# The marbling score assessed with Meat Standards Australia is heritable in Charolais cattle

Matteo Santinello, John Speke Katende, Angela Costa, Nicola Rampado, Jean-François Hocquette, Massimo de Marchi, Mauro Penasa

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Matteo Santinello, John Speke Katende, Angela Costa, Nicola Rampado, Jean-François Hocquette, et al.. The marbling score assessed with Meat Standards Australia is heritable in Charolais cattle. Italian Journal of Animal Science, 2025, 24 (1), pp.1182-1188. 10.1080/1828051X.2025.2505210. hal-05164789

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# The marbling score assessed with Meat Standards Australia is heritable in Charolais cattle

Matteo Santinello, John Speke Katende, Angela Costa, Nicola Rampado, Jean-François Hocquette, Massimo De Marchi & Mauro Penasa

**To cite this article:** Matteo Santinello, John Speke Katende, Angela Costa, Nicola Rampado, Jean-François Hocquette, Massimo De Marchi & Mauro Penasa (2025) The marbling score assessed with Meat Standards Australia is heritable in Charolais cattle, Italian Journal of Animal Science, 24:1, 1182-1188, DOI: 10.1080/1828051X.2025.2505210

**To link to this article:** https://doi.org/10.1080/1828051X.2025.2505210

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Published online: 20 May 2025.

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# The marbling score assessed with Meat Standards Australia is heritable in Charolais cattle

Matteo Santinello<sup>a#</sup> ID, John Speke Katende<sup>a</sup> ID, Angela Costa<sup>b</sup> ID, Nicola Rampado<sup>c</sup> ID, Jean-François Hocquette<sup>d</sup> ID, Massimo De Marchi<sup>a</sup> ID and Mauro Penasa<sup>a</sup> ID

## ABSTRACT

Marbling or visible intramuscular fat is a crucial indicator of beef eating quality. This study investigated the heritability of marbling score (MS), as defined by the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) grading scheme, in Charolais cattle, laying the groundwork for future breeding programs for improving this trait. The dataset included 909 animals (523 young bulls and 386 heifers), progeny of 531 sires and 905 dams imported from France, fattened in specialised units located in northern Italy, and slaughtered in a single abattoir where MS was assessed on a scale from 100 to 1190 using the MSA protocol. Variance components for MS were estimated using a single-trait linear animal model. The heritability (posterior SD) of MS was 0.46 (0.18). The progeny of the top 5% ranked sires (n=4), with an average estimated breeding value (EBV) accuracy of 0.67, averaged 469 points for MS, compared to 305 points for the progeny of the bottom 5% ranked sires (n=5). The presence of additive genetic variation for this trait represents a prerequisite for effective selection toward the desired MS to align meat-eating quality with market demands and consumer preferences.

## HIGHLIGHTS

* Marbling is an important contributor to beef eating quality in Europe.

* MSA marbling score collected on Charolais cattle is heritable.

## ARTICLE HISTORY

Received 23 January 2025

Revised 6 May 2025

Accepted 7 May 2025

## KEYWORDS

Beef; fat; genetic; meat quality; selection

## Introduction

According to Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA 2024), marbling or visible intramuscular fat refers to the adipose tissue within the muscle and between the muscle fibres, which appears as fine flecks of fat. It plays a key role in determining beef eating quality, particularly in terms of flavour, juiciness, and overall palatability (Baldassini et al. 2017; Park et al. 2018). Marbling is widely recognised as a critical determinant of beef value in global grading systems (Polkinghorne and Thompson 2010). The European carcass grading scheme (EUROP) primarily assesses carcass traits such as muscle conformation and fat coverage, focusing on yield and production metrics (EU 2013/1308).

