Genetic improvement for meat eating quality traits
Meat eating quality is a trait of high importance to the consumer and research has shown in many cattle breeds that genetic selection of animals with a propensity for higher meat sensory quality is possible. In Ireland a genetic evaluation system was launched in September 2020 for carcass and meat eating quality traits within Irish beef cattle. The recording program commenced in 2015, with almost 5,000 animals having been evaluated to date. In addition to the standard EUROP classification data, data is also being collected on the primal cuts and the meat eating quality (tenderness, juiciness, flavour and overall liking) evaluated by trained panellists. The work will culminate in new genetic/genomic evaluations for these traits, with the ultimate goal of integrating this new information into the economic and sustainability indexes to breed and promote more profitable, sustainable and carbon efficient beef production in Ireland in the future. In that sense this program has close links with other initiatives undertaken by the Irish Cattle Breeding Federation (ICBF), including the BDGP and BEEP-S. A premium for beef of superior eating quality can be achieved with this program in a cumulative (increases year on year) and permanent way, but other at farm and pre-and post- slaughter factors need to be controled as well, such as feeding, transport, and carcass and meat handling. According to Andrew Cromie from ICBF, the main challenge of developing this innovation was the collection of accurate sensory data on meat eating quality in order to develop reliable genetic evaluations, whilst, finding a fair way to economically reward stakeholders for beef quality will be a major challenge for the future.
BovINE - Beef Innovation Network Europe
Ongoing | 2020-2022
- Main funding source
- Horizon 2020 (EU Research and Innovation Programme)
- Geographical location
- Ireland