Enhanced Data Capture in Australian Red Meat Supply Chains for the Genetic Improvement of Eating Quality and Carcase Yield

Abstract

Australian beef cattle and sheep breeders have made substantial and sustained genetic gains in growth and carcase yield. This has been achieved through the breeding objective traits of saleable meat yield in beef cattle, and percentage of carcase lean (also known as lean meat yield) in sheep. However, the need to also simultaneously select for eating quality is increasingly being acknowledged. While it is possible to counteract the antagonistic genetic relationships using index selection, data on both eating quality and carcase yield are required. Genomic reference populations play an essential role in obtaining these data. The aim of this paper is to summarise the measurement program of carcase and eating quality traits for Australian beef and sheep genomic reference populations, and the challenges involved in the process of data collection. The paper then discusses enhanced data capture through online objective carcase measurement technologies that will further contribute to genetic gains in eating quality and yield in red meat supply chains. The incorporation of technologies in harsh processing environments is challenging. However, if such technologies are appropriately incorporated in the processing chain, and also validated for the measurement of eating quality and yield for their respective species, this may decrease the cost and increase the efficiency of carcase data collection for genetic improvement. Combined with enhanced processor systems that allow tracking of individual carcases, as well as on-farm information collection and transmission systems, the aim is to move towards better collection and flow of accurate phenotypes to genetic evaluation systems. Enhanced data capture of disease and defect phenotypes are also important. Ultimately, a whole supply chain approach is required to increase collection of accurate carcase measures, which will lead to higher accuracies in estimated breeding values and greater genetic gains in eating quality and carcase yield.