The National Beef Quality Audit-2005, Phase I: Views of Producers,Packers, and Merchandisers on Current Quality Characteristics of the Beef Industry1

Previous National Beef Quality Audits (NBQA) in 1991 and 1995 were conducted to determine beef industry challenges. The NBQA-2000 additionally identified changes made and improvements needed in the beef industry from the producer, packer, and merchandiser viewpoints. The goal of the NBQA-2005 was to provide future direction for Beef Quality Assurance educational activities. The NBQA-2005 used surveys to solicit information from producers, packers, and beef merchandisers regarding management practices and ideals. Addressing quality concerns, seedstock and cow-calf producers identified improved genetics as the top change they had made since NBQA-1991. When questioned about changes in production techniques to improve cattle quality, injection site location was listed first for stocker/backgrounder and feedlot operators. All beefproducing sectors listed genetics as a top issue when referring to changes requested of their cattle suppliers. Greater than 80% of producers indicated results from the past audits had at least a moderate impact on management changes since 1991, and 100% of packers, purveyors, retailers, and restaurateurs indicated at least a moderate impact. For packers, injection site lesions ranked first among traits of greatest improvement since 1991, and reduced tenderness due to implants topped their list for greatest quality challenges. Merchandisers indicated a lack of uniformity in carcass cuts as well as insufficient marbling as 2 of their top concerns facing today's beef industry. With the results of the NBQA-2005, Beef Quality Assurance programs can continue to develop and implement beef quality assurance principles, allowing the beef industry to "stay on track."