The results of a trial to discover which tenderness gene marker scores meet consumer expectations for beef is expected later this year. The findings could persuade breeders to use gene marking, identified through DNA, to produce cattle with more tender beef.
Backed by Genesis Faraday, an organisation that funds and promotes the development of genetic technologies, the trial has brought together Dovecote Park, Border Quality Beef, the National Beef Association (NBA), Igenity, and the University of Bristol.
"The apparently random tendency of some animals to produce tough beef has frustrated consumers, retailers and breeders for decades but the identification of exactly which cattle carry the gene score combination that makes their beef acceptably tender could revolutionise beef production," explained NBA director Kim Haywood, who co-ordinated the group application for the research grant.
advertisement"The trial's first task is to discover the actual relationship between DNA profile scores for the tenderness gene and actual meat tenderness.
"Then, a full investigation into whether selection based exclusively on traits that govern eating quality will undermine other physiological traits like growth rate or muscling, or produce a different fat score is also being conducted.
"Once this information has been verified, and if the results are as good as the industry hopes, then a number of new commercial doors will immediately swing open and moves can be made to produce animals that will be more valuable because none of their beef will disappoint consumers by being tough.