Approved: November 6, 1996

Revised May 18, 2017

LIVE ANIMAL SPECIFICATION

AMERICAN ANGUS ASSOCIATION’S

SPECIFICATION FOR CHARACTERISITCS OF CATTLE ELIGIBLE FOR 

APPROVED BEEF PROGRAMS CLAIMING ANGUS INFLUENCE

 

1. SCOPE

This specification sets forth the requirements for live cattle which qualify for certification in 

approved beef programs claiming Angus influence. Cattle may be qualified for these programs 

by meeting either the Genotype or Phenotype requirements specified below. 

2. REQUIREMENTS

2.1 Genotype. Cattle eligible for Angus influence beef programs based on genotype must have 

positive identification (ear tags, tattoos, brands, etc.) and be traceable back to provable (e.g.,

registration papers) Angus parentage. Qualifying cattle must be traceable to one registered 

parent or two registered grandparents. Programs which claim a specified percentage of Angus 

heritage must use this method. 

2.2 Phenotype. Cattle eligible for certification in Angus influence beef programs based on 

phenotype (appearance) will have a main body that must be solid black1, with no other color

behind the shoulder, above the flanks, or breaking the midline behind the shoulders, excluding 

the tail. Angus influence cattle may be either horned or polled. Carcasses of certified live 

animals which display certain non-Angus characteristics (e.g., dairy conformation, Holsteins, 

Brahman humps) will be excluded as specified in the carcass specifications for approved 

programs. 

3. QUALITY ASSURANCE PROVISIONS

3.1 Genotype. Compliance with genotypic requirements shall be determined and controlled 

through a Livestock, Poultry, and Seed Program approved quality management program. 

3.2 Phenotype. Three options are available to ensure that live animals comply with the 

specified requirements: (1) Continuous USDA supervision, (2) Ante-mortem lot inspection, and 

(3) Program monitoring. Under the first two options, USDA personnel certify that the animals 

 1 At times, a black hair coat can become sun bleached and appear to be a shade of brown, particularly on the back. If 

the base of the hair close to the skin is black, then the entire brown-tipped area should be considered solid black. 

However, if the hair color is brown to the roots, it should be considered as brown in color.
Specification AAA - May 2017

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meet the specified requirements prior to slaughter. Procedures for these two options will be 

developed on an individual plant basis and shall be approved by the local Quality Assessment 

Division (QAD) supervisor. Under option 3, the procedures described in 3.2.1 are followed. 

3.2.1 Program Monitoring Procedures. Trained employees of the slaughter plant conducting 

the program will identify the carcasses of cattle that meet the specified requirements with an 

approved stamp or other identifying mark approved by the local QAD supervisor. These 

employees must display program identification whenever they are performing live animal 

identification duties. QAD graders will conduct unannounced, random checks of these 

employees’ work as shown in Table I. QAD graders will observe the work for a period of not 

less than 2 minutes, or more than 5 minutes, each time. The QAD graders will record any 

defects shown in Table II during each monitoring period. When the plant chooses to mark the

carcasses with other identifying marks other than the “A” stamp, the plant will provide to QAD a 

written plan identifying the designated area. This will be posted in QAD graders’ office.

TABLE I. MONITORING FREQUENCY

Slaughter Rate 

Number of cattle/shift

Frequency of monitoring 

periods *

Up to 500 2

501 - 1,000 4

1,001 - 1,500 6

1,501 - 2,000 8

Over 2,000 10

* The QAD grader will randomly determine the times of actual 

observation before the beginning of the slaughter shift based on the plant's 

expected slaughter rate.
Specification AAA - May 2017

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TABLE II. PROGRAM DEFECTS

Defect Categories

Major Minor Defects

101 Not solid black (evidence of another color) behind the shoulders and 

above the flanks.

102 Untrained plant employee performing live animal identification.

202 Trained plant employee performing live animal identification without 

displaying program identification.

203 Carcasses offered to QAD grader for certification that does not have 

approved stamp or mark as meeting the requirements.

204 Designated stamp not placed on approved area of carcass.

Routine program monitoring is performed using the designated frequencies for defect detection, 

known as “normal monitoring level”. When a QAD graders observes any major defect, two 

minor defects within a 5-day period of program operation, or four minor defects within a 15-day 

period of operation, the applicant moves to an accelerated level of inspection. 

Accelerated monitoring begins on the next production day for the shift on which the defects 

occurred. If no defects are observed during a 10-day period of operation under accelerated 

inspection, the plant reverts to the normal monitoring level. 

If one major defect or two minor defects are observed during the 10-day period of accelerated 

inspection, the identification program will be placed under 100-percent QAD supervision for a 

period of 10 consecutive days of program operation. 

After 10 days of operation under 100-percent supervision with no defects observed, the program 

will revert to accelerated inspection and meet those requirements before returning to normal 

monitoring levels as described in Table I. 

Each shift is monitored independently, meaning that a defect recorded on night shift will not 

affect the level of inspection for day shift. Therefore, a plant could be on normal inspection on 

dayshift and accelerated inspection on night shift.

The frequency of monitoring always remains the same; the number of defects allowed changes 

from each level.