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### AMS - Beefcarcassrevisions

From: Unidad de Asuntos Internac ionales <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.uyURUGUAY

Com m ent 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

change s 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 o f 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 w as found that "beef from animal s fed on pasture

contain s 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 enco urages 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 t han 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). “G rowth, carcass traits and palatability: can the influence of the

feeding regime s 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 me at, 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 "g reat potential in postmor tem te nderization , 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 havi ng 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 CertifiedUruguayan 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 b eef 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

con template 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 (*) catego ry 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”.