L.EQT.1909 - MSA Beef Model Expansion: Sensory evaluation of entire males

Summary

The project was conducted as a component of MSA research activity aimed at enabling all Australian cattle to be MSA graded.

The project data augmented existing MSA data to build knowledge on a number of muscles for which prior data was insufficient to enable inclusion in the MSA model. The project also increased within animal comparisons of sous-vide and casserole slow cooking methods and between casserole and Texas BBQ cooking of briskets. Further value was delivered by greatly extending ageing data in steps from 10 to 73 days across a wide range of cuts.

Objectives

The objectives of this project included:
• comparison of bull effect to the current MSA model predication
• development of an MSA pathway for young bulls to address the MSA 2020 goal of all cattle eligible for grading
• utilise cuts collected to continue to refine accuracy of predictions of extended ageing and new BBQ smoking protocol for secondary cuts.

Key findings

• Draft bull model algorithms produced reasonable estimates across muscles, particularly for grills.
• The TBQ cooking method provided outstanding potential to increase consumer value through a superior eating experience from brisket muscles.
• Ageing rates and curves were shown to interact with muscle, supporting the current MSA approach of individual muscle estimates.

Benefits to industry

Within the primary objective these data may assist towards a pathway for young bulls being eligible for MSA grading. In addition to broadening cattle supply alternatives young bull eligibility will enable eating quality guaranteed bull sourced supply to Muslim or other markets that prefer bull for cultural or religious reasons. Further, young bull production provides a safeguard against any regulatory or market pressures to remove HGP use or to ban, severely restrict or add unacceptable cost for castration. Development of higher pricing for young bull derived beef, substantiated by MSA grading and potentially related branding, may also encourage the raising and fattening of male dairy calves now either slaughtered as bobby veal or euthanised at birth.

MLA action

Results will be presented to MSA Pathways for discussion and making a recommendation on the outcomes and next steps.

Future research

Further research arising from the current project findings is recommended in the following areas:
1. In combination with existing data further study of extended ageing periods across muscles in conjunction with variation in ageing temperatures and alternative packaging to establish more precise recommended muscle specific practices.
2. Controlled study of different chilling regimes and pH decline interactions from knock to rigor mortis in conjunction with differing fat cover with particular reference to low coverage. This may have implications for optimal protocol for veal and other young lean carcase beef.
3. It is recommended that principal cuts from a further cohort of young bulls of heavier carcase weight be evaluated to confirm MQ4 prediction accuracy within a typical UK/Irish regime of 15-month-old bulls with carcase weights of around 300kg.
It is also noted that the cattle used in this project were young, approximately 8.5 to nine months old and that it might be required to extend the research to older animals.