Consequently, the EUROP grading scheme overlooks sensory indicators like marbling, which is related to palatability and eating quality for consumer satisfaction (Monteils et al. 2017; Liu et al. 2020). In addition, there is a lack of consumer feedback on critical aspects of palatability and eating quality in Europe (Bonny et al. 2018; Hocquette et al. 2018). In contrast, grading systems such as the Meat Standards Australia (MSA) integrate marbling into the evaluation models, linking marbling score (MS) to consumer eating experience (Polkinghorne and Thompson 2010). The MSA grading scheme evaluates MS on a scale from 100 (minimal marbling) to 1190 (extensive marbling) in 10-point increments, capturing both the quantity and

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<footnote><sup>a</sup>Dipartimento di Agronomia, Animali, Alimenti, Risorse naturali e Ambiente, University of Padova, Legnaro, Italy; <sup>b</sup>Dipartimento di Scienze Mediche Veterinarie, Alma Mater Studiorum – University of Bologna, Ozzano dell'Emilia, Italy; <sup>c</sup>Associazione Zootecnica Veneta (AZOVE), Cittadella, Italy; <sup>d</sup>UMRH, INRAE, Clermont Auvergne University, VetAgro Sup, UMR Herbivores, Saint-Genès-Champanelle, France</footnote>
distribution of visible intramuscular fat (Watson et al. 2008). While this system offers a standardised and reproducible framework, procedures to assess visible marbling differ widely across countries and grading schemes. These methodological differences can influence scoring accuracy, data comparability, and the estimation of phenotypic variance and heritability. The MS is based on a visual evaluation of visible marbling using discrete classes. In contrast, total intramuscular fat content can be measured through chemical analysis, which provides a continuous and generally more heritable trait (Bindon 2004). However, chemical methods, often involving solvent extraction techniques such as chloroform, are time-consuming, destructive, and therefore unsuitable for large-scale or routine application in commercial settings. Despite the potential subjectivity of visual scoring, it remains the most practical and cost-effective solution in most contexts. In systems like MSA, this subjectivity is mitigated through rigorous standardisation protocols and continuous training of chiller assessors, which help ensure consistency and reliability in visible marbling evaluation.

The debate on the adoption of MSA principles in Europe has gained momentum in recent years (Liu et al. 2020; Santinello et al. 2024a). The French Interprofessional Livestock and Meat Association (INTERBEV) recommended introducing the MS into the French beef grading scheme. Improving marbling traits in European cattle breeds through targeted breeding programs could enhance beef eating quality and better meet consumer preferences. Italy ranks as the fourth-largest beef producer in Europe (ISMEA 2022), with much of its production relying on Charolais young bulls and heifers imported from France (Santinello et al. 2020). Usually, heifers are lighter and have lower average daily gain (ADG) than young bulls when imported in Italy (Gallo et al. 2014) and thus require different on-farm feeding management strategies. Indeed, male animals are fed high-concentrate diets (up to 60%) for 6–7 months to reach an average slaughter weight of 700 kg, while females are typically fed lower-concentrate diets and are slaughtered earlier (Santinello et al. 2022). In this context, our previous study applied the MSA grading scheme to more than 2000 carcasses within the Italian beef production system, revealing a weak or no clear relationship between MSA traits (i.e. MS) and EUROP carcass conformation or fatness scores in young cattle, especially in females (Santinello et al. 2024a). This result further highlights the limitations of the EUROP grading scheme in capturing key sensory attributes

and supports the potential value of marbling-based evaluation grading approach.

However, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, no studies have attempted to estimate the genetic parameters of MS under the MSA framework for Charolais cattle, one of the most important beef breeds in Europe (DAD-IS 2022). Therefore, the aim of this study is to estimate the heritability of MS in Charolais cattle imported from France and fattened in specialised fattening units in Italy.

## Materials and methods

### Data

Data used in the present study were collected in a single slaughterhouse operated by the Associazione Zootecnica Veneta (AZoVe, Cittadella, Italy), a cooperative of beef cattle fatteners in North-East Italy, and comprised 909 Charolais cattle (523 males and 386 females) born in France from 2019 to 2021 and subsequently reared for approximately six months in 45 specialised Italian fattening units. Animals were slaughtered on average at 17 months of age. Records were retained if they had complete information on animal ID, date of birth, sex, fattening farm ID, date of arrival at the fattening farm, and date of slaughter. Animals were progeny of 531 sires and 905 dams, and the average number of offspring per sire was 2, with a minimum of 1 and a maximum of 13. The pedigree included the 909 animals with phenotypic records and their ancestors traced back up to six generations, for a total of 7257 animals.

