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Attitudes and preferences of the main shopper in households (n = 203) across Scotland towards beef and beef products that were produced in Scotland were assessed by questionnaire. Consumer panel purchase data from the preceding six-months were collected for those households by Kantar Worldpanel. Beef products from Scotland accounted for 39% (by value) of all beef purchases, with an additional 46% from Great Britain and 9% from Ireland. Participants tended to report that being locally produced was an important factor when they bought beef and beef products, although this was not reflected in higher proportions of these products being purchased. Participants who rated local production of higher importance did not buy a higher proportion of beef from Scotland than did participants who rated it as less important (41% and 37% respectively, P  = 0.448). Stated preferences for locally produced beef and beef products are not translated into higher amounts purchased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In March 2012 ABC World News Report aired a series of reports on lean finely textured beef (LFTB) that resulted in a 10-year low for beef prices and the bankruptcy of a major firm that produced LFTB. Using a random sample survey, we tested the effects of the media frame “pink slime” and industry frame “lean finely textured beef,” alongside media use, food-related knowledge, trust in food-related institutions and preference for local, fresh, organic and GMO-free foods on perceptions of risk related to ground beef containing pink slime/LFTB, processed foods and red meat. The “pink slime” frame was strongly and positively associated with risk related to ground beef, but not risk related to red meat or processed foods. Attention to news stories about pink slime/LFTB was strongly associated with risk related to ground beef and processed foods, but not red meat. We found varying effects of food values, knowledge and trust on all three dependent variables. Implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, traceability labels with a quick response (QR) code have been printed on product packaging to help consumers easily access traceability information through their smart phones. We analyzed consumer (n = 616) attitudes and purchase intentions towards traceable minced beef/beef steak in England, and identified psychosocial determinants of their purchase using the theory of planned behavior (TPB). Respondents held a general favorable attitude with positive behavioral beliefs and high trust towards the traceable product. In the TPB model, attitude was the main determinant of intention to purchase each traceable product, followed by subjective norm and perceived behavioral control (PBC). The predictive power of the TPB model increased marginally for each sub-group when it was extended with habits, trust, and frequency of purchase. In the TPB-extended minced beef model, PBC was no longer a significant driver, and trust replaced subjective norm as the second most important predictor. In the TPB-extended beef steak model, attitude, subjective norm and PBC were all still significant drivers of intention, however, in order of importance, production process habits and origin habits were more important than PBC. These findings have importance for those involved in the production and marketing of beef. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lao-native beef cattle are primarily Bos indicus, and most ruminant production in Laos is still dominated by small-scale or backyard producers that use traditional practices, resulting in low productivity. The cattle herd size in Laos has grown by an average of 5 percent per year from 1.52 million in 2010/11 to 1.81 million in 2014/15. In 2016, the Laos cattle population was 1.88 million head, with smallholder farmers representing 98% of production despite efforts by the Laos government to develop commercial-scale farms. There were 170 commercial cattle farms in 2016, with 56 percent in the Central region of Laos. Although, overall, ruminant meat production has tended to increase but with consumption at 7.29 kg/capita/yr in 2013, it remains insufficient to meet demand. Crop residues and agro-industrial by-products used in ruminant diets include rice straw, cassava pulp and wet brewers' grains as roughage, energy and protein sources, respectively. The Belt and Road Initiative proposed by China in 2013 will connect China closely with all countries in Southeast Asia. This initiative will change landlocked Laos to land linked for investors who will benefit from convenient transport at a lower cost, promoting agricultural production in Laos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hanwoo cattle are an important food source in Korea and their supply can have a major impact on meat availability for Korean consumers. The Hanwoo population was 1.8 million head in 2005 and gradually increased to 2.6 million in 2015. Per capita beef consumption has also increased, to 11.6 kg per year in 2015, and is expected to continue to increase. Because intramuscular fat percentage is a critical contributor to meat quality, Hanwoo cattle are fed a high-energy corn-based diet for long fattening periods. Long fed diet causes significant alterations in fat percentage in the loin muscle and other areas of