KENYA STANDARD     DKS 2774: PART 1 : 2017  
                      ICS ……  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
Grading  live animal  for meat  trade  - 
Specification  
 
 
Part 1: Cattle   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
     PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT, NOVEMBER 2017  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
© KEBS 2017          First Edition 2017   
  KENYA  STANDARD     DKS 2774: PART 1 : 2017  
ICS ………………  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Grading  live animal  for meat  trade  - 
Specification  
 
 
Part 1: Cattle  
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
No copying  of this standard  without  KEBS  permission  except  as permitted  by copyright  law 
 
 
 
 
 
PUBLIC REVIEW DRAFT, NOVEMBER 2017  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
© KEBS  2015  — All rights  reserved   
 
 
TECHNICAL  COMMITTEE  REPRESENTATION  
 
The following  organizations  were  represented  on the Technical  Committee:  
 
Ministry  of Agriculture.  Livestock  and Fisheries - Directorate  of livestock  production  
Ministry  of Agriculture.  Livestock  and Fisheries  - Directorate  of veterinary  services  
Kenya  Camel  Association  (KCA)  
University  of Nairobi  (UON)  
Kenya  Industrial  Research  and Development  Institute  (KIRDI)  
Kenya  Agricultural  and Livestock   Research  Organization  (KARLO)  
International  Livestock  Research  Institute  (ILRI)  
Kenya  Livestock  Marketing  Council  (KLMC)….Proposed  
Farmers  Choice  (K) Ltd 
Consumer  Information  Network  
Ministry  of Health - food safety  unit 
Ministry  of Industry,  Trade  and Cooperatives   
National  Public  Health  Laboratorie s 
Government  Chemist‘s  Department  
Kenchic  (K) Ltd. 
Kenya  Meat  Commission  
Kenya  Nut limited  – Morendat  Farm  
Choice  Meats  limited  
Kenya  Bureau  of Standards  (KEBS)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
REVISION  OF KENYA  STANDARDS  
 
In order  to keep  abreast  of progress  in industry,  Kenya  standards  shall be regularly  reviewed.  Suggestions  
for improvement  to published  standards,  addressed  to the Managing  Director,  Kenya  Bureau  of Standards,  
are welcome.  
 
 
 
 
 
© Kenya  Bureau  of Standards , 2016  
 
Copyright.  Users  are reminded  that by virtue  of Section  25 of the Copyright  Act, Cap.  12 of 2001   of the Laws  of Kenya,  copyright  
subsists  in all Kenya  Standards  and except  as provided  under  Section  26 of this Act, no Kenya  Standard  produced  by Kenya  Bureau  of 
Standards  may be reproduced,  stored  in a retrieval  system  in any form or transmitted  by any means  without  prior permission  in writing  
from the Managing  Director.  
 
 
 
ISBN  9966 -19-638-2   
  
KENYA  STANDARD       
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
Grading  live animal  for meat  trade  - 
Specification  
 
 
Part 1: Cattle   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
KENYA  BUREAU  OF STANDARDS  (KEBS)  
 
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© KEBS  2015  — All rights  reserved  Foreword  
 
This Kenya  Standard  was prepared  by the Meat  and Meat  Products  Technical  Committee  under  the 
guidance  of the Standards  Projects  Committee,  and it is in accordance  with the procedures  of the Kenya  
Bureau  of Standards.  
 
 During  the preparation  of this standard,  reference  was made  to the following  documents:  
 
Determination  of living  animals  for slaughter:  KS 01-837: part 1  
 
Kenya  Meat  Commission  Act Cap 363 of the laws of Kenya  
 
Il N‘gwesi  Guide  to Body  Condition  Scoring,  Purdue  Extension,  www.extension.purdue.edu/new   
 
ILRI discussion  paper  No. 22, Improvement  and Diversification  of Somali  Livestock  Trade  and 
Marketing;  Towards  a formalized  grading  system  for export  quality  livestock  in Somalia  
 
Stuth,  J. et al., (2006).  ―Livestock  Market  Information  System  for East Africa:  The Case  of LINKS/GL -
CRSP.‖  In J.G McPeak  and P.D Little  , eds Pastoral  livestock  marketing  in Eastern  Africa:  Research  
and policy  challenge  
 
