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AMS - Beefcarcassrevisions

From: Unidad de Asuntos Internacionales <uai@mgap.gub.uy>

Sent: Wednesday, November 12, 2014 11:18 AM

To: AMS - Beefcarcassrevisions

Subject: Comments on the US Grading System by Uruguay

Attachments: Comments on the US Grading System by Uruguay.docx

To:         Beef Carcass Revisions, Standardization Branch, LPS Program, AMS, USDA

Dear Sirs,

USDA/AMS is seeking public input on possible revisions  to the U.S. Standards for Grades of Carcass Beef, to

adjust it for recent improvements and trends in animal raising and feeding.  Some Uruguayan institutions considered

relevant to include comments, related to the differences between beef produced by animals raised on pasture‐based

systems and those based on concentrate feeding,  and the need to consider these differences in the adjustment

required by U.S. grading system. More attention and importance is granted by growing groups of consumers to issues

related to healthy   diets and to animal welfare. These concerns can find some answers in open range, pasture based

production systems.  

From Uruguay, we the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP), the National Meat Institute

(INAC), and the National Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) send our comments (see attach), as a contribution to  the

revision  USDA/AMS undertakes of the U.S. Standards for beef. We hope it be useful.

Please, accept the assurance of my highest consideration

Alejandro Mernies

Director

MGAP/International Affairs Unit

Unidad de Asuntos Internacionales

Ministerio de Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca

República Oriental del Uruguay

Constituyente 1476 Piso 3 ‐ Of. 311

(598) 2412 63 58 / 2410 72 05

uai@mgap.gub.uy
URUGUAY

Comment on revising the US Grading System 

In view of the decision by the Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) of the United States 

Department of Agriculture (USDA) to request for public comments on the current US Grading 

System, Uruguay, through the Ministry of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries (MGAP), the 

National Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) and the National Meat Institute (INAC), proposes 

changes that consider the new global reality of emerging technological equations in genetics 

and livestock production, and new feeding trends that require guarantees as to the different 

aspects of quality (commercial, sensory, sanitary and nutritional aspects).

The effects the different production systems have on the final fatty acid composition of beef 

have been evaluated (pasture-based systems vs. systems based on concentrate feeding). An 

example of this is the research carried out by C.E Realini, S. K. Duckett, G. W. Brito, M. Dalla 

Rizza, D. De Mattos (2004) “Effect of pasture vs. Concentrate feeding with or without 

antioxidants on carcass characteristics, fatty acid composition and Quality of Uruguayan beef”, 

Meat Science, 66: 567-577. In this study it was found that "beef from animals fed on pasture 

contains a similar proportion of saturated fatty acids, less concentration of monounsaturated 

fatty acids, and a higher percentage of unsaturated fatty acids than that from animals fed on 

concentrates". This is favorable since “Nutritional advice for humans encourages eating less 

saturated fat, which leads to an increasing interest in meats that contain more unsaturated 

fatty acids”. In turn, it was observed that “intramuscular fat of animals fed on pastures 

contains a more favorable ratio of omega 6 to omega 3 than that of animals fed on 

concentrates (1:4 vs. 3:0 respectively)”. This goes in line with advice by health professionals, 

who recommend consuming higher levels of omega 3 fatty acids, in search for a ratio of omega 

6 to omega 3 that is preferably under 4:1.

Similar results in fatty acid composition were found in researches carried out by De la Fuente, 

J., Díaz, M.T., Álvarez, I., Oliver, M.A., Font i Furnols, M., Sañudo, C., Campo, M.M., Montossi, 

F., Nute, G.R., Cañeque, V. (2009) “Fatty acid and Vitamin E composition of intramuscular fat 

content in cattle reared in different production systems” (Meat Science, 82 (3): 331-337) and 

Brito, G.; San Julián, La Manna, A.; del Campo, M.; Montossi, F.; Banchero, G.; Chalking, D.; 

Soares de Lima, J. M. (2014). “Growth, carcass traits and palatability: can the influence of the 

feeding regimes explain the variability found on those attributes in different Uruguayan 

genotypes” (Meat Science, 98: 533-538).

With regards to aspects that affect the sensory quality of meat, such as tenderness, another 

finding of the previously mentioned work by C.E. Realini, S. K. Duckett, G. W. Brito, M, Dalla 

Rizza, D. De Mattos is to be pointed out, according to which beef from animals fed on pastures 

showed "great potential in postmortem tenderization, it becoming more tender after 7 days of 

aging, compared with beef from animals fed on concentrates”. These results are coincident 

with those of the other two studies mentioned above.

Uruguay is characterized for having extensive production systems based mostly on pasture 

feeding, animals reared in the open all the year round, and no use of hormones or growth 

promoters. It has Meat Certification programs that aim at promoting and guaranteeing these 

process conditions: The Certified Natural Meat Program of Uruguay and the Certified 
Uruguayan Beef Program recognized by USDA under its Process Verified Program. Likewise, 

Uruguay has an electronic traceability system that is individual and mandatory for the entire

cattle herd.

Although beef obtained from extensive production systems as those of Uruguay has the 

benefits stated above, it hardly reaches the marbling levels required for the PRIME and CHOICE 

grades of the US Grading System.

In view of the above, it is hereby proposed that the new grading system does not only 

contemplate the amount of intramuscular fat (marbling) of the final product –which affects 

the sensory quality-, but also consider aspects relating to the composition of said fat content 

–with regards to nutritional quality- including a CHOICE OPEN RANGE (*) category that 

requires the same maturity as the one required currently (categories A and B), and SLIGHT 

marbling.

(*) Currently the “open range” claim is approved by USDA-PVP in the framework of the Certified Natural Meat 

Programs of Uruguay and the Certified Uruguayan Beef Program and is defined as: “animals are never confined in 

buildings or feedlots at any time in their lives and are raised grazing in open fields all the year round”.