the carcass. However, these long feeding periods increase feeding costs and beef prices. Recently, there has been increased Korean consumer demand for lean beef which has less fat, but is tender and priced more reasonably. These consumer demands on the Korean beef industry are driving differing beef production systems and also changes to the beef grading methodology. Korean government has made a significant investment to select bulls with favorable production traits using progeny testing. Progeny tested bull semen has been disseminated to all Hanwoo farmers. A beef traceability system has been employed for all cattle breeds in Korea since 2009. Hanwoo cattle are ear-marked with a 12-digit identification number from birth to slaughter. This number allows traceability of the management history of individual cattle, and also provides information to consumers. Traceability including management information such as herd, farm, year of birth, and carcass data can determine estimated breeding values of Hanwoo. For a sustainable Hanwoo industry, research scientists in Korea have attempted to develop feeds for efficient fattening periods and precision feeding systems based on genetic information for Hanwoo cattle. These initiatives aim to Korean consumer demands for beef and provide more precision management in beef production in Korea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This study examines the characteristics of price transmission along the vertical linkage in the beef industry before and after the implementation of the Mandatory Price Reporting Act (MPR) using econometric procedures such as the Gregory–Hansen structural break test, threshold autoregressive model, threshold error correction model, and nonlinear impulse response functions. Results show the improved speed of price adjustment after the MPR in the supply chain of the beef industry, whereas a limited evidence of the increased price asymmetry is detected. The increased asymmetry is observed mostly through the long‐run regime switching coefficients of threshold autoregressive and error correction models. The price asymmetry mostly disappears in both pre‐ and post‐MPR periods when only short‐ and long‐run price adjustment coefficients are considered. The results also suggest the existence of the threshold cointegration in the vertical price relationship of the beef industry, which supports the use of the nonlinear threshold model in this study.[JEL codes: C22, Q11] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although Tennessee has Advanced Master Beef Producer (AMBP) and Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) certifications for cattle producers, currently there is no state-certified beef labeling program. A choice experiment was administered to Tennessee consumers to determine their willingness to pay for Tennessee Certified Beef (TCB) and other attributes such as labels indicating producer participation in AMBP and BQA. Random parameter logit model results indicate consumers most valued TCB steak and no-hormones-administered ground beef. Consumers also valued many labels when appearing alongside the TCB label. The impact of providing participants label definitions prior to the choice experiment was examined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With increasing trade volumes in the Asian region, it could be expected that beef markets are becoming increasingly integrated. Major beef exporters or importers can be expected to lead others, but others can be separated by obstacles to trade or small trade volumes. This paper examines price transmission between the key regional beef markets of Australia, China, Indonesia and Vietnam. It draws on quarterly price data from 2005 to 2015 and methods including co-integration analysis, granger causality test, and vector error correction model and impulse response function. The results show that log-run equilibrium relationships exist in two of the trading relationships, where the beef price in Indonesia is affected by the Australian market while the beef price in Vietnam is impacted by the Chinese market. However, Australia and China's beef prices are not impacted by Indonesian or Vietnamese prices. Reasons behind these price interrelationships are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on establishing actors and their roles in the slaughterhouse processes in the Nanyuki slaughterhouse of Laikipia County. This is understood through the lens of the food system approach, based on the study findings of an anthropological study of pastoralism in Laikipia County, Kenya. This paper is guided by the specific objectives aimed at establishing the actors and their roles and describing the effects that institutional settings and changes have on slaughterhouse operations. Using a new institutionalism approach in social anthropology, the paper focuses not only on the actors and their roles but also on how externally shaped beef prices and standards shape the rules regulating access to the food processing processes for pastoral actors. We argue that this has an impact on pastoral economies and the question if and how pastoralists are able to benefit from this change in the food system. The study also identifies institutional settings and changes related to management, security and health concerns that impact the slaughterhouse operations and processes resulting from the dispensation of the devolved system of governance in the country. Data collection was through key informant interviews and unstructured observation of the slaughterhouse. The findings reveal economic and social relationships among actors involved in slaughterhouse operations and processes. The study also identified changes in formal institutional settings that impact the slaughterhouse operations, notably movement and no-objection permits as well as transportation and condemnation certifications. As a result, increased scholarship is recommended into slaughterhouse operations and processes as a means to understand the value addition that pastoralism has on the economic and food sustainability of the pastoral regions, counties and the nation as a whole. