Bruce Hancock

Sheep CRC/MLA National Lamb Supply Chain Group Coord

Livestock Consultant, RSSA:PIRSA

Roseworthy Campus, University of Adelaide, JS Davies Centre

Production management on-farm and its

effects on meat quality

1

R&D measurement technology embedded and evaluated within 6+ supply chains,

and collaborative adoption from plate to paddock

2

Take home messages

• Seek carcase compliance feedback – LMY% & EQ

• Utilise decision support tools and service providers

• On-farm effects on EQ – breed, age, finishing growth,

carcase spec, and pre-slaughter handling

• Develop a plan of action

– for everyone in the business to do their part

3

Essential terminologies

Liveweight (kgs) and Fat Score (1-5)

Hot Standard Carcase weight (HSCW) (kgs)

Dressing % = HSCW (Kgs) x 100

Liveweight (Kgs)

4

Essential terminologies (cont)Saleable meat yield (kgs) = Saleable meat (+bone/fat)

Lean meat yield ( Kgs) - weight of lean meat

5LMY Tech Manual, 2016

Lean meat yield % = LMY (kgs) x 100

HSCW (kgs)

6

Essential terminologies (cont)

x 100Eg. Lean meat yield %=

Computed Tomography Lean % = CT Lean (kgs) x 100

(CT Lean%) HSCW (kgs)

7

Essential terminologies (cont)

Intramuscular fat (IMF%) = % composition

8

Essential terminologies (cont)

VBM Journey – ramping up now!

1990 – 2016( 2 ½ decades)

2017(now)

2017 - 2019 2020 +

LMY ( CT Scan?)

LDL - LMY% (JBS)

(HSCW+GR knife)

LMY% (DEXA) + EQ (IMF%?)

(in an Overlay Grid)

MSA / EQ Index

MSA -sheepmeat MSA - sheepmeat MSA Mk2 (Carcase / cuts)

HSCW + GR HSCW + GR HSCW + GR HSCW + GR

AIM:

Transition from point measures (indirect / prediction),

to whole carcase LMY% & IMF% composition (direct).

9

Two huge collaborative projects on the go at

once + MDC, MLA, AMPC & numerous $’s mill

private invest by supply chains!Sheep CRC: 2008-15 and 2015 – 2019

(Quality-based sheepmeat value chains)

DAWR: ALMTech (OCM) – 2016-20

(Lamb/sheep, beef & pork)

10

Facilitates private investments in R&D

innovations across the red meat supply

chain, matched by Australian

Government $’s, not producer levies.

11

Superman^lamb

12Laura Wishart, JBS, LambEx’16 Young Gun winner

LMY maximises profits along the whole supply chain

LMY affects value and efficiency

• Consumer

• Wants value for $$$

• Processor

• Paying meat price for fat (may change!!!)

• Less meat to sell

• Extra cost of trim = labour, disposal

• On-farm profitability

• Score 2 to 4: eats an extra 40kg of green feed

• Grow muscle not fat

• Can grow faster & turn-off earlier, or

• Can be finished to heavier weights

More meat, less fat = Increase lean meat yield13

Overview of

Precision measurementfrom paddock/pen to plate

Predict quality and amount of final product

Conception Live Animal Carcase Retail Cuts Cooked Product

ValueValueValueValue

14Gardner, LambEx 2016

Genetic Trends - Terminals

15

Genetic Correlations to Manage

↑ IMF% ↑Tenderness

(High correlation, +0.8)

↑ LMY% ↓IMF%

(High correlation, -0.5) X

↑ LMY% ↓Tenderness (SF5)

(Mod Correlation, -0.4) X

16LMY Tech Manual, 2016

Phase II sites (N=18)

Terminal sites

16 sites (90 rams)

Merino sites

4 sites (30 rams)

Multiple

environments

ASBV’s work!

12 processing plants, 7 supply chains

Positive relationships between progeny carcase and eating quality traits and sire ASBVs, ie ASBV’s work!

