May 4, 2012

Brazilian researchers have identified cattle DNA specimens, responsible for tender meat, which may offer methods of identifying cattle with high potential for soft beef via molecular markers, according to the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation.

The new research technology could offer great value to Brazilian cattle breeders and processors, said Luciana Regitano, livestock researcher with Embrapa, who led the research project on strategies for improving genetics and production efficiency and quality in Brazilian beef.

The process would especially benefit producers of Nelore cattle, the main line used for cross-breeding in Brazil. Brazil currently has an estimated 209 million head of cattle, 150 million of which are Nelore, Embrapa said.

In addition to Brazil, patents on the technology have been filed in Canada and the US, potential markets for the commercialisation of molecular marker technology. In Brazil, it's estimated that the market for livestock genetic services is at least US$40 million annually, Embrapa said.

The technology was developed by Regitano and researchers at the Embrapa Livestock Southeast center in São Carlos, São Paulo state, in partnership with the Federal University of São Carlos.