Preparing for MSA score in lamb: What are the drivers of variation?

Abstract

In the Australian sheep industry, lamb is currently graded using crude indicators of lean meat yield (LMY), specifically, hot carcase weight (HCWT) and palpated girth rib (GR) tissue depth. To ensure consistent consumer eating quality, a Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grading system has been introduced in sheep. However, industry is now demanding a more comprehensive cuts-based grading system, based on individual carcase measurements, similar to that used in beef (Polkinghorne <i>et al</i>. 2008). A preliminary MSA model has now been developed to predict untrained consumer scores of tenderness, juiciness, flavour, and overall-liking which are combined into a single index (MQ4). This model includes HCWT, LMY and intra-muscular fat measurements developed using lambs from the Sheep CRC Information Nucleus and MLA Resource Flocks. This study aimed to examine the key determinants of variation in MQ4 scores for sheep.