At MFA's Beef Innovators seminar industry professionals emphasized the importance of the ability to track, identify and chart individual cattle-and to act on genetic potential. It's a demand producers cannot afford to ignore.

Marbling potential

As cattle producers know, raising a good-looking animal is not enough. Cattlemen are becoming increasingly aware of what lies beneath the hide. Dr. Jim White, ruminant nutritionist at MFA, emphasized that sufficient marbling is an area demanding to be met, while lean muscle growth has also carved out a spot in the market.

"Research has shown that genetics have a tremendous impact on carcass quality," said White. Specific carcass characteristics may be selected through the use of expected progeny differences (EPDs). However, White warned, "We can make management choices that can hurt that genetic potential."

Considering the animal's tissue development and breed characteristics are key in capturing marbling potential. Initial research suggested that cattle build bone first. Then, as animals age, muscle tissue is developed followed by fat. White said that development of tissues can be manipulated by considering frame size, genetics and management practices.

White also ex-plained that contrary to what earlier research suggests, tissue growth overlaps. Managing development of frame and body size is based on breed characteristics. White suggested increasing frame size in straight British cattle before putting them on a finishing ration, which can be accomplished by growing the animal at an average daily gain (ADG) of 1.5 pounds.

"This will increase their final body size without causing them to be over finished," he said.

Conversely, continental cattle with larger frames need to be pushed from the beginning with a targeted ADG above 3 pounds, according to White. This enables the animal to maximize muscle growth at a rate of 2 to 2.5 pounds per day. "Additional calories will produce fat growth," White said.

At the feedyard level, pinpointing when marbling occurs gains profitable importance. White cited a study conducted by Dr. Robbi Pritchard in which he found that marbling occurs earlier than first believed. In the study, cattle were implanted early in the finishing phase utilizing high and low potency implants. Animals administered with a low potency implant on day one followed by a high potency implant on day 56 graded 60 percent choice or better while cattle that received a high potency implant on day one graded 43 and 51 percent choice, respectively.

"Animals hit with too high potency implants too early will lack marbling," said White. Anabolic implants increase the demand for muscle growth; therefore, excess calories are at a minimum and fat growth is depleted. Another result of early, high potency implantation is the stimulation of lean growth and increased frame size. "This causes a shift in the animal's effective size at physiological maturity, which delays fattening," White said.

Genetic selection and management practices work together to realize an animal's marbling potential. "Marbling is a lifelong phenomenon," White said.

Tracking cattle

Derek Martin, a supply representative for Lane County Feeders, Inc. (LCF), Dighton, Kan., talked about the value of tracking cattle through production. Identifying the customer is paramount in determining a producer or company's goals. LCF has determined its customers' demands and has developed a system that allows it to meet those targets.

Utilizing Accu-trac Electronic Cattle Management (ECM), the company is able to compile information on individual animals from ranch to rail. Martin explained that upon arrival cattle are suited with an electronic identification device (EID), but unlike many feedyards, that animal's tag number from the farm is tied to its new EID.

Once retagged, the animal passes through a video-imaging stall. Here, external dimensions are captured-twenty images are recorded to determine the animal's hip height. Individual weights are also recorded, and ultrasound measurements are taken of internal tissue characteristics. The animal is sorted according to analysis of this information. Martin stressed that LCF wants carcass uniformity-not live-animal uniformity based on visual appraisal.

"We have one marketing agreement, not multiple grids," Martin said. Creating greater consistency through calculated management, LCF considers each animal's variables and adjusts the system accordingly. By identifying individual growth curves and mature body weights, cattle can be sorted based on growth curve analysis and grid targets.

Martin pointed out that dollars are lost when cattle are marketed on an arbitrary date. With ECM technology, the feedlot may sell some cattle at 80 days while others are fed for 200 days. Various factors are considered: target finish, mature body weight and incremental cost of gain  compared to sale price. These are determined by monitoring the animal's rate of change in addition to fractional share. Because the cattle are commingled, projections of daily dry matter intake per animal are figured and billing share is assigned accordingly.

Cattle coming from LCF are processed at Cargill Meat Solutions. The ability to track individual animals allows for individual carcass data to be collected. Martin stressed, "They are valued based upon their own [carcass] merit using LCF's grid. Data tracking is of utmost importance."

Traceback is paramount

The cattle industry is global, and world trade markets affect us all. Dr. Chuck Lambert, undersecretary of marketing and regulatory programs, U.S. Department of Agriculture,  addressed U.S. traceback capabilities for disease outbreaks and the climate of our export market.

"An industry shift in thinking came when the foot-and-mouth disease outbreak occurred in the EU," Lambert said. And a further push for animal identification  has come on the heels of international and domestic bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) cases, he said.

Now the framework for national animal identification system (NAIS) is in place. Registration of premises ID is available in Missouri, which is currently a voluntary program. Lambert encouraged cattle producers to participate before a mandatory system is enacted. Once premises are registered, NAIS can move into the animal ID phase. Lambert stressed that the purpose of NAIS is to make a 48-hour animal traceback possible. "There is no need for information beyond locating an animal's origin," he said. 

Lambert admitted that detection of diseased animals has fallen under scrutiny. Testing of high-risk animals and downers intensified after the first domestic case of BSE was confirmed in southeastern Texas. After initial tests in November of 2004, a subsequent test was conducted in June of this year returning a positive result. Lambert did not offer reasons as to why the second test was ordered. He did confirm that a revised protocol would be followed.

The number of cattle being tested has also increased. "With enhanced surveillance, 412,359 head of cattle have been tested, as of June 1, 2005," said Lambert. The enhanced testing rate will continue for the next 3 to 6 months. However, due to mounting cost of analysis, he expressed a desire for the numbers being tested to fall to 40,000 per year.

Lambert reported a positive trade market in light of the stigma surrounding the U.S. BSE cases. Beef trade with Mexico is based on trade with Canada. He explained, "Mexico will take from us what we take from Canada."

Since July 18, the United States has allowed the flow of slaughter, feeder, bone-in and processed beef from Canada. "The cattle crossing the border must be age certified younger than 30 months of age. They must have a veterinarian's signature in Canada, papers cleared at the border and go directly to slaughter in a sealed truck," Lambert said.

Lambert is working with officials in Taiwan and Hong Kong to open those markets for U.S. beef trade. He  assured the audience that negotiations are going well. As for Japan and Korea, he said that there is no guarantee of a date to reopen exports. "Korea is set to move ahead of Japan," said Lambert.

Value of ID

Mike John, manager, MFA Health Track, and president-elect, National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), emphasized the importance of establishing a system that will not create hardships for producers. He believes that MFA's Health Track has already proven that individual animal tracking is possible and profitable.

As chairman of NCBA's ID Commission, John is at the forefront in the development of a national ID system that can trace cattle movement throughout the production line. Acknowledging U.S. trading partners' desire for animal identification, John said, "Ninety-six percent of our customer base does not live in the United States." John suggested that to remain competitive, U.S. beef producers must move forward with a national ID system. Moreover, he pointed out that barriers to trade have unintended consequences. While U.S. borders were closed to Canadian cattle, our northern neighbors increased their packing capacity by 30 percent. "We are now going to have too many hooks to fill in North America." John said, "We have created an excellent competitor in Canada," which has a mandatory national animal ID system in place.