Brief Summary of Minutes of Annual Meeting

The meeting was called to order at 9 a.m. in the offices of the National Cattlemens Beef Association in Denver, Colorado. Dale Menkhaus chaired the meeting as the President, Warrie Means, was unable to attend. The agenda was revised to allow the business meeting to be conducted first. Thayne Dutson, Dean of the College of Agricultural Sciences and Director of the Oregon Agricultural Experiment Station at Oregon State University, served as the administrative representative to the committee. He indicated Larry Miller is now Acting Associate Administrator for the Cooperative State Research, Education and Extension Service of USDA and will be unable to attend the meeting. A replacement representative to this committee has not been named. A discussion occurred about the future of the project, which is currently scheduled to terminate in 2007. If we choose to renew this committee, the submission should be ready in January, 2007 in time for the spring meeting of the Regional Implementation Committee of West Regional Experiment Station Directors. Their meeting is in March. Three options were discussed: continuing as is, with revisions; changing to a coordinating committee; termination. After discussing the benefits of being a regional research committee, the group decided by consensus to seek renewal next year. It was acknowledged that to continue as a regional research committee we would have to improve coordination among the stations. Examples of coordination between universities were identified. The University of Nebraska contingent has submitted joint research proposals with Colorado State University (which are still pending). Colorado State University and the University of Wyoming were unsuccessful with a proposal they submitted. During this meeting, collaborative research was initiated between University of Nebraska and Iowa State University. Utah State University is collaborating with Colorado State University as well. It was noted that a termination report is due in the Fall of 2007. No year-end report is done the final year because of the termination report. Everyone will need to provide input into the termination report, paying particular to how the objectives of the overall project. The chairman is charged with compiling the termination report. After considerable discussion, the proposed title and objective of the next version of this committee were identified. There were two primary changes - a focus on beef and development of a single objective to foster collaboration.

Objective 1: Improve meat quality, safety and value at all levels of the supply chain to enhance competitiveness and to evaluate economic impacts of these new approaches. On December 23, 2003, Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) was detected in an imported dairy cow in Mabton, Washington. Subsequently (June of 2005), a second domestic case of BSE was detected in Texas. As a result, the Program in Meat Science at Colorado State University allocated substantial resources and effort to address marketing and food safety issues associated with discovery of BSE in the U.S., including a collaborative focus with the Federal government and all major trade organizations to re-establish market access for U.S. beef exports. Beef trade with Japan and Hong Kong was restored in December 2005. Food safety issues (related to BSE) associated with cross-contamination of beef with Specified Risk Materials (SRMs) was addressed by conducting three field studies; efforts in this area will continue in 2006. Pre- and post-harvest microbiological food safety continued to be emphasized by the Meat Science Program, and several separate studies were conducted in 2005 in these regards. Over time, such food safety efforts have continued to generate reduced prevalence of food-borne pathogens on meat products as documented by USDA-FSIS and CDC. Human prevalence of vCJD due to ingestion of contaminated beef remains extremely low globally. Red meat quality issues were addressed by extending efforts to characterize post-mortem aging curves for 18 beef carcass muscles, by researching the impact of Optiflex (an approved ±-agonist) on beef quality, and by assisting the private sector and government with implementation of beef carcass instrument grading technology. The latter efforts will result in national implementation of USDA Yield and Quality Grading using video imaging technology by 2007. Iowa State University research has contributed to the line of inquiry regarding the role of the calpain system in development of meat tenderness. Previous work has demonstrated that calpastatin (an inhibitor of calpain enzymes) alleles are associated with differences in fresh meat quality. An important reported result in 2005 is that calpastatin markers are associated with dry-cured ham quality. Degradation of the intermediate filament protein desmin and the membrane protein integrin, substrates of the naturally occurring calcium-dependent enzyme calpain in muscle, is related to water holding capacity and tenderness of pork. Our work suggests that integrin and desmin