DOC HARRIS
Well-known member
There seems to be a constant "Tug-of-War" between whether beef producers should concentrate their genetic selection efforts toward increased Marbling - or - increased size of Rib Eye Area. In the last 25 years or so, the on-going demanding trend has dictated that breeder's persist in getting higher and higher REA EPD's and, at the SAME time, higher Marbling EPD's. It has been said that the two traits are antagonistic to each other - that is, if one trait is increased, it tends to lower the other characteristic in the mating protocols. Perhaps the actual facts remain to be proven - however - we do know that flavor and desirable taste of beef products go hand-in-hand with high Marbling percentages.
What about the question of "What should be the size of a Retail Market Rib Eye to be expedient AND pragmatic?" There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who answer it.
In the February 2007 edition of "BEEF Magazine" there appears an article titled "BIG Beef Buyers, wherein beef buyers for McDonald's. Outback, and Wal-Mart were questioned, and I thought that two of the questions and the accompanying answers were of significant interest as to be brought to the attention of the reader's of this Board.
Question #1 - "How is the aging demographic changing the restaurant business?" (That means "Senior Citizen" Beef Customers.)
Answer to Question #1 by David Burns of "Outback Steakhouse" - "Some consumers are trending down a little bit on portion size, and we're trying to give the consumer exactly what they're asking for. That's one reason we've added a smaller sirloin and a smaller filet." (My emphasis added).
Question #2 - "Regarding carcass and portion size, if cattle size is such a problem, why aren't they discounted more in the marketplace?"
Answer to Question #2 by Tony Ribble of "Wal-Mart Supercenters" - "Wal-Mart doesn't buy carcasses, we buy cuts of beef, but carcass size is a problem in our company. For example, if you take a ribeye that's 16-17 lbs. and try to put four of those in a family pack, which is our normal specificatfion, it doesn't work because it doesn't fit. So we end up having to put three in the package and reduce the size of the package. That costs us sales."
I consider these answers very revealing, and Beef Producers should take a VERY hard look at the FUTURE of THEIR business - and their Cattle Breeding plans for the future - inasmuch as these three companies alone account for literally BILLIONS of dollars worth of Beef Purchases yearly, and they are demanding SMALLER and ". . .great, high-quality Choice, thick steaks with a lot of marbling; and they want it fresh, of course"!
These two answers should be sufficient to keep you awake at night, planning your next ten years breeding protocols! Do you still want to raise 1400-1600+ lb. brood cows with low marbling and funnel butts??
Think about it when you decide on Replacement Heifers and your next generation Herd Bulls!
DOC HARRIS
What about the question of "What should be the size of a Retail Market Rib Eye to be expedient AND pragmatic?" There are probably as many answers to that question as there are people who answer it.
In the February 2007 edition of "BEEF Magazine" there appears an article titled "BIG Beef Buyers, wherein beef buyers for McDonald's. Outback, and Wal-Mart were questioned, and I thought that two of the questions and the accompanying answers were of significant interest as to be brought to the attention of the reader's of this Board.
Question #1 - "How is the aging demographic changing the restaurant business?" (That means "Senior Citizen" Beef Customers.)
Answer to Question #1 by David Burns of "Outback Steakhouse" - "Some consumers are trending down a little bit on portion size, and we're trying to give the consumer exactly what they're asking for. That's one reason we've added a smaller sirloin and a smaller filet." (My emphasis added).
Question #2 - "Regarding carcass and portion size, if cattle size is such a problem, why aren't they discounted more in the marketplace?"
Answer to Question #2 by Tony Ribble of "Wal-Mart Supercenters" - "Wal-Mart doesn't buy carcasses, we buy cuts of beef, but carcass size is a problem in our company. For example, if you take a ribeye that's 16-17 lbs. and try to put four of those in a family pack, which is our normal specificatfion, it doesn't work because it doesn't fit. So we end up having to put three in the package and reduce the size of the package. That costs us sales."
I consider these answers very revealing, and Beef Producers should take a VERY hard look at the FUTURE of THEIR business - and their Cattle Breeding plans for the future - inasmuch as these three companies alone account for literally BILLIONS of dollars worth of Beef Purchases yearly, and they are demanding SMALLER and ". . .great, high-quality Choice, thick steaks with a lot of marbling; and they want it fresh, of course"!
These two answers should be sufficient to keep you awake at night, planning your next ten years breeding protocols! Do you still want to raise 1400-1600+ lb. brood cows with low marbling and funnel butts??
Think about it when you decide on Replacement Heifers and your next generation Herd Bulls!
DOC HARRIS
