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Production practices for red meat in Australia.

Article Excerpt
Since its beginnings with the arrival of the First Fleet over 200 years ago, our red meat industry has delivered a significant contribution to the economic, social and cultural development of our nation, to the point today where it represents Australia's largest rural sector and, with a total economic contribution of $15.5 billion, is among Australia's major industries.

Australia's red meat industry has built a reputation around the globe as a leader in agricultural production and marketing practice, developing and adopting new technologies and systems to better meet customer and community needs. Australia accounts for around 3% of global red meat production, yet is second only to Brazil as the world's largest exporter of red meat. However, with price premiums for Australian beef and sheepmeats, Australia dominates global exports in value terms, accounting for 25% of global trade.

We have attained this position by recognising consumer and cultural tastes in individual markets and by producing red meat in the style to meet each market need. Australia is now a major supplier of red meat to over 100 countries. Australia's largest markets are shown in Table 1.

RED MEAT ON THE DOMESTIC MARKET

Australian consumers demonstrate in their food purchasing behaviour that they have taken the 'reduce fat intake' message to heart. This is apparent in red meat, where the number one selling item in retail meat cases is Extra Lean Mince ([less than or equal to]5% fat content). Retailers have responded across their red meat range with product specifications, typically including marbling scores of 0-2 (on a 7-point scale). Trimming specifications on external fat are typically a maximum of 3 mm. While some up-market restaurants in Australia promote heavily marbled meat as an indulgence, the vast majority of red meat offered for everyday family consumption in Australia is lean.

FEEDING REGIMES

Australian production practices vary to meet the different market needs. In northern Australia, tropical breeds such as Brahmans are reared on pasture mainly to service the global lean frozen market for blending into hamburgers. In southern and central Australia, European and British breeds (e.g. Angus, Hereford) are reared on pasture to supply lean chilled beef for the domestic market, but also for fattening in feed lots...

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