play different roles influencing water holding capacity of pork. The degradation of integrin contributes to the formation of drip channels between the cell membrane and cell body and subsequently increases the drip loss. However, since intact desmin helps transfer the myofibril shrinkage to the whole cell level and force water out of the myofibril, degradation of desmin may increase water-holding capacity. Continued research is being conducted at Iowa State University to identify the precise mechanisms underlying this phenomenon. Greater understanding of the mechanisms underlying the activity of calpain against desmin and other muscle proteins will lead to improved methods for producing products with greater tenderness and water holding capacity and possibly improved processing functionality. Because calpain is the enzyme system that degrades many of the proteins involved in regulating product quality, much of our focus is on determining factors that affect the activity of the two major enzyme isoforms (µ- and m-calpain) and their inhibitor, calpastatin. Our recent results demonstrate that rate of pH decline directly impacts inactivation of calpain proteinases. Activity of µ-calpain was greater at pH 6.5 than either pH 7.5 or 6.0. A rapid pH decline in post-mortem muscle also reduces µ-calpain activity. Previous work from our laboratory observed that porcine muscles with low early post-mortem pH had earlier µ-calpain autolysis and inactivation and earlier degradation of desmin than muscles with higher early post-mortem pH. Additionally, moderate rates of post-mortem pH decline (pH of 5.8 to 6.2 at 3 h) have been shown to produce the most tender beef loin steaks, whereas rapid rates (pH of 5.5 at 3 h) and slow rates (pH 6.8 at 3 h) of post-mortem glycolysis produced less tender meat. The novel observations reported this year indicate greater µ-calpain activity at the intermediate pH (6.5) than pH 7.5 and 6.0. If the pH decline is rapid, µ-calpain activity is diminished due to the lower pH. If post-mortem glycolysis is slow and the pH does not decline as rapidly, µ-calpain may autolyze earlier post-mortem, thereby losing proteolytic activity earlier and not allowing for maximal proteolysis. Thus, intermediate pH decline allows more proteolysis and slower completion of autolysis; therefore, ultimately allowing for greater post-mortem protein degradation and increased tenderization. Our laboratory has also demonstrated that oxidizing conditions inhibit calpain activity. It is therefore expected that oxidation of µ-calpain before it associates with calpastatin results in inactivation of calpain, little myofibrillar fragmentation and little improvement in tenderness and water holding capacity. The results presented demonstrate that pH decline and protein oxdation are heretofore undefined sources of variation in post-mortem proteolysis and associated development of meat water holding capacity and tenderness. Texture of meat products is dependent on the gelation characteristics of myofibrillar protein. Gaining an understanding of the gelation mechanism of meat gel systems is beneficial for the development of processed meat products as well as maintaining quality in meat products. Iowa State University meat scientists have documented that lower pH (5.6, 6.0, 6.5, and 7.0) significantly alters gelation properties of myofibrillar proteins in solution. The data support a relationship between pH and the textural properties of porcine myofibrillar protein gels. This relationship is most apparent after 60°C and strongest during gelation. The gelation period of most importance is during the temperature range of 60-75°C where pH and the storage modulus have the strongest relationship and water-holding capacity and the rate of gelation are directly correlated. Therefore, pH can be altered in meat products to reach the desired gel strength at a given temperature, or pH must be monitored to ensure consistent quality from product to product. In the summer of 2004 the University of Nebraska group investigated the influence of cooking rate and holding time on beef steaks from the chuck and round. Seven muscles from 10 beef carcasses were cooked quickly or slowly and held 0 or 1 hour to explore the influence of cooking rate and holding time on beef flavor. Off-flavor intensity was lowest when beef was cooked slowly (on a 149°C grill instead of a 249°C grill) and when it was held for 1 hour prior to sensory evaluation. The infraspinatus (flat iron) had the least intense off-flavor and the vastus intermedius (knuckle bottom) had the most intense off-flavor. Slow cooking or holding for 1 hour prior to consumption reduced the intensity of off-flavor in value cuts. During the previous study it was noticed that if an animal had one off-flavored muscle, then the rest of the muscles tested from the same animal would also be rated as off-flavored. Therefore, a follow-up study was conducted to determine the relationship of off-flavors, pH, and heme iron content among the different beef value cuts. After grading, knuckles and shoulder clods were removed from 16 Choice and 14 Select-grade