Researchers, beef producers and packers have linked up to improve beef quality and food safety standards.
The Canadian Charolais Association and XL Beef both based in Calgary, have formed an alliance to trace cattle from birth to slaughter.
Each animal in the program receives an electronic chip in its ear for individual identification as it moves through the beef chain.
When the animal is slaughtered and processed, owners will receive information like carcass weight, grade, red meat yield and feedlot performance. Producers can then make improvements based on the information.
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The association plans to collect and distribute the data. Cattle enrolled in the program must be sired by a Charolais bull so pedigrees can be traced, said Dale Kelly, manager of the association.
It’s believed carcass characteristics are heritable and certain strains within a breed might produce better beef.
Originally targeted at 2,000 animals, interest has broadened among cattle producers to study more animals this year.
“At the present uptake we’ll exceed 2,000,” said Kelly.
The Charolais association has a program for purebred breeders called Conception to Consumer to track individual animal performance. The alliance with XL extends its information package to commercial cattle producers.
“We will find out more as an association as to how our genetics are working in the commercial industry.”
XL Beef runs a branded retail program known as Original Alberta Beef where grain-fed cattle are selected from natural environments. By linking with Canada’s second largest purebred organization, XL will be able to tell consumers where animals came from and how they were raised and processed.