Marbling score was measured 24 h post-slaughter on 909 animals, using the visual MSA standard grids on carcasses chilled at 6–7 °C at the 5th rib grading site through visual assessment of the *Longissimus thoracis et lumborum* muscle following Australian protocols (MLA 2018), which have been implemented internationally (Hocquette et al. 2020). In Australia and elsewhere, all cattle breeds are eligible for MSA grading, including those with *Bos indicus* or tropical breed content, with no limitation on age and weight of the animals (MLA 2018). All carcass graders must follow specialised training and undergo update courses every six months in line with the Australian Beef Chiller Assessment System Standards to be officially accredited either by AUS-MEAT in Australia or by the International Meat Research 3G Foundation. This ensures consistency and minimises technical variability during evaluations (MLA 2018). Carcasses were graded at the 5th ribbing site (Santinello et al. 2024b) in accordance with official rules and because carcasses
are normally quartered at the 5th rib in Europe. Since MS was assessed 24 h post-slaughter on a single half-carcass (the right side), recording the total hot carcass weight was not feasible. However, due to the high standardisation of slaughter procedures, females are typically slaughtered at a live weight of 650 kg and males at 700 kg. The descriptive statistics of MS and age at slaughter are presented in Table 1.

## Genetic analysis

Marginal posterior distributions of additive genetic and residual variances for MS were estimated by fitting a single-trait linear animal model with a Gibbs sampler implemented in GIBBSF90+ (Misztal et al. 2014). A chain of 1,000,000 Gibbs samples was generated, allowing for the generation of a larger number of samples. This approach enables visual inspection during post-Gibbs analysis to identify the appropriate burn-in period retrospectively. Post-Gibbs analysis was conducted with POSTGIBBSF90 (Misztal et al. 2014), and the first 200,000 iterations were discarded, while a thinning interval of 100 cycles was maintained due to the high autocorrelation between Gibbs samples. Convergence of the variance components was verified through visual inspection of the time series plots. The model used was as follows:

$$y_{ijklm} = \mu + \text{Sex}_i + \text{Herd}_j(\text{Sex})_i + \beta(\text{Age})_{ijklm} + \text{Year\_Season}_l + a_m + e_{ijklm},$$

where $y_{ijklm}$ is the dependent variable (MS); $\mu$ is the overall intercept of the model; $Sex_i$ is the fixed effect of the sex i of the animal (male, female); $Herd_j(\text{Sex})_i$ is the fixed effect of the jth herd nested within the sex i of the animal; $Age_k$ is the covariate effect of the kth slaughter age of the animal (days) with regression coefficient $\beta$; $\text{Year\_Season}_l$ is the fixed effect of the lth year-season of slaughter; $a_m$ is the random effect of the mth additive genetic animal $\sim N(0, A\sigma^2_a)$, where $\sigma^2_a$ is the additive genetic variance; and $e_{ijklm}$ is the random residual $\sim N(0, \sigma^2_e)$, where $\sigma^2_e$ is the residual variance.

<table><caption>**Table 1.** Descriptive statistics of slaughter age and marbling score<sup>a</sup>, and posterior means (posterior SD) for the additive genetic variance ($\sigma^2_a$), residual variance ($\sigma^2_e$), phenotypic variance ($\sigma^2_p$), and heritability for Meat Standards Australia marbling score.</caption><thead><tr><th>Trait</th><th>n</th><th>Mean</th><th>SD</th><th>Minimum</th><th>Maximum</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Slaughter age (d)</td><td>909</td><td>500</td><td>55.0</td><td>365</td><td>824</td></tr><tr><td>Marbling score</td><td>909</td><td>386</td><td>79.4</td><td>160</td><td>840</td></tr></tbody></table><table><thead><tr><th>Trait</th><th>σ<sup>2</sup><sub>a</sub></th><th>σ<sup>2</sup><sub>e</sub></th><th>σ<sup>2</sup><sub>p</sub></th><th>Heritability</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td>Marbling score</td><td>1929 (773)</td><td>2296 (734)</td><td>4225 (212)</td><td>0.46 (0.18)</td></tr></tbody></table>

