BeefSpecs
BeefSpecs - Beef CRC - Beef Genetic Technologies
| Beef Specs is a groundbreaking new calculator is now available that can help cattle producers predict weight and fat specifications of animals destined for store and prime markets. |
 |
| Download the BeefSpecs Calculator |
| The BeefSpecs calculator was designed by the Beef CRC to assist cattle producers to make more accurate management decisions that could increase carcase compliance rates for fatness and weight targets specific to various beef markets. Whether producers are supplying the local trade, the butcher trade, supermarkets or even the export market, they get paid on weight and fatness. There are significant penalties for animals which are under-done or are over-fat. According to MLA, up to 25 percent of Australian cattle fail to meet targets for hot standard carcase weight (HSCW) and fat specifications, at a cost of between $15 and $30 a head, depending on the target market. A recent study of feedlot cattle showed that in a 20,000 head sample of animals finished for short-fed markets, 28% missed HSCW specifications, foregoing $31,000 ($5.50/head) and 16% missed P8 fat specifications, forfeiting $54,000 ($17.50/head). The online BeefSpecs calculator requires users to input initial live weight, P8 fat depth and frame score (an indication of frame size relative to age) to define the growth and maturity parameters of cattle while still on-farm. Feedlot performance models and maternal models are now in development to provide the beef industry a suite of phenotype prediction models. |
BeefSpecs in the media – ABC Rural Online |
| Beef CRC media release 2008 |
