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31/03/06
English beef producers have considerable potential for increasing
returns through sustained breeding-based improvements in carcase
quality, along with improved selection skills, reveals the latest
annual carcase classification summary from the English Beef and
Lamb Executive (EBLEX).
Overall, MLC carcase classification reports for more than 148,000
prime cattle slaughtered in England in 2005 show 41% of prime beef
meeting the preferred ‘R4L or Better’ specification.
Similar to 2003, this compares with 43% of carcases meeting the
specification in 2004.
English Annual Beef Carcase Performance (MLC)
|
4L
or Leaner |
R
or Better |
R4L
or Better * |
|
2004 |
2005 |
2004 |
2005 |
2004 |
2005 |
All Prime Cattle |
88% |
86% |
50% |
49% |
43% |
41% |
Steers |
89% |
89% |
52% |
49% |
46% |
43% |
Heifers |
78% |
76% |
50% |
48% |
39% |
36% |
Young Bulls |
98% |
97% |
46% |
48% |
44% |
46% |
* Both leaner and better conformation
It also contrasts to the 53% of carcases classifying ‘R4L
or Better’ recorded in Scotland, although continuing price
differentials between English and Scottish abattoirs are likely
to have been responsible for a number of better quality English-reared
stock being marketed north of the border.
The slight annual decline in English carcase quality was evident
in both steers and heifers, although young bull quality improved
somewhat, following its noticeable decline in 2004.
English producers are continuing to prove especially adept at marketing
their animals at the correct level of fatness, less than 15% of
all prime beef carcases grading ‘4H or worse’. A
higher proportion of heifers continue to be over-fat, of course,
but more than 75% are still being slaughtered at the preferred ‘4L
or Leaner’ classification.
It is in the area of conformation that the greatest potential for
improvement continues to lie, with barely half of all animals slaughtered
in England classifying ‘R or Better’. This contrasts
with the 79% ‘R or Better’ figure recorded in Scottish
abattoirs with their very much higher proportion of beef to dairy-bred
stock.
The latest English figures underline the importance of maximising
the quality of beef sires used in both the national beef and dairy
herds through better sire choice on the basis of reliable information
on breeding quality.
Practical guidance on using Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) to
improve beef sire selection is available through the unique EBLEX
Beef Action for Profit resource at www.eblex.org.uk.
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