why marbling

what is the evolutionary function of marbling?

what predator/prey/environmental relationship selected for it other than human, or was it only human?

what benefit is there not to have it?

If you think about the number of cattle breeds that don't have significant marbling (at least before fairly recent selection pressure), vs the number that do have significant marbling, a pretty good argument could be made that lots of marbling is not the evolutionarily preferred condition. Of course, that would assume that all of the poorer marbling cattle weren't selected against marbling, probably an incorrect assumption for the breeds that were used as draft animals.

Do wild ruminants have marbling?

How is marbling depleted in cattle that have attained significant marbling? Does external fat and extra-muscular internal fat get used first in a starvation situation, or is it the other way around? Maybe high IMF in an otherwise fairly lean condition is evolutionarily useful-- plenty of muscle for getting the hell out, plus a source of stored energy?

MS, in the vicinity of a big rain storm, kinda tired,thinking about a short nap.

knabe wrote:

what is the evolutionary function of marbling?

what predator/prey/environmental relationship selected for it other than human, or was it only human?

what benefit is there not to have it?

Maybe it is a mutation as it does not seem "normal". Or is lack of marbling the "mutation"?

Pigs used to marble, before leanness become the standard selection process.

Sheep marble.

I am not sure about horses, you'll have to ask a Frenchman. A local man raised ten kids, mostly on fat Shetland ponies, if I could hunt him up, I am sure he would know. My guess is they do marble.

I think grain fattened wildlife, like tame deer, elk, bison, have different eating characteristics, but I don't know if they truly marble. So it may be environmental affects, in some species.

Most predators eat the fatty internal organs first, liver being a top prize, lungs, kidneys. Somewhere along the way us humans started culling these, mostly. I have read of early Pioneers needing fat, or energy in their diet, as it was the most lacking, and a bear was prized for the fat they could store away for winter consumption. Rabbit, deer, squirrell, and such would starve you slowly especially in late winter or early spring.



Bootheel, next to a meatloaf, with plenty of fat

I could easily be wrong, but it seems I saw or read some where that inter-muscle fat was used for burst of speed and times of stress where external fat was used during periods of starvation.

so ext should have a lot of marbling?

Probably not, for all there burst of speed would use up the marbling.

today....The choice/select spread was the widest in many months at $10.

So 7 dollar corn, or about 4 dollars a day to get 70 extra dollars. It better not take more than two weeks to get get them from select to choice.

Isn't math fun.

Bootheel wrote:

So 7 dollar corn, or about 4 dollars a day to get 70 extra dollars. It better not take more than two weeks to get get them from select to choice.

Isn't math fun.

Your to dam smart with all that math, you are going to burst someones bubble....

W.T wrote:

Bootheel wrote:

So 7 dollar corn, or about 4 dollars a day to get 70 extra dollars. It better not take more than two weeks to get get them from select to choice.

Isn't math fun.

Your to dam smart with all that math, you are going to burst someones bubble....

It isn't quite that simple, WT, but close, as we still put on some gain, but at some point we lose efficiency. But a guy like you knows that already. I just like to burst bubbles. It is fun. Today I hope to take a picture, and start a topic, of Why I Put Myself in the Corner. This a place to be punished, reprimanded, reflect and ponder on our misgivings.


Bootheel, not a morning person

Choice boxes were steady and select lost a dollar in an indication of a declining finish on cattle moving to the beef plants. The choice/select spread now has widened to $18 -- a new high for the year and maybe more years. Choice cuts were quoted at $186 while select cuts were at $168.

Wide Choice/Select Spread Reflects Changing Beef Market Conditions - Derrell S. Peel, Oklahoma State University Extension Livestock Marketing Specialist

Recent changes in wholesale beef price levels and relationships indicate a number of changes occurring in beef markets. Most obvious is the dramatic increase in the Choice/Select spread in the past two months. Since a summer low of $3.30/cwt. the Choice/Select spread has swelled to a weekly average of $16.68 this past week. This spread is the largest since the highs in December of 2006 and 2007. The Choice/Select spread typically widens at the end of the year but the increase has been larger and earlier than usual this fall.

The Choice/Select spread is the net difference in prices from two markets: the Choice and the Select beef markets and is thus influenced by the supply and demand in either market. Thus, in general, there are four ways for the Choice/Select spread to change. For example, an increase in Choice demand; a decrease in Choice supply; a decrease in Select demand; or an increase in Select supply could all cause the Choice/Select spread to widen. Because of the many factors that may be involved, it is not always easy to understand what is driving changes in the Choice/Select spread.

Undoubtedly there are several factors behind the $13/cwt. increase in the Choice Select spread over the past 8 weeks. First, total beef production is falling; beef production has been below year ago levels for 8 of the last 9 weeks. Secondly, cow slaughter is currently a higher percentage of total slaughter compared to last year which means that the decrease in fed beef is even more pronounced than the total would imply. A third factor is that the Choice grading percentage in 2011 has remained mostly even with year ago levels. For the past several years, a growing Choice grading percentage has contributed to a generally narrow Choice/Select Spread. These factors all combine to result in lower total beef supplies and proportionately lower Choice supply compared to Select beef supply. The unusual demographics of this year contributed to these changes and more impacts are expected in the coming months. The drought forced many younger, smaller cattle into feedlots, which is likely to temper carcass weights and may continue to limit Choice grading percent. High feed costs and lack of feedlot profitability is a growing incentive to minimize days on feed which is likely to further limit Choice grading percentage.

Wholesale beef values indicate some strength in middle meat demand in recent weeks. Prices for Tenderloin and Ribeye products have risen above year ago levels in recent weeks, while prices for Chucks and Rounds continue well above last year's levels. Beef demand appears to be improving, albeit slowly. The forthcoming decreases in total beef production and especially for Choice beef supply will continue to push wholesale and retail beef prices higher and provide a critical test of demand. It is unclear just how high beef prices can rise before demand will be choked off. Clearly, the foreign component of demand in terms of beef exports has been critical for the past 24 months. While export demand is expected to remain strong into 2012, it is unlikely that we can maintain the 20-30 percent pace of increase of 2011. Domestic beef demand is still sluggish but sharp reductions in supply are expected from late 2011 through 2013. With a strong ground beef demand as a base, tight supplies of Choice middle meats along with strong exports of some high-end products, may continue to support higher wholesale and retail beef prices in general, and at the same time, strong middle meat prices and a relatively wide Choice/Select Spread.

Because of the recession people's eating habits have changed they have moved down one or two steps from high end to regular steak houses, from regular steak house's to high end burger and so forth. The next factor is high priced feed and cattle that are high energy intake to make choice so that their are fewer choice carcasses because of less feeding time. The future of high quality eating experince probably lay in f 1s with a high marbling ablility paternal ( wagu) and cows that can make living with good marbling ablity (Shoshone) that will make a choice peice of meat in a short feeding time, as the choice select spread widens. There may be a time when these cattle are traded by the head instead of by the pound as they are in Japan today. Just some food for conversation Bob H

I am not sure about the public stepping down a grade on the favorite place to eat out. I am not sure about the high end resturaunts but the mid range around here are doing great. I think the Burger King's and like have taken a bigger hit in business in my area. I know after visiting a BK on the way to the stepson's football game it will be a long while before I grace another one. The service was lousy and the new menu sucks.

BK and McD's are generally the same for me-- Im traveling, getting hungry, somehow reminisce about a time when I loved them, so I go. Always the same regrets thereafter, and always swearing that I won't do that again.

Once a cheater, always a cheater. Fastfood is such a cruel mistress.