ES 2789:2012 -Grading  live animals  and carcass  
Austr alian  Standard  for the export  of livestock  (version  2.3) 2011  
PNS/BAFPS  87:2010:  Live grading  for slaughter  cattle  
 Animal  welfare  Act Cap 360  
The assistance  derived  from the above  sources  is highly  acknowledged.©KEBS  DKS 2774: PART 1 : 2017  
 
  
Grading  live animals  for meat  trade  –Specification  
Part 1:  Cattle  
 
 
 
1. Scope  
 
This Kenya  Standard  specifies  requirements  for grading  of cattle  for meat  trade  
 
2  Normative  references  
 
The following  referenced  documents  are indispensable  for the application  of this document.  For 
dated  referenc es, only the edition  cited  applies.  For undated  references,  the latest  edition  of the 
referenced  document  (including  any amendments)  applies.  
 
I. KS 01-837: Parts  1 and 2 1990  Definitions  for living  animals  for slaughter  
II. KS 317-1: Carcasses  and meat  cuts- bovine  specification   
III. Code  of practice  for animal  welfare  during  transportation.  
 
3. Definitions  
For the purposes  of this standard,  the following  definitions  shall apply:  
 
3.1 Grade  –  
the defined  parameters  that segregate  live animals  for meat  trade  into homog enous  groups  applied  by 
market  participants   based  on weight,  age, sex, body  condition  and body  conformation.    
 
3.2 Sex –  
refers  to whether  an animal  is male  or female.  
 
3.3 Body  condition  – 
overall  body  state  of an animal  assessed  through  visual  observa tion taking  into account  fat and muscle  
deposition  as it occurs  in various  places  on the animal‘s  body  
 
3.4 Body  condition  score -  
Is the score  assigned  through  visual  appraisal  of specific  body  parts.  The extent  to which  specific  skeletal  
body  parts  {including;  hips,  hooks  and pins,  rump,  shoulders,  back  (spinous  processes  of the thoracic  
vertebrae),  ribs} are either  hidden  or smoothened  by flesh  or fat. The animals  are thus categorized  as 
excellent;  good;  fair and poor;   
 
3.5 Body  conformation  
is the symm etry, size and shape  of the various  body  regions  of an animal  relative  to each  other  or the 
general  appearance  of the animal  according  to what  is considered  a desirable  appearance.   Features  of an 
animal  that comprise  the ‗desirable  appearance‘  include    
©KEBS  DKS 2774: PART 1 : 2017  
 
 
 a) Big frame  or skeletal  size of the animal—under  this feature  height  and length  as crucial  elements  to 
consider.  Top quality  animals  are those  that shall be tall with large  body  frame;  
b) Good  muscling — under  this feature,  thick and long muscling  is preferred;  
c) Good appearance  of feet and legs—important  features  to consider  here shall include  a long and 
straight  (level)  rump;  long and broad  loin; long and straight  back;  and well set and straight  legs. Cattle  
exhibiting  a large  heart  girth in relation  to overall  body  size (height  and length  of body)  will attain  a 
higher  score.  
 
3.6 Conformation  score  
This is a qualitative  categorization  of animal  features  based  on body  frame,  animal  height  and defects.  They  
shall be described  as excellent,  good  or fair.  
 
3.7 Castrate d male:  
Male  animals  whose  testicles  have  been  rendered  dysfunctional  through  an approved  procedure.   
 
3.8 Live weight :  
the weight  of an animal  before  slaughter  determined  through  an appropriate  and acceptable  method.   
3.9 Lordosis  
- Excessive inward cur vature of the spine.  
3.10 Kyphosis  
- Excessive outward curvature of the spine.  
3.11 Ossification  (or osteogenesis)   
-is the process of laying down new bone material by cells called osteoblasts. It is synonymous with bone 
tissue formation  
4. GRADING  SPECIF ICATIONS  
4.1 Grading —  
Grading  of cattle  shall be done  in accordance  to age, sex, and ossification , as outlined  in table  2 
weight,  body  condition  and body  conformation . 
4.1.1  Age:  categories  will be based  on records  or dentition  as outlined  in KS 01-837: Parts 1 1990.     
 