Variance components were then used to calculate the sires' estimated breeding values (EBV) for MS and the posterior mean variance. A Bayesian approach using Gibbs sampling, implemented in the GIBBSF90+ software, was then applied. The process involved 50,000 iterations, with the first 20,000 samples discarded as the burn-in period. Due to high autocorrelation among samples, only every 100th sample was retained from the remaining 30,000. The accuracy of EBV was estimated by using the formula:

$$\text{Accuracy} = 1 - \sqrt{\frac{\text{Prediction Error Variance}}{\text{Additive Genetic Variance}}}$$

Only sires' EBV with accuracy $\ge 0.50$ were retained, and rank for MS was used to isolate the top and the bottom 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% and then retrospectively compared the observed MS of their progeny (909 animals with phenotype). In this study, high values of EBV correspond to high marbled meat.

## Results and discussion

Overall, the animals were slaughtered at an average age of 17 months, with an average MS of 386 points (Table 1). Although only a small proportion of animals were slaughtered at one year of age or older than two years, they were retained in the dataset primarily due to the low correlation observed between slaughter age and MS, and secondarily to capture the full variability in MS. Indeed, the standardisation of beef production cycle can contribute to decrease intramuscular fat variability. This choice is particularly relevant considering that the fattening cycle typically lasts around six months in Italy (Santinello et al. 2022), resulting in a high degree of standardisation in beef production. Consequently, carcasses tend to be homogeneous in weight, muscle development, and may exhibit limited variability in superficial or intramuscular fat contents. This pattern was also confirmed by our previous study, where we found that in a population of 2751 Charolais cattle imported from France and reared in specialised fattening units within the same area of the present study, 99% of males were classified under EUROP fatness score 2 and 82% of females into EUROP fatness score 3, indicating a high level of within-group uniformity among males and females, respectively.

In this study, animals were fattened and slaughtered in 45 specialised units. Moreover, all fattening units operated under the same cooperative in the same region, ensuring that animals were raised under similar climatic conditions. Because most of the farms

<footnote><sup>a</sup>The marbling score ranges from 100 (minimal marbling) to 1190 (extensive marbling).</footnote>
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reared exclusively male or female (80% in the present dataset), the effect of sex nested within the herd was inserted in the model to account for potential environmental and management differences.

Table 1 provides a summary of the posterior means for additive genetic, residual, and phenotypic variances of MS, as well as the heritability for this trait. The estimated heritability (posterior SD) was 0.46 (0.18). Previous studies have reported a wide range of heritability for marbling in cattle. For instance, Minick et al. (2004) estimated heritability of 0.26 for marbling in Charolais cattle in the US and Dikeman et al. (2005) reported much higher heritability for this trait (0.68), likely because of the inclusion of a broader range of breeds and breed-specific groups in their study, which may have increased genetic variance. A recent study on the Angus breed in Australia reported heritability of 0.54 for MS, with positive genetic correlations to carcass intramuscular fat (0.80) and bull ultrasound scan intramuscular fat (0.35; TransTasman Angus Cattle Evaluation 2023). Similar findings were reported in a study on Australian Angus cattle, which estimated a heritability of 0.46 ± 0.09 for the MSA MS (Duff et al. 2018). In agreement with these results, Kombolo-Ngah et al. (2024) found a heritability of 0.54 for MS measured, according to MSA specifications, in a population of Limousine cattle reared in France. In another study, the same authors investigated the use of a pocket near-infrared tool to estimate MS in Limousine cull cows and young bulls reared in France and Italy (Kombolo-Ngah et al. 2023). While the tool demonstrated some utility for in-line screening, its overall accuracy was limited. Therefore, the development and implementation of a more precise MS prediction tool could enhance the objectivity of assessments and contribute to greater genetic progress in MS as recently described (Mendes et al. 2025).