beef carcasses, vacuum-packaged, and aged 7 d. Heme-iron concentration and pH were determined on steaks derived from six muscles from each carcass. Sensory analysis was conducted using a trained taste panel. Muscles differed in sensory and off-flavor characteristics. Heme-iron concentration did not differ among muscles. Three Select-grade carcasses had intense off-flavor in each of the muscles tested. Few significant relationships between heme-iron, pH and off-flavor notes were found. These data suggest liver-like off-flavors are animal specific and that pH and heme iron have little relationship to off-flavor notes. Since the off-flavors, especially the liver-like flavor, appeared to be animal related it is important to determine the cause. It was suggested that the recent increase in the number of flavor related complaints could be due to a recent change in feeding practices. Therefore, the Nebraska group investigated feeding wet distillers grains plus solubles (WDGS) to determine if there were increases in liver-like off-flavors in beef and to determine the sensory attributes of cattle finished with WDGS. Crossbred steers were fed with varying levels of wet distillers grains to test the incidence of liver-like off-flavors. USDA Choice steaks, when compared to Select, had significantly higher trained sensory muscle fiber tenderness scores, less detectable connective tissue, higher juiciness scores, and more intense off-flavor ratings. USDA Choice steaks had a higher percentage of panelists denote liver-like and metallic off-flavors. Wet distillers grains did not significantly influence off-flavor indicating these by-products can be used to finish cattle without causing detrimental effects on the sensory profile. During the initial study of the cooking rate and holding time, it was observed that the off-flavored samples could be smelled when cooking. Therefore, an audit at a plant was undertaken Nebraska researchers to try to obtain more off-flavored samples, test the slice and sniff theory and try to establish a percentage of the animal population that had the flavor. In the first sampling 354 10g-slices were taken from the beef knuckle. The sample was quickly cooked in the plant and sniffed, and if necessary eaten, to determine if there was an off-flavor, especially a liver-like off-flavor. Thirty-one samples were collected as off-flavored as well as 29 for controls. The samples were brought back to the university and stored until trained taste panels could be conducted to verify the off-flavors. Preliminary results indicate the slice and sniff method cannot be used instead of a trained panel. Several more trips were taken to the plant, but only 1 off-flavored sample was identified in the more than 600 tested. To try to eliminate the possibilities that might be causing the off-flavors, the Nebraska scientists have tried to identify the actual off-flavors using GC-MS. A protocol for identifying the volatile compounds in off-flavored beef is being developed. Extraction of the volatile compounds can be accomplished by mixing powdered meat sample with distilled water and flushing with nitrogen in a 40°C water bath. Volatiles escaping the flask can be trapped on a porous polymer column. Solvent is used to remove the compounds which can then be analyzed using a gas chromatograph (GC) and mass spectrophotometer (MS). More work needs to be conducted on the best solvent, cryogenic MS conditions, and column lengths to optimize conditions to be able to identify compounds or classes of compounds that are causing off-flavors in muscles from the chuck and round. A purge and trap method on the MS may be investigated to eliminate the previous steps and send the volatiles from the sample into the MS for identification. At the University of California-Davis we compared the previously developed Davis Growth Model (DGM) with the French (INRA) Growth Model (IGM) to predict protein and fat deposition in growing cattle. In the DGM, protein synthesis is governed by DNA accretion related to hyperplasia; whereas, both protein synthesis and degradation in IGM depend on physiological age. Fat deposition results from the difference between MEI and the energy in protein gain plus heat production in DGM; whereas, IGM predicts fat synthesis and degradation based on physiological age and MEI. Maintenance requirement is clearly expressed in DGM, but only calculated in IGM. We fitted each model to three datasets from published experiments on Salers heifers, Angus-Hereford steers and Charolais bulls. To avoid bias, evaluation of the models was performed on the quantities of body protein and fat predicted using the same data as for calibration. Both models gave accurate and precise predictions of body protein. They also performed well for body fat in Charolais bulls growing continuously. However, DGM tended to underestimate body fat deposition during feeding restriction periods with Salers heifers. This suggests that DGM overestimated heat production during periods of low MEI. IGM was not sensitive to MEI as it overestimates body fat at low MEI and it underestimates body fat at