Technical
MEAT STANDARDS AUSTRALIA (MSA)
Breeding for Improved MSA Compliance & Increased MSA Index Values The world-leading eating quality grading program, Meat Standards Australia (MSA), continues to grow year-on year, ensuring Australia’s beef and sheepmeat align with consumer expectations. In 2020-21, the MSA program achieved a major milestone, with MSA graded cattle now representing more than half of the national adult cattle slaughter, at 53%, up from 46% in 2019-20. The program continues to deliver to MSA beef producers, with an estimated $157 million in additional farm gate returns. More than 3.3 million cattle were MSA graded through 38 Australian beef processors in 2020-21. While this is an 11% decrease in the number of cattle on the previous year, it reflects an overall reduction in slaughter numbers. Processors representing 53% of MSA graded carcases are using the Eating Quality Graded cipher in their business to describe beef products by an eating quality outcome, as opposed to a dentition based cipher. An additional 2,594 producers became MSA registered in 2020-21, taking the total number of registered MSA producers to 48,241 In 2020-21, the average MSA Index for MSA compliant carcases in Australia was 57.62, a slight decrease of 0.41 from the recordbreaking 58.03 national average Index in 2019-20. While there was a reduction in the Grainfed MSA Index, there was an improvement in the non-Grainfed MSA Index compared to 2019-20. (Source: MSA Annual Outcomes)
BREEDING FOR MSA PROGRAMS There are many factors which affect an individual carcase’s suitability for both MSA and company/brand programs. Many of the factors that affect the eating quality of a carcase are heavily influenced by animal handling and management on-farm, during transport and at the abattoir. Many components are also influenced by the genetic makeup of the animal. Opportunities consequently exist to improve the suitability of animals for marketing into MSA programs, through the adoption of suitable breeding and selection strategies.
Understanding MSA Compliance Cattle consigned to MSA must comply with a number of minimum grading specifications; otherwise they will be downgraded to non-MSA product and won’t receive a premium. To be considered MSA compliant, carcases must meet the following specifications: • Muscle pH of equal to or less than 5.70 • Minimum rib fat of 3mm • Adequate fat coverage over the entire carcase Carcases graded during 2016-17 across Australia achieved 93.9% compliance to MSA specifications. Meat colour and pH were the greatest reason for non-compliance. Only a small percentage of carcases did not meet the minimum MSA requirement of 3mm rib fat. In addition to MSA specifications, some processors and brands impose further specifications based on their own market requirements. For example, processors may have specifications around carcase weight, dentition and fat colour. Throughout 2016-17, an additional 1.8% of MSA graded cattle did not meet company specifications. cont page 60.... 59
