Breeding to Improve Meat Eating Quality in Terminal Sire Sheep Breeds

Abstract

An economic value for sheep meat eating quality was derived using consumer taste panel sensory trait scores and willingness to pay data. Improving eating quality by one score generated a price premium to commercial producers of $0.15/kg relative to a carcass price of $4.50/kg. Eating quality was included in a breeding objective with growth and lean meat yield. Under selection index scenarios modelled, simultaneous improvement of all traits was only possible with genomic testing of male selection candidates due to antagonistic correlations involving yield, eating quality, intramuscular fat, and shear force. Economic gain could be increased by up to 20% compared to current industry selection indexes.