high MEI in Angus-Hereford steers. These results suggest that formalisations of protein accretion in DGM and IGM are valid. Researchers at Texas A&M University reported on factors affecting pork quality, the use of peroxyacetic acid as a pathogen intervention, and in-home assessments of beef from the round and sirloin. This work will generate methods which, when adopted by industry, will enhance pork quality. As the industry develops a more comprehensive food safety system; development and application of microbial inhibitors, such as peroxyacetic acid, will allow process options and increased hurdles to food-borne pathogens. In-home assessments of beef products will give researches guidance for further product improvement and marketers the ability to capitalize on existing product attributes. Consumer acceptance of many muscle foods is largely determined by price and palatability traits expressed during consumption. Tenderness is one of the largest factors dictating consumer acceptance of beef products and tenderness inconsistency as a main reason for dissatisfaction. The fetal origins hypothesis states that insult to the mother during gestation can have lasting effects on the fetus during later life. Fetal under-nutrition has been linked to disproportionate fetal growth, cardiovascular disease, and an increased incidence of insulin resistance as an adult. Wyoming and the Rocky Mountain West have several natural and geographic factors that create problems for producers to maintain sustainable beef cattle production systems. The regions short growing seasons, arid climates, shallow/rocky soils, and high elevations make much of the land fit the description of non-tillable rangeland. Additionally, these rangelands are very dynamic due to the variation in precipitation. These factors lead to possible nutrient restriction during early to mid gestation. A specific objective at the University of Wyoming station was to evaluate how maternal nutrient restriction of the beef cow from day 30 to day 120 of gestation impacted final carcass traits, muscle growth, and muscle quality of subsequent progeny at typical finishing endpoints. Control cows (C) received 100 percent of the NRC requirements for a gestating beef cow. The nutrient restricted cows (NR) received 68.1 percent of the NRC requirements for a gestating beef cow. At d 120 of gestation, control cows were maintained on similar diet (100% NRC requirements) and the NR group was fed a diet to achieve a similar body condition score to control cows at time of calving. Steer calves were raised in the University of Wyoming feedlot until they reached a typical finished weight and a back fat thickness determined by ultrasound measurement. Steers were harvested at 13-14 months of age using accepted agricultural methods over a 1 month period with 2 separate harvest weeks, allowing for fabrication between the two harvest groups. Virtually all measures of muscle growth and carcass quality were similar, except carcasses from NR dams tended to have less dissectible fat (P = 0.07) and more dissectible lean (P = 0.08) as percentage of the 9-10-11 rib section, indicating a trend toward leaner carcasses from NR dams. There were no differences between Warner-Bratzler Shear Force values for steaks from the two treatment groups. Our data indicate that nutrient restriction of the cow will cause only minimal, if any, differences in quantity and quality of meat produced by steer offspring at typical slaughter endpoints. Nutrient restriction may be more important when livestock remain in the herd to more mature stages, such as replacement females. Objective 2: Evaluate the impacts of the changing structure of the meat industry including price discovery under alternative pricing systems, trading institutions and methods of delivery. A confounded factorial conjoint choice experiment was conducted with 12 University of Nebraska classes (6 Animal Science and 6 Statistics classes) to examine the effects of price, country-of-origin labeling, marbling, tenderness guarantee, traceable-to-the-farm labeling, class discipline and the possibility of receiving a gift on preferences toward beef rib-eye steaks. All factors except class discipline and the possibility of receiving a gift had a significant impact on consumer preferences. Based on the odds ratios, the relative importance of these factors were price (1.97), tenderness guarantee (1.92), country-of-origin label (1.68), marbling (1.43) and traceable-to-the-farm labeling (1.30). This relative order of importance was also supported by the willingness-to-pay estimates: tenderness guarantee ($3.03/lb), country-of-origin label ($2.40/lb), marbling ($1.67/lb) and traceable-to-the-farm label ($1.20/lb). Preferences were also affected by a number of interactions. Marbling interacted with country-of-origin, tenderness guarantee, discipline and gift, which indicated that relative preference of moderate to slight marbling was dependent on other factors. Also, preference for a tenderness guarantee, or a country-of-origin label was price dependent with larger preferences for these attributes at