The effect of different cattle marketing alternatives on the eating quality of beef

Eating quality is becoming progressively important in the competitive protein marketplace as consumers are increasingly educated and meticulous in their selection [1] particularly with animal welfare credentials. Beef saleyards are a favoured marketing method in the Australian supply chain offering producers the ability to sell varying numbers and classes of cattle, contract agents to sell cattle on their behalf and providing competitive pricing [2]. However concerns regarding the impact of increased stressors and stimulation in the selling environment on eating quality and production has led to a higher proportion of cattle being sold through more direct pathways such as direct consignment [3]. Acute and chronic production stress has been found to adversely impact meat quality attributes including tenderness and ultimate pH [4, 5]. There is evidence that a resting or refeeding period prior to slaughter may assist is dissipating adverse eating quality effects caused by stress exposure throughout the supply chain [6]. The objective was to quantify the eating quality impact of alternative cattle marketing practices between four different saleyard treatments compared to direct consignment control cattle.