These findings support the feasibility of developing a selection index aimed at increasing meat MS, even though the present study is the first effort to investigate the genetic basis of MS measured using the MSA grading scheme in the Charolais breed in Europe (ANACLI 2024; Evolution International 2024). Overall, the sires with accuracy of EBV for MS ≥0.50 (n = 100 out of 531) produced 337 offspring. Offspring of the top 5% had an average MS score of 469, while an average score of 305 was observed in the progeny of the bottom 5% (Table 2). The average accuracy of EBV (~0.67) may be due to the moderate heritability of MS and the limited number of progenies per sire (Yang and Su 2016).

<table><caption>**Table 2.** Mean and standard deviation (SD) of Meat Standards Australia marbling scoreª, based on progeny of sires ranked in the highest and lowest EBV for this trait (accuracy ≥0.50), with corresponding number of progeny (n) and average sire EBV accuracy.</caption><thead><tr><th rowspan="2">Category</th><th rowspan="2"></th><th colspan="3">Marbling score<sup>a</sup></th><th rowspan="2">Accuracy</th></tr><tr><th>n</th><th>Mean<sup>a</sup></th><th>SD</th></tr></thead><tbody><tr><td rowspan="2">5%</td><td>Top</td><td>25</td><td>469</td><td>84</td><td>0.67</td></tr><tr><td>Bottom</td><td>14</td><td>335</td><td>65</td><td>0.66</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">10%</td><td>Top</td><td>37</td><td>458</td><td>78</td><td>0.67</td></tr><tr><td>Bottom</td><td>28</td><td>333</td><td>83</td><td>0.66</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">15%</td><td>Top</td><td>52</td><td>464</td><td>76</td><td>0.67</td></tr><tr><td>Bottom</td><td>61</td><td>351</td><td>52</td><td>0.66</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">20%</td><td>Top</td><td>67</td><td>459</td><td>75</td><td>0.67</td></tr><tr><td>Bottom</td><td>67</td><td>347</td><td>67</td><td>0.67</td></tr><tr><td rowspan="2">25%</td><td>Top</td><td>87</td><td>453</td><td>70</td><td>0.67</td></tr><tr><td>Bottom</td><td>84</td><td>353</td><td>67</td><td>0.67</td></tr></tbody></table>

EBV = Estimated breeding value.

This trend was consistent even when using top and bottom 10%, 15%, 20%, and 25% of sires, suggesting clear difference in the performance of progeny of high- and low-ranked sires. However, considering the full range of possible MS, the potential for genetic selection may be more limited in entire male Charolais. As a late-maturing breed, Charolais cattle tend to deposit intramuscular fat later in life (Alberti et al. 2008). Slaughter age below two years (approximately 500 days) likely contributes to reduced variability in MS observed among males. In contrast, female Charolais, being earlier maturing category, tend to exhibit greater variation in MS, thereby offering more potential for selection, as extensively documented by Santinello et al. (2025) in a similar population of Charolais cattle imported from France. The gap in MS between the top and bottom 5% sires (469 vs. 305) accounts for approximately 25% of the total observed variation in the Charolais population (Table 1; maximum 840 and minimum 160). Although this represents a relatively modest portion of the overall variability, it may still reflect underlying genetic differences worth exploring in the context of breeding programs. Although MS is not traditionally a primary selection goal in Charolais breeding programs, enhancing it could add value in niche markets that prioritise eating quality. In this context, female Charolais cattle may be capable of producing moderately marbled beef, appealing to specific European consumers seeking improved flavour and tenderness. Targeted selection for MS, tailored to market demands, appears feasible, although further research is needed to understand its genetic correlations with other traits currently under selection in the breed. In Angus cattle, Barwick et al. (2009) demonstrated that

<footnote>ªMarbling score ranges from 100 (minimal marbling) to 1190 (extensive marbling).</footnote>
such selective breeding can significantly increase MS across generations. Detweiler et al. (2019) in their study on Angus steers found that selection using residual ADG or marbling can enhance feed efficiency and carcass quality without compromising yield or USDA quality grade.

