5             2  Staphylococcus aureas , cfu/g,  102           103  ISO 6888 -1  
iii.  5             3  Escherichia Coli                       cfu/g   10         102 ISO 16649 -2 
iv.  5            3  Escherichia Coli , 0157H7 per 25 g  Nil ISO 16654  
v.  5            0  Salmonella spp. , per 25 g  Nil ISO 6579 -1  
vi.   Enterobacteriaceae  103 ISO 21528 -1 
 
ISO 21528 -2 DARS 1245 :2022 
6 © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  vii.      
viii.      
ix.      
 
Where C = No. of sample units give results between M & m.  
           N = No. of the whole sample units.  
          M = microbiological limit that it is not permitted to be in any of sample units.  
       m = acceptable microbiology limits to be fulfilled in samples.  
 
7 Contaminants  
 
7.1 Heavy metals  
 
Beef carcasses and cuts shall not contain heavy metals contaminants in excess . Beef carcases and 
cuts shall not contain lead (Pb) in excess of 0.1 ppm when tested in accordance with AOAC 972.25.  
 
 
7.2 Veterinary drugs residues  
Beef carcasses and beef cuts shall comply with the maximum residue limits specified in CAC/MRL 2.  
 
7.3 Dioxins and semi dioxins  
Beef carcasses and beef cuts shall comply with the maximum limits dioxin and semi dioxin specified to 
national regulation or according to international regulation.  
 
7.4 Pesticide residues  
Beef carcasses and beef cuts shall comply with the maximum residue limits (MRLs) of pesticides specified 
by Codex Alimentarius Commission.  
 
8 Chilling  
 
Fresh beef carcass sides shall be brought to a temperature of between 4 ºC and 7 ºC within 24 h. Carcass 
and cuts meant for chilling shall be further chilled to temperatur es of 1 ºC to 4 ºC.  
 
9 Freezing and storage  
 
9.1 The beef carcasses sides or cuts shall be pre chilled before freezing and the freezing shall be 
completed when the temperature at the deepest portion is at least -180C 
 
9.2 Frozen beef carcasses sides or cuts shall be stored at least -18 °C.  
 
10 Transportation  
 
10.1 The fresh and chilled meat shall be handled and transported under hygienic conditions meeting 
the microbiological limits specified under Table 3 of this standard.  
 
10.2 Chilled meat shall be handled and transported at temperature between 1 ˚C and 4 ˚C.  
 
10.3 Frozen meat shall be transported under at least -18 ˚C and the packages shall be handled with 
care to preserve quality and safety of the product.  
 
11 Meat marking ink  
 
11.1 The marking ink used for inspection marks or grade marks shall be of food grade material.  
 DARS 1245 :2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  7 11.2 Grade designation marks on the carcass, side or cuts shall be applied with a roller stamp which 
leaves its mark on the full length of the carcass. In case of stamping, there sh all be three stamps on each 
side of the carcass that is hind leg, middle rib section and foreleg.  
 
12 Packaging  
 
12.1 Fresh and chilled meat shall be packaged in food grade materials. If wrapped, the products may 
be packaged in waxed cartons or other food grade containers.  
 
12.2 The frozen meat shall be wrapped in food grade material.  
 
12.3 Different cuts of beef such as steaks, patties shall be layer packaged in internally waxed cartons.  
 
12.4 Vacuum -packaged cuts shall be delivered with vacuum containers intact.  
 
13 Labelling  
 
In addition to the requirements of ARS 56 the following labelling requirements shall apply and shall be 
legibly and indelibly labelled;  
 
a) Type of cuts and grade of the beef  
b) Slaughtered facility identification Number  
c) Name of Manufacturer and physical address  
d) Country of origin  
e) Batch or code number  
f) Net weight in metric units  
g) Date marking  
h) Storage instruction  
14 Sampling  
 
Sampling shall be done in accordance with CAC/GL 50 for general sampling  
 
   DARS 1245 :2022 
8 © ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  Annex A  
(informative  Appendix ) 
 
Bovine (beef) meat — Carcases and cuts  
 
 
 
 
 
   
DARS 1245 :2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved  9  DARS 1245 :2022 
© ARSO 20 22 — All rights reserved