Recently, Utility cows are selling for more per pound than Cutter cows. Utility cows bring a price per pound that is usually intermediate to Cutters and Canners, but will often have more total dollar income due to extra live weight. Producers should target cows for the high yielding Cutter or Boning Utility grade. Caution should be exercised when marketing cows directly to a packing plant. Cows that grade high Cutter and Utility will probably be discounted if they have too much external fat.
Packers discount what they classify as fat cows.
Unlike processing facilities for feedlot cattle, cow processors sort cow carcasses according to the described criteria. They are not graded by a USDA grader or stamped with the packer grades. When selling cows directly to the packer another discount to be aware of is for light carcasses. The Canner grade is most likely to produce light carcasses. Thin, emaciated cows are discounted at the sale barn to compensate for the probability of light carcasses.