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Within-consumer preference replication achieved through systematic image manipulation was used in consumer surveys in four cities across Mexico (Mexico City, n = 195; Guadalajara, n = 100; Hermosillo, n = 132; Veracruz, n = 61) to study beef preferences. Images of beef steaks controlled for lean and fat colour, fat cover and marbling were presented to consumers to determine the characteristics used in beef choice and the levels of preference of these characteristics. The most important choice criteria were fat cover (62% preferring little fat cover) and marbling (59% preferring non-marbled). Lean colour was also important with 24% and 29% choosing light and dark red beef, respectively. Fat colour was the least important of the four attributes studied (18% and 19% choosing white and yellow, respectively), but was nevertheless important given that 43% of consumers used three or four characteristics to make their choice. Imported and domestic beef in the Mexican marketplace appear to respond to the range of consumers' beef preferences at the point of purchase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The price of beef is high in Indonesia, so that some unethical producers try to blend beef with wild boar meat (WBM) in meatball formulation to gain economic profits. This study aims to use real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) for identification of WBA in meatball formulation. The specific primers used are designed using NCBI software and subjected to BLAST procedure. The candidate primers are tested for specificity study using several DNAs from fresh meat of some species, including pork having similar characteristics with WBM. The developed method is also validated by determining several parameters of linearity, sensitivity, precision and efficiency. The results showed that primer CytbAG3A at specific annealing temperature can amplify specifically DNA from WBM with acceptable efficiency (105%). The detection limit of WBM DNA is 48 pg corresponding to 3% of WBM in beef meatball formulation. The developed method is used for analysis of marketed meatballs from Yogyakarta (representative for non-wild boar area), Kalimantan (as representative region of wild boar area) and Timor Leste (representative of other country and wild boar area). RT-PCR using CytbAG3A primer is accurate and reliable method for analysis of WBM in meatball in order to support halal authentication of food products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fabricated beef was known as a famous ingredient among the community in Kuala Terengganu and there was a few characteristic were chosen when purchasing it. This research is aimed to study consumers' food choice motives, overall attitude and purchase intention toward fabricating beef meat. The consumer should know the consequences when consumes meat with lack of quality such as the high amount of fat content, non-desired sensory appeal, unknown origin and cost value of the meat plus the consumer also able to identify the part of fabricated beef that give different tenderness to the meat. Less information leads to the difficulty in choosing the best quality of beef in the marketplace. Random sampling and convenience sampling techniques were employed in this survey. Data was collected from 150 respondents through survey. The outcome demonstrates that most of the consumers suffered a positive perception towards food choice motives for fabricating beef. Overall attitudes of consumers purchase fabricated beef when their elemental needs and wants for quality, accessibility, convenience and affordability were met. Intention to purchase the fabricated beef gave positive impact for the future decision making when encounter the same item, especially when the quality equaled the value price. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The intramuscular fat (IMF) content of the LM, also known as marbling, is particularly important in determining the price of beef in Korea, Japan, and the United States. Deposition of IMF is influenced by both genetic (e.g., breed, gender, and genotype) and nongenetic factors (e.g., castration, nutrition, stressors, animal weight, and age). Castration of bulls markedly increases deposition of IMF, resulting in improved beef quality. Here, we present a comparative gene expression approach between bulls and steers. Transcriptomic and proteomic studies have demonstrated that the combined effects of increases in lipogenesis, fatty acid uptake, and fatty acid esterification and decreