Recommendations made for future beef check-off funded research
by Bryan Salvage, Editor
It's no secret. Consumers want leaner, high-quality, tender beef on a consistent basis. And it's also no secret that the future success of the American beef industry depends in large part on how well it responds to these demands.
"Everyone knows our major problems with beef deal with quality and consistency," says J.O. (Bo) Reagan, director of product technology research for the National Live Stock & Meat Board. "Do we need an instrument, or instruments, that can help us do a better job [from feedlot to processing] to help industry sort tender, high-palatability type products?"
Reagan directed his question to more than 80 beef industry "thought leaders" (the "who's who" of meat scientists from industry, academia and government from around the world) during the National Beef Instrument Assessment Planning Symposium, which was held several months ago in Chicago. The meeting's goal was to get expert input to help develop a National Beef Instrument Assessment Plan. This plan will serve as a blueprint for the industry's efforts in developing and implementing an instrument-based evaluation system. Sponsored by the Beef Industry Council's Product Technology Research Subcommittee, the two-day meeting was hosted by the National Live Stock & Meat Board.
Keynote speaker H. Russell Cross, Ph.D, professor of the Department of Animal Science, Texas A&M University, told attendees: "You have to focus on what you want. We have to clearly identify what we want to measure, why we want to measure it, and how we're going to use this data. How will instrument assessment be used in connection with a process control system? Are we going to use multiple approaches in instrumentation?
"Without focus, you can't expect your scientists to focus," he added. "But don't be impatient. This area of research is very high-risk, expensive and long-term. You can't get this done overnight."
Conference attendees listened to a number of comprehensive presentations on various technologies, as well as the results of research using these technologies. At meeting's end, attendees debated-and then voted for-the top five basic and applied research technology priorities they felt should be funded in 1995 by beef check-off dollars. In descending order of priority, the results were:
Basic Research-(i.e., doesn't yet have commercial application-and may not for many years)
-- Using ultrasound technology (ultrasonic waves) to predict beef tenderness/palatability.
-- Using elasticity technology (elastography is a method for imaging the elastic properties of tissues) to predict beef tenderness/palatability.
-- Using Swatland's Probe to predict beef tenderness/palatability. (This technology, ready for commercial application, uses a probe to measure connective tissue through the use of florescence. Some research has shown a correlation between connective tissue and palatability.)
-- Using video image analyses scanning technology to predict beef carcass cutability.
-- Using ultrasound technology to predict beef carcass cutability.
Applied Research (i.e., has possibilities for commercial use within several years)
-- Using video image analyses technology to predict beef carcass cutability.
-- Using TOBEC technology (Total Body Electrical Conductivity-by measuring the conductivity of a body, a direct measure of lean content can be obtained) to predict beef carcass cutability.
-- Using ultrasound technology to predict beef tenderness/palatability.
-- Using Swatland's Probe to predict beef tenderness/palatability.
-- Using ultrasound technology to predict beef carcass cutability.
Attendees also concluded that 60 percent of resources should be put toward applied research; 40 percent toward basic.
Reflecting on the meeting, Reagan told MM&T: "Ensuring quality and consistency are our major challenges. We needed recommendations from industry on how to meet these challenges. That's why we had the meeting. It was a tremendous success. It went well beyond our expectations."
Reagan presented the results of the meeting in June in Denver to the Beef Board's subcommittee, which will decide what should be funded and how much money will be assigned to each project. The approved dollars for 1995 research will be let on Oct. 1.