Genetics research in the Cooperative Research Centre for Cattle and Beef Quality

Abstract

In its first 7-year term, the Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) for the Cattle and Beef Industry (Meat Quality) identified the genetic and non-genetic factors that impacted on beef eating quality. Following this, the CRC for Cattle and Beef Quality was established in 1999 to identify the consequences of improving beef eating quality and feed efficiency by genetic and non-genetic means on traits other than carcass and beef quality. The new CRC also had the responsibility to incorporate results from the first Beef CRC in national schemes such as BREEDPLAN (Australia’s beef genetic evaluation scheme) and Meat Standards Australia (Australia’s unique meat grading scheme that guarantees the eating quality of beef). This paper describes the integrated research programs and their results involving molecular and quantitative genetics, meat science, growth and nutrition and industry economics in the Beef CRC’s second phase (1999–2006) and the rationale for the individual genetics programs established. It summarises the planned scientific and beef industry outcomes from each of these programs and also describes the development and/or refinement by CRC scientists of novel technologies targeting increased genetic gains through enhanced measurement and recording in beef industry herds, thereby ensuring industry use of CRC results.