P.PSH.1397 - Early Adoption and integration of hot carcase marble measurement and mobile solution in beef processing

Summary

This project delivered an early adoption and integration of an objective measurement device and mobile application (app) to measure hot beef carcase marble score to improve accuracy and consistency compared to current visual grading methods. This project developed operating protocols to enable adoption of a grading solution using the hot carcase marble measure for future adopters. Specifically, the project evaluated the integration of the MEQ hot beef grading solution and mobile application into a beef processor's workflows and business data management systems, including feedback to producers.

Objectives

The overall objective of the project was to deliver an early adoption and evaluation of the MEQ beef probe to measure hot beef carcase marble score to improve accuracy and consistency compared to current visual grading methods. This project’s primary objective was to ensure consistent grading results to provide the most accurate supply chain feedback. This will drive producer engagement with brand specifications and improve genetic gain.

The specific objectives of the project were:
• Test and trial integration of developing equipment and integration of software into feedback systems including MSA grading outputs.
• Evaluate the integration of the MEQ beef probe into Greenham’s workflows and business data management systems, including feedback to producers (i.e. Greenham Connect).
• Evaluate device grading capabilities across multiple classes of animals.
• Develop protocols on how to integrate new OM technologies including data captured into existing business systems.
• Develop generic guidelines for adoption and integration of new OM technologies.

Key findings

Some of the key findings from the MEQ Probe grading trial at Greenham has primarily been around the existing variation in cold carcase human grading. The ability to capture hot marbling results while still on the slaughter floor has allowed Greenham to sort carcases as they enter the chiller and provide graders with a baseline as they grade bodies, providing a solid reference point for the human grade. There is a large variation in human grading on some grass-fed bodies that can be either under or over graded, resulting in poor producer feedback.

Benefits to industry

The project has demonstrated that the red meat industry can benefit from the adoption of hot carcase grading, this can even be extended to hot boning plants to provide a quality measure that was previously not available. Specifically, a hot measurement of marble score has been demonstrated to enable beef processors to develop a preliminary MSA grade on hot carcases.

The specific benefits to Greenham that has been identified through this early adoption project at Greenham’s Moe site, includes the ability to:
• pre-sort chillers
• provide baseline and reference point for human grading
• increase reliability and consistency of farmer feedback
• improve plant efficiency.
Overall, early adoption of the MEQ suite of objective measurement solutions to deliver hot and cold grading options has been demonstrated to deliver significant value through early knowledge of likely grading results to inform allocation to boning runs, improving efficiency of final cold grading and carcase marshalling, and provide sales teams with advanced knowledge of quality by volume.

MLA action

The outcome is that a case study of learnings of integration of MEQ hot grading probe into business workflows and operating systems will be used to develop generic guidelines for adoption and integration of new OM technologies. MLA create case studies from each of the early OM adoption projects that can be made available to companies to help leverage the uptake and adoption of OM technologies into their business systems and processes.

Future research

the recommended future research required includes:
• Exploring opportunity for the camera app to become the DCU.
• Exploring the opportunity to have one model rather than 2 independent models for AUS-MEAT and MSA marble score.
• Producer feedback systems and integration of devices.

Greenham are developing the business case and feasibility around how they will commercially utilise the MEQ hot grade probe and cold grade camera app into the future.

Separately, Greenham is in the process of reviewing this data within their own internal producer feedback systems and assessing MEQ’s capability to provide this feedback as a service. Furthermore, opportunity exists for the technology vendor (MEQ) to further develop their business service offering to include providing industry access to commercial benchmark marble score and IMF% data from the multiple supply chains currently using the MEQ Probe.