P.PSH.1367 - MEQ Beef Probe early adoption of hot carcase marble measure
Red meat traits are graded using manual and primarily visual subjective methods.
| Project start date: | 20 January 2022 |
| Project end date: | 30 September 2023 |
| Publication date: | 08 May 2024 |
| Project status: | Completed |
| Livestock species: | Grain-fed Cattle, Grass-fed Cattle |
| Relevant regions: | National |
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Summary
This project aimed to deliver an early adoption and evaluation of the MEQ hot beef grading probe to measure hot beef carcase IMF and marble score to improve accuracy and consistency compared to current subjective grading methods.
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 IMF and marble score to improve accuracy and consistency compared to current visual grading methods.
Key findings
This project developed operating protocols to enable early adoption of a grading solution using the hot carcase IMF and marble measure for future adopters.
Benefits to industry
The value proposition of early adoption of the MEQ Probe has been is to enable the first hot carcase marbling technology to be used in beef to deliver:
• Carcase Marble Score results for individual carcases available within 2 hours of slaughter
• chiller sorting capability same day of slaughter
• Boning Run design capability same day slaughter
• market/specification defined same day of slaughter.
Adopting technology like this will provide greater consistency to brand owners which encourages greater investment as they know it will be rewarded in optimal product categorisation.
MLA action
No further MLA investment recommended.
Future research
The outcome will be an on-site demonstration and comprehensive final report that captures the lessons learnt, including challenges encountered and solutions identified to improve opportunities for future adopters of objective measurement technology. This project will contribute to a series of case studies generated through concurrent early adoption projects for objective measurement (OM) technologies that were identified through an MDC Open Call process. General learnings from this project will be used to develop generic guidelines for adoption and integration of new OM technologies. There is current and pipeline OM projects proposed in the future to continue to develop capabilities in adoption and implementation of OM solutions. Future OM early adoption projects of this type are expected to be brought forward to ensure the full range of experiences are captured.
More information
| Project manager: | Dean Gutzke |
| Contact email: | reports@mla.com.au |
| Primary researcher: | Australian Country Choice Hold |
