549674 Mon Aug 18 10:07:38 -0700 2008 2 27 General Chowhounding Topics 0 3966171 Why aren't there USDA Grades (e.g. Prime, Choice, Select) for game meats like Elk, Bison and Buffalo? Beef has Prime, Choice, Select Veal comes in Prime, Choice and Good Lamb is graded as either Prime or Choice So why not game meats like Elk? I ask because in doing some comparison shopping for Elk I've found lots of price variation and would like to know the underlying reason -- i.e., whether it's because the meat comes from differently graded elk. Mon Aug 18 10:07:40 -0700 2008 11583 ipsedixit 1 3966246 USDA grades animal carcasses on meat conformation and percentage of internal marbling. This is just my guess, but game animals like elk have such minimal fat that trying to grade by marbling percentages would be impossible. I did a writeup of a butcher that processes elk for hunters. Take a look at how little external fat and internal marbling there is on this carcass: http://professorsalt.com/2006/10/31/old-word-meat-grand-junction-co/ As far as the price variation, my guess is that there's different layers of middlemen between you and the ranch that raises these semiwild animals, and the more layers there are, the more expensive? Dunno, just a guess. Mon Aug 18 10:34:40 -0700 2008 3966171 10023 Professor Salt 1 3966988 Animal grading is a completely voluntary process. While it is performed by the USDA, it is paid for entirely by the meat producer or packer. It seems likely to me that given the very small market for game meat the costs associated with setting up a grading process would raise the costs of the end product to an unacceptable level. (Note that animal inspection, for disease, sanitation, etc., also carried out by the USDA is mandatory and entirely separate from the grading process.) Mon Aug 18 14:19:23 -0700 2008 3966171 161386 kmcarr