4.1.2  Sex: categories  will be based  on: male  (castrated  or un-castrated)  and female.  
 
4.1.3  Weight :  Animal  live weight  will be determined  by any appropriate  method  including  weighing  scale  or 
weighing  band.  The following  weight  levels  shall be used  during  grading  of cattle;  
Males:  Weight  category  1, minimum  live weight  of 300 Kg 
Males  Weight  category  2 minimum  live weight  200 Kg 
Females:  Weight  category  1 minimum  live weight  200 Kg 
All sex categories:  With no weight  limit 
 
4.1.4  Body  condi tion: Body  condition  shall be scored  as; excellent,  good,  fair or poor. 
  
©KEBS  DKS 2774: PART 1 : 2017  
 
 
  © KEBS  2017 — All rights  reserved  
  
 
 Table  1 : Body  conditions  score   
Body  condition   Description  
Excellent   Smooth  and well covered,   
Dorsal  spine  only felt with pressure   
Transverse  process  cannot  be seen  
Heavy  fat deposit  on tail head,  ribs, hooks  and pins fully covered  
Good  Ranges  from animal  with ribs that are visible,  little fat cover,  dorsalspines  barely  
visible  to animals  that are smooth  and well covered,  dorsal  spine  cannot  
be seen  but easily  felt, 
Fair Ranges  from animals  with dorsal  spines  pointed  to the touch,  hips,  pins,  tail-
head  and ribs are prominent  to animals  with transverse  process  visible  
and muscle  mass  between  hooks  and pins slightly  concave  
Poor   Marked  emaciation  with traverse  processes  projecti ng prominently  and neural  
spines  appear  prominently  
 
 
4.1.5  Body  conformation:           
        
Conformation  score  (CS):  shall encompass  the symmetry,  size and shape  of the various  body  regions  of an 
animal  relative  to each  other  or the general  appearance  of the animal.  Three  levels  of conformation  
encompassing  all the identified  features  shall thus include:  
 
a)  Excellent:  animal  of good  height  (tall),with  large  frame  and long and straight  rump,  loin and back,  
large  heart  girth and straight  legs;  
 
b)  Good:  animals of medium  height  (not as tall as the one with excellent  conformation),with  medium  
frame,  shorter  but straight  rump,  loin and back,  medium  heart  girth and straight  legs;  
 
c)  Fair: animals  showing  defects  such  as being  very short  and small  frame,  a small  heart  girth in 
relation  to the overall  body  size; features  on the skeletal  size such  as lordosis  or kyphosis , or feet and 
legs such  as being  post-legged,  buck -kneed,  splay -footed,  sickle -hocked  among  others.  
 
4.2 Cattle  grades   
The interaction  of the gradi ng characteristics  (weight , sex, age, body  condition,  and conformation)  shall be 
categorized  into four grades:  
   
©KEBS  DKS 2774: PART 1 : 2017  
 
 
 Table  2: Grades  and grading  parameters  for cattle  
Grade   Sex category  Weight  
(Kg) Age Body  
condition   Body  
conformation  
1 Castrated  
male  Minimu m 
300 1-3years  
(One  to three   pairs  of incisors,  not 
worn  out) 
 Excellent   Excellent  
Un-castrated  
male  Minimum  
300 1-3 years  
(One  to two  pairs  of incisors,  not 
worn  out) Excellent  Excellent  
Female  Minimum  
200 1-3years  
(Two  to three   pairs  of incisors,  not 
worn  out) Excellent   Excellent  
2 Castrated  
male  Minimum  
200 1-4 (One  to four  pairs  of incisors,  
not worn  out) Good  Good  
Un-castrated  
male  Minimum  
200 1-4years(0ne  to four pairs  of 
incisors,  not worn  out)  Good  Good  
Female  No limit Four pairs  of incisors,  not worn  
out, 4-5 years  Good  Good  
3 All sex 
categories  No limit Minimum  2 years  ( minimum  2 
pairs  of incisors)  Fair Fair 
4 All sex 
categories  No limit No limit Poor  Fair 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
©KEBS  DKS 2774: PART 1 : 2017  
 
 
  © KEBS  2017 — All rights  reserved  
  
 
 Table  3: Sample  Pictorial  presentation  of grades  
 
Grade   Sex category  Pictorial  presentation  
 
1 Castrated  male  
 
 Un-castrated  
male  
 
 Female   
2 Castrated  male  
 
 Un-castrated  
male  
 
 Female   
3 All sex categories  
   
©KEBS  DKS 2774: PART 1 : 2017  
 
 
 4 All sex categories