Regional Systems to Meet Market Specifications

Summary

The experiments in the Regional Combinations project were designed to quantify the responses in carcase and meat quality traits in beef cattle genetically diverse for those traits when subjected to different growth paths between weaning and finish. The results provide immediate guidelines for selection of cattle genetic types and design of management systems to consistently hit targeted market end points. The findings provide input data and a biological basis for currently evolving predictive models for beef producers to implement optimum systems to maximise productivity and profitability. The most important responses to growth treatments in carcase traits were the effects on fatness, with consequent effects on meat quality, favouring faster growth. In general faster growth improved compliance to carcase specifications and produced better economic outcomes as reflected by higher gross margins. Faster growth allows more rapid turnover of sale animals delivering them to market at younger ages, advantageous for both production and profit. Selection of sires on Estimated Breeding Value or breed characteristics produced expected responses in the progeny, and no interactions with growth rate were observed. The absence of interactions enables confident predictions of carcase traits under a variety of growth regimes.