lower prices. A three way interaction between class discipline, marbling and country-of-origin label suggested that knowledgeable students placed a high value on the amount of marbling when the country-of-origin was known while the country-of-origin label had little impact on the value placed on marbling for students who are less knowledgeable about beef. ERS published a report (Perry, MacDonald, Nelson, Hahn, Arnade, Plato) on the effects of the mandatory price reporting act on cattle markets. This study focuses on fed cattle markets to compare the mandatory price reporting system developed by USDAs Agricultural Marketing Service in 2001 with the previous voluntary reporting system. The study evaluates whether the mandatory system has improved the amount and quality of information available to the market. We find that prices received with formula purchasing arrangements, which were not comprehensively reported under the voluntary system, appear to closely match prices received with negotiated purchases. The trend toward formula purchases has slowed since mandatory price reporting was implemented, and the volume of cattle moving under negotiated purchases has increased. Futures prices did not seem to respond to prices under mandatory reporting; however, the mandatory data seem to better represent market conditions. Other market factors such as cyclically low cattle inventories and the discovery of BSE in North America may have influenced the shift back to negotiated cash transactions. ERS has completed initial research comparing Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) and retail-store scanner data prices for meat cuts. The ERS purchase of scanner data was mandated by the Act. BLS, scanner, and USDA wholesale prices for the meats ERS analyzed were cointegrated. Statistical tests suggest that the BLS and scanner data sets are from different market niches. Scanner data provides additional information about meat markets; however, its value is somewhat limited due to the 50-day lag between the end of the month and the publication of the data. (BLS retail prices are usually available 15-20 days after the end of the month.) Researchers at ERS have completed the estimation-phase of a demand study that divides beef into three quality grades: (1) steer and heifer beef grading Prime and Choice, (2) steer and heifer beef grading Select and lower, and (3) cull-grade (cow & bull) beef. The study also included the demand for pork, chicken, turkey, and wholesale-to-retail processing services. Part of the study was the measurement of taste-shifts for the various meats. None of the meats showed stable demands. However, demand shifted from Choice beef to Select beef during the 1980's and 1990's. There has been some recovery in the demand for Choice beef since the end of the 1990's. Applied economic analysis at Colorado State used survey data from two national consumer surveys to evaluate consumer value and willingness to pay (WTP) for beef attributes. The first study used 2003 U.S. survey data to assess WTP for a mandatory country-of-origin labeling (COOL) program applied to beef rib-eye steaks, chicken breasts, and pork chops, all labeled as Certified U.S. products. Results indicate that consumers are in general very concerned about food safety issues, viewing U.S. meat as the safest among the selection of countries considered. Nevertheless, consumer WTP for Certified U.S. products is relatively small, although above the expected implementation costs associated with a mandatory labeling program. This finding coincides with the fact that only 36% of the sample favored consumers paying directly for the costs related to a mandatory COOL program. Additional work is being done with this data set using choice sets to determine WTP for COOL relative to traceability, tenderness, and food safety inspection. The second consumer study conducted at Colorado State University utilized data from a 2004 U.S. consumer study, and factor and cluster analysis to determine market segments for various (varied by production protocols and other meat attributes) natural beef products. Findings from the cluster analysis indicate that there are multiple segments of consumers who are likely to purchase natural beef, and that different segments are motivated by different factors. The most important factor explaining almost two-thirds of the differences among consumer responses relates to consumers' perceptions of the importance of meat attributes related to production practices (e.g. use of antibiotics, hormones and environmentally friendly grazing). Interestingly, the two consumer segments that are willing to pay a significantly higher premium for natural, local beef are motivated by different aspects of the meat and its intrinsic production attributes. One segment, representing 12.5% of consumers, ranked the importance of all production attributes significantly lower than the sample average. Consumers in this segment appear to be motivated by their perceptions of the extrinsic quality of natural beef products. The other segment, 13% of consumers, appears to be altruistic, ranking all