A sire evaluation system to improve the commercial competitiveness of Australian grain-fed beef

Summary

The internationally-competitive nature of the food industry is now driving today's beef exporters away from simple commodity trading toward providing more specialised, quality assured products that can be brand-identified and promoted. The catalyst for change in the beef industry has been increased access to key export markets in Japan. Despite considerable investment being directed into upgrading plants to improve throughput; achieve higher quality standards and marketing brand name products by exporters, actually purchasing cattle that can perform predictably to required market specifications remains a major obstacle. With the co-operation of nine commercial feed lots throughout eastern Australia, the Meat Research Corporation (MRC) established the project M.112 to investigate the reasons for the large variability that exists in feeder steer performance. The project evaluated almost 5000 steers representing 371 beef sires purchased from 97 southern Australian beef herds. The performance of a further 7748 northern Australian steers has also been evaluated (these steers were not from known sires but re​presented 236 vendors and a range of breeds and crosses). The project has highlighted the need for the Australian industry to improve feeder steer predictability with regard to growth, yield and product quality traits if it is to maximise opportunities in this expanding but tightly specified market.