MLA LMY & EQ PDS’s (20)

Within flock BV

Genetic Group

Genetics - Single Step Analysis

18Sheep Genetics Regional Forums, 2016 - “The game changer”

Measurement technologies -LMY%

Method-Indirect Accuracy Limitations

HSCW 12% (low) Better than nothing

HSCW +GR (Palp) 20% (low) Operator error

HSCW + GR (mm)

(Knife or probe)

35% (mod) OK, but slow chain speed,

2 staff - $’s

Method - Direct

VIA 47% (mod) Not calibrated to GR

DEXA 80% (high) 2 in Australia

CT Scan “Gold Standard” Everything calibrated to it.

Research – slow (subsets)

Basic Prototypes (?)

19LMY Tech Manual, 2016

Measurement Technologies – LMY%

HSCW + GR Knife / AUSmeat Probe (Mod)

20LMY Tech Manual, 2016

Measurement Technologies - VIA

Video Image Analysis- VIA (Mod)

21LMY Tech Manual, 2016

Eg. VIAscan® technology, courtesy of WAMMCO

Dual Energy Xray Analysis ( DEXA) (High)

AIM: Whole carcase LMY% (direct).

22LMY Tech Manual, 2016

LEAP System - DEXAScotts Automation – robotic cutting precision that

affords opportunity for direct whole carcase

composition measure - DEXA

Video ( 6 min )

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BLrfJ0UvPhg

23

Facilitates private investments in R&D

innovations across the red meat supply

chain, matched by Australian

Government $’s, not producer levies.

CT Scan – “The Gold Standard” Computed Tomograpghy (CT) (High)

Lamb carcases being CT scanned and

resultant image to predict CT lean

24LMY Tech Manual, 2016

Hyperspectral IMF%

R² = 0.5025

0

1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

9

10

0 2 4 6 8 10

Pre

dic

ted

IMF

Chemical IMF

25Gardner, LambEx 2016

26

Supporting Technologies – not in all SC’s

“Hook Tracking - RFID” (different from Individual EID)

HSCW at weigh scale + GR knife

Cold carcase at boning room (LEAP)

(DEXA / GR Probe – LMY %)

Producer LDL feedback

(LMY% (DEXA/ GR Probe)

27

Supporting Technologies

MSA Pathways – sheepmeat (entry point)

MSA Mk2 - “Eating Quality Index”

Breed

LMY%

GR

IMF% “hopeful” (Hyperspectral)

Carcase / cut

28

Tools for Producer

Livestock Data Link “Producer Feedback / Benchmark”

29JBS, 2015

Tools for Producer

Livestock Data Link “Producer Feedback / Benchmark”

30JBS, 2015 “Measure – Monitor – Manage”

Tools for Producer

“Sheep Genetics”

RAMSELECT Workshop & Ramselect APP+

Ask / enquire /demand with your ram supplier about

new LMY & LEQ Indexes and carcase traits

Genomics

31Sheep Genetics, 2016

Tools for Producer

“Fat Scoring / Live lamb assess”

32LMY Tech Manual, 2016

FS 1 2 3 4 5

(mm) 0-5 6-10 11-15 16-20 20-25

Requirements of an MSA producer

• Lambs on registered property for ≥ 14 days

• Fat score ≥ 2, >16kgs (suckers), >18kgs(weaned)

• Off shears ≥ 2 weeks

• Recommended growth rates :

≥ 100 (Xbred) & 150 g/d (Merino)

• Processed within 48 hours of dispatch

(includes MSA licensed saleyards)

• NVD with MSA registration number

33

34MSA, 2016

The main game with MSA

35

Take home messages for

on-farm management effects on EQ

• Seek carcase compliance feedback – LMY% & EQ

• Utilise Decision support tools and service providers

• On-farm effects on EQ – breed, age, finishing

growth, carcase spec, and pre-slaughter handling

• Develop a plan of action

– for everyone in the business to do their part

Plan of Action

Action Your Plan

Cost of Production ( <$3.50/kgDW)

Carcase Feedback: benchmark

Genetics: ASBV’s & LEQ Index

Growth path (350/150 g/hd/day)

Live assessment ( FS 2-4, >18kgs)

MSA Pathways Accred & Mk 2

36

37