production attributes such as no antibiotics, no hormones, and humane treatment, significantly higher than all of the other clusters. These results indicate the potential strength of production methods (and marketing of such quality differences) as product differentiation criteria. Additional analysis with the data was used to estimate the probability that a consumer will purchase and pay a premium for two natural and regionally produced beef products: rib-eye steak and ground beef. Results indicate the probability a consumer will pay a premium depends on purchase behavior and shopping location, stated importance of production attributes, ni addition to awareness and interest in private and civic agricultural issues. This research illustrates the type of market research that may be useful for beef producers seeking value-added marketing opportunities, and portrays the types of consumers who are fueling the growth in natural meats in the United States. Such market analysis can facilitate producers' ability to effectively develop product concepts, labeling and promotional strategies targeted at the most receptive consumer segments, and illustrates that there is more than one type of consumer interested in purchasing products differentiated by sustainable production methods. Research during the past year at the Wyoming station was directed toward the study of the impact of reported price information on bargaining behavior in private negotiation trading. The culture of private negotiation trading leads parties to agreements below a price that anchors beginning bids and offers. One such anchor is publicly reported information, which may cause a downward or upward drift in negotiated prices. Using bilateral bargaining data from laboratory experimental markets, this research demonstrates how price information reports create drifts in negotiated prices. A downward drift is robust and causes sharp declines in total surplus. The downward drift in market price results from the tendency of traders to use the average from which to begin further negotiations. Also, relative earnings are distributed toward buyers and away from sellers. Research undertaken at Utah State University has focused on issues related to meat traceability. During the last year research examined consumers' willingness to pay for meat traceability and characteristics that can be verified using traceability. These studies were conducted in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, and Japan. Findings indicate that consumers in all four countries value meat traceability; but, that traceability would best be bundled with other characteristics that can be verified with traceability, such as enhanced food safety or guarantees about humane animal treatment in meat production. A separate study examined how the discovery of BSE in the United States and Canada might have affected the value of traceability and county-of-origin certifications for U.S. and Canadian beef. The findings indicated that following the December 2003 announcement of a BSE case in the state of Washington that American consumers, while not reducing their demand for U.S. beef, exhibited more uncertainty about beef products than prior to December 2003. However, U.S. consumers did exhibit less willingness to pay for Canadian beef after December 2003 than before December 2003. Preliminary economic analysis conducted at the South Dakota station focuses on quantifying the effect of weaning regime on the economic return to the investment decision to retain ownership of a steer calf at feedlot placement to slaughter. The data set has 145 steer calves, 71 are classified as normal weaning date, and 74 as early weaned calves. There are 71 South Dakota calves, 35 are classified as normal weaning date, and 36 as early weaned calves. There are 74 North Dakota calves, 36 are normal weaned calves and 38 are early weaned calves. Early weaned calves had a higher level of production efficiency and lower average cost of production, but early weaned steers spent on average 55 days longer in the feedlot, and their total feedlot cost was, on average, $50.00 higher than normal weaned steers. Early weaned steers, on average, also had a significantly higher medical cost per head relative to normal weaned steers. It appears that the cost of feeding early weaned steers longer, accounts for the statistical conclusion that there is no economic benefit associated with adopting a early weaning regime relative to a normal weaning regime. However, early weaning did produce productivity benefits that need additional investigation. Early weaned steers, on average, were 31 days younger and of equivalent weight and quality as their normal weaned counter parts. This represents a 7.5% reduction in the lifecycle time of a steer. Early weaned steers, on average, also had a 1.7% improvement in dressing percentage over their normal weaned counterparts. A caveat, however, is attached to these conclusions. The economic analysis has not at this time considered the benefits of an early weaning regime for the potential improvement of cow health and pasture quality.