What is the percentage of live animal weight that becomes the carcase weight at slaughter called?

The term that defines the percentage of live animal weight that becomes the carcass weight at slaughter is known as dressing percentage. This metric is crucial in the livestock industry as it helps determine the efficiency of converting live weight into marketable meat products.

Dressing percentage is calculated by taking the weight of the carcass after slaughter (which typically excludes non-meat parts such as hide, internal organs, and blood) and dividing it by the live weight of the animal before slaughter. This figure allows producers and consumers to understand how much of the live animal can be expected to be turned into saleable meat.

In the context of the other options, carcass yield typically refers to the final yield of processed meat cuts from the carcass rather than the initial percentage of live weight that contributes to carcass weight. Meat yield may also refer to the proportion of sellable meat from the carcass but focuses more on the cut and final use of the meat rather than the initial conversion from live weight. Butchering rate is not a commonly used term in this context and does not specifically address the relationship between live weight and carcass weight.

Thus, the correct term that specifically addresses the percentage conversion from live animal weight to carcass weight is dressing percentage.