Groundbreaking technology is to be pioneered at a Bridge of Allan abattoir to put Scotland at the forefront of global efforts to guarantee beef eating quality.
Scotbeef is for the next three years to be used to develop a regime that could add millions of pounds to the value of beef, lamb and pork and provide farmers with clearer signals on the best types of production and feeding systems.
The Scottish Government and Quality Meat Scotland are funding the £950,000 integrated measurement of eating quality (IMEQ) initiative to create either an automatic or semi-automatic system of assessing meat as all animals are processed in abattoirs.
Scotbeef managing director Robbie Galloway and his father, Ian, the executive chairman of the family-owned firm, both yesterday hailed the development, saying it would give Scotland a leading edge if the trial leads to the creation of technology that can be used commercially.
Ian Galloway said: “I am fed up of hearing that we need to go to Australia or to New Zealand to learn from them. They are good at talking. This is now the chance for them to come here and see what we are doing.
“If successful, this will put our export business and our business here in Scotland in a much stronger position if we can prove we have the technological ability to do this. One of the things we really have to protect in Scotland is our scientific knowledge and for which we punch well above our weight in. This allows us to do just that."
Robbie Galloway said he was excited about the innovative nature of the regime in improving the quality of the meat and in driving out the inconsistencies that leads to dissatisfied customers.
The system involves bringing together for the first time several existing pieces of kit used to assess carcases and the meat on them. It involves carcases being viewed by video imagine analysis machines and them then being assessed by near infrared spectroscopy to give an indication of the type of meat. The technology would assess pH, temperature, meat colour, carcase fat, juiciness, tenderness and the nutritional qualities at line-speed, normally about 60-65 cattle carcases an hour.
The Scottish system further involves building a database of characteristics of the carcases processed through it to give abattoirs an immediate indication of how the meat would eat.
It would be a global first if the trials prove successful. Other countries use parts of the system. Australia's star grading system is often hailed as the regime to follow, but only 40% of the beef processed there goes through it. Scotland's IMEQ would allow 100%.
The consortium behind the work involves Scotbeef, the Scottish Agricultural College, the University of Bristol, the biomathetical and statistical arm of the Scottish Crop Research Institute, Stirling-based advanced automation firm Peacock Technology, ultrasound specialist BCF Technology of Livingston, German video image business E+V and Gilden Photonics of Glasgow.
QMS chairman Donald Biggar said having a system to accurately predict meat eating quality would be good for Scottish livestock farmers, processors, retailers and ultimately consumers as it would mean a more consistent product appearing on the nation's shelves. “Retailers would be able to sell beef with greater confidence because the eating experience will be promised," he added.
“For processors they will be able to target the right markets, as well as identify meat that needs to be handled differently to help improve it.
“Farmers too will get clearer signals on ways to improve the skills and traditions we have in Scotland to further enhance an already great product. It may be we can identify the genetics, the feeding and handling systems that provide the best beef. It will be an enormously valuable tool to the industry."
Rural Affairs Secretary Richard Lochhead praised the innovative project which would be vital in helping make the Scottish beef sector more resilient in what was a very competitive world market. “I hope it will be a big success and that it can rolled out throughout the industry.”