Cowman Commentary: Charolais Viewpoint

Sep 6, 2006 1:50 AM

By J. Neil Orth, Charolais Executive Vice President

Anyone making a breeding decision in the beef business has the potential to influence change

Initial results from the 2005 National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) have just been published. Unfortunately, those of us in the seedstock sector won't be "writing home" about our successes. Apparently, there aren't many.

Since 1975, the percentage of USDA graded Prime, Choice and Select carcasses have slipped to almost half. Prime carcasses dropped from 5% in 1975 to 2% in 2005, while Select carcasses increased from 15% to 39%. Choice carcases dropped from 79% in 1975 to 58% in 2005. Even worse, excess fat is still a huge problem. When the fat problem is combined with lack of marbling, the end product, quite simply, is inferior much of the time.

The audit also revealed successes since the previous audit was conducted in 2000. Improved microbiological safety, improved cattle genetics and some measures of higher quality beef and fewer injection-site lesions were deemed successful by beef end-users that included exporters and those from foodservice and retail sectors. Those interviewed ranked lack of uniformity and consistency in quality as the No. 1 defect in the beef industry. Lack of marbling, tenderness, palatability and inconsistency within quality grades further defined the No. 1 ranking. It is important to remember who the respondents were in the audit - beef end-users, purveyors, foodservice and retail customers. In other words, without this enormous consumer group, there is no demand for beef.

Historically, many from the seedstock sector have entrenched themselves on the sidelines and held to the opinion that quality and consistency were someone else's problems. Here are the facts. 1) The packer nor the feeder can make genetic changes in the seedstock sectore and 2) We have all the tools necessary to make those changes without incurring more input costs. Those beef producers incorporating Charolais genetics into their programs have long known the value of feedlot efficiencies and higher red meat yield. Many successful commercial beef producers using Charolais are reaping the rewards resulting from taking a pro-active position and conscientiously improving the genetics in their programs.

We know through the widespread implementation of artificial insemination and embryo transplant, significant genetic progress can and has been made. Expected Progeny Differences (EPDs), ultrasound, and carcass data collection all provide producers easy to use evaluation tools to make genetic improvements. Vertical integration, again resisted by many, has brought real opportunities to make additional profits to the seedstock producer IF the producer is willing to do the diligence necessary.

Every day beef industry trade publications discuss the merits of crossbreeding and heterosis. With over 80 breeds of beef cattle in the U.S., obviously, crossbreeding combinations are almost endless. Yet, science-based knowledge of many of the beef breeds' merits and contributions that can be made to the end-product through crossbreeding remains limited. This is not the case with Charolais. The beef industry knows, and research proves, that Charolais genetics can make significant quality progress in both grade and yield when used on British-based cow herds - and do it without implants or growth hormones. For many years, beef producers using Charolais genetics have taken advantage of increasing pounds without compromising marbling and lowering quality grades, while improving yield grades. Packers, when questioned for the Audit responded that reduced grade and tenderness due to the use of implants was at the top of the priority list of five problems.

The 2005 NBQA respondents from the retail sector predict significant growth potential in branded beef programs and source- and process-verified programs. In short, emphasis will be placed on trace-back capabilities that are now a requirement for all export markets. Other beef industry market research points to excellent growth potential in natural programs - all good news for Charolais producers. Once again, history has proven Charolais' ability to naturally increase red meat yield while maintaining quality grade when used in predominantly British-based cow herds.

Whose job is it to fix the beef industry's problems? Anyone making a breeding decision in the beef business has the potential to influence change. The seedstock supplier, the genetic consultant, the commercial producer all must continue to make those improvements that are within our power to change. We have tools to evaluate genetics and we can identify those genetics within breed populations that meet the demands of the consumer. In other words, we know what works. Now, more than ever before, Charolais should be an even greater part of the beef industry's quality equation.

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