Cattle-Fax™ analysts recently reported that the percent of Yield Grade 4 cattle has been increasing at a rate of about 1 percentage point per year since 2001. In 2005, it averaged about 7%, compared to only 2% in 2001. If this rate continues, the percent of Yield Grade 4 cattle could reach 12% by 2010. Equally alarming is the fact that the percent of Choice grade cattle has remained relatively flat during the same 2001-2005 time period. In other words, carcasses are getting fatter on the outside, but marbling is not keeping pace with external fat. Heavier carcass weights are also contributing to the increase in Yield Grade 4’s.