May 8, 2006

Researchers find producing "natural" beef more expensive

The customer may not be the one who is always right, but he is the one who always pays. With concerns about chemicals in beef cattle mounting, more consumers are demanding organic and natural meats free from chemicals. However, that may result in higher than expected costs, according to researchers.

Natural beef would be beef produced from animals on a plant-based diet produced without antibiotics , metabolism modifiers, or hormone implants, Dr Veloso, a Kansas State University meat scientist, said.

Veloso and colleagues compared the performance and beef carcass characteristics traits of cattle raised under traditional practices with those of cattle raised naturally.

Traditional-raised steers were implanted with trenbolone acetate and estradiol, and received ractopamine-HCl during the last 33 days of feeding. They were also fed antibiotic performance enhancers. The "natural" steers were not implanted and were not given feed additives.

Steers in the traditional group had higher bodyweight gain, higher feed efficiency, heavier carcasses, and larger ribeyes whereas "natural" cattle had better carcass quality grades, but would require a US$3 per hundredweight premium when compared with traditional cattle, researchers said.