2016, Volume 19, Paper 113
ISSN: 1442-6951

Processes for Measuring, Communicating and Valuing Eating Quality and Saleable Meat Yield in the Australian Beef Value Chain: Current Status and Future Opportunities

Doljanin, I. A. – Business Manager, Allflex Australia, Toowoomba, QLD and formerly Postgraduate Student, UNE Business School, UNE, Armidale, NSW
Thompson, J.M. – Adjunct Professor, School of Environmental and Rural Sciences, UNE, Armidale, NSW
Griffith, G.R. – Professorial Research Fellow, UNE Business School, UNE, Armidale, NSW, and Principal Fellow, FVAS, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC
Fleming, E.M. – Emeritus Professor, UNE Business School, UNE, Armidale, NSW.

Abstract

Over the past 20 years, the Australian beef industry has developed world-leading consumer grading technology, Meat Standards Australia (MSA), to predict the eating performance of beef meals more consistently. The traditional measure of meat quality has largely been associated with increased presence of intramuscular fat, or marbling, to enhance flavour, juiciness and tenderness. The research collated by MSA demonstrated the interconnectivity of pre and post-slaughter treatments with the traditional measurements of marbling, intramuscular fat and ossification on consumer palatability scores. Yet, in beef pricing systems, quantity measures are based simply on carcass weight, not the yield of saleable cuts from this carcass.

Meat quality- and quantity-based pricing should provide incentives and disincentives to producers based on traits that demonstrate repeatability and effectiveness over the longer term. This will ensure decision-making can result in improved outcomes. Establishing an effective pricing methodology incorporating both eating quality and carcass yield will address the century-old lack of progress because value chain components are studied in isolation when in reality they are part of an integrated system. Efforts should focus on a common end point – a consumer-focused product.

Implementing a process of traceability throughout the value chain and incorporating an eating-quality and saleable-meat yield-focused payment for carcasss can achieve three complementary objectives: (1) deliver a product tailored to consumer needs; (2) address traceability concerns to guarantee food safety; and (3) accurately communicate carcass yield and quality combined into one payment scale that can be used to facilitate improvement throughout the beef value chain. The potential of this system is to create an integrated value chain optimised for whole chain profitability.

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