Modulating the MS of beef meat in the desired direction (increasing vs reducing) through breeding programs is therefore doable. Currently, many Charolais cattle are imported from France and raised in Italy, meaning that the breeding selection programs for these foreign animals are primarily managed in France. However, the Italian Breeders' Association of Charolais and Limousine (ANACLI) actively develops selection indexes, which could still represent a valuable way for genetic improvement of the national Charolais population. As previously mentioned, Charolais is a late-maturing breed, and increased selection for marbling could enhance its beef sensory qualities. Thus, the inclusion of MS as a descriptor of meat-eating quality is feasible independently from the current EUROP grading system. For instance, the Beauvallet Company's 'Or Rouge' brand is based on high marbling to add market value to Limousine carcasses, highlighting its potential role in meat pricing in France (Hocquette et al. 2011). Selecting marbled cuts could open opportunities for market diversification and help counteract the decline in beef demand by enhancing product differentiation and targeting premium segments (Liu et al. 2022). Since the MSA grading scheme has already been tested in Europe (Bonny et al. 2018; Liu et al. 2023; Santinello et al. 2024a, 2024b, 2025), MS score may be considered as a potential additional eating quality indicator for consumers, allowing for informed choice. Indeed, Australian MS has been included in the recommendations of the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe (UNECE, Hocquette et al. 2020). In addition, within the framework of the French National Food conference in 2018, the French meat sector, represented by INTERBEV, recommended introducing the MS into the French beef grading scheme. Therefore, implementing MS can be feasible in the short to mid-term in the beef production system.

However, while premium brands outside Europe prioritise marbled cuts to differentiate their markets, European consumer preferences have traditionally leaned towards leaner cuts at the time of purchase due to perceived health benefits. This has influenced market trends, but the success of marbling-focused strategies in certain European markets suggests that there is potential for its broader adoption (Verbeke

et al. 2010). Moreover, the number of European consumers who positively rate high-fat or marbled beef for its taste and sensory qualities up to a certain level of marbling is progressively increasing (Fořtová et al. 2022). This indicates potential for marbling to improve product appeal while addressing both sensory expectations and market segmentation challenges.

## Conclusions

Exploitable heritability has been reported for MS in Charolais cattle, demonstrating the potential to enhance beef marbling through breeding programs. Providing information on MS could help producers adapt to market demands for consumers who prefer marbled meat. Although the inclusion of MS in comprehensive national breeding indices may be difficult, a practical alternative would be to develop a dedicated MS index. Its publication, alongside traditional breeding values, would allow producers and consumers to make more informed choices, based on specific market demands and preferences.

Future research should aim to estimate genetic correlations between MS and other economically important traits, such as growth rate and feed efficiency, in Charolais and other beef breeds, to better understand potential trade-offs and optimise breeding strategies.

## Acknowledgements

The authors would like to thank the beef fatteners of AZoVe (Associazione Zootecnica Veneta, Cittadella, Italy). Also, the France Genetique Elevage (FGE) and the French Livestock Institute (IDELE) are gratefully acknowledged for providing the pedigree data.

## Ethical approval

The data on animal carcasses were obtained from a commercial slaughterhouse, and thus this study did not require approval from an Ethical Committee for the care and use of experimental animals.

## Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

## Funding

This study was funded by the I-BEEF 2 project (Italian Beef Environment, Efficiency and Fitness 2). The first sentence is an acknowledgement to IDELE.
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## ORCID

Matteo Santinello http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9418-9710

John Speke Katende http://orcid.org/0009-0009-0065-9001

Angela Costa http://orcid.org/0000-0001-5353-8988

Nicola Rampado http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9484-6418

Jean-François Hocquette http://orcid.org/0000-0003-2409-3881

Massimo De Marchi http://orcid.org/0000-0001-7814-2525

Mauro Penasa http://orcid.org/0000-0001-9984-8738

## Data availability statement

None of the data were deposited in an official repository. Data will be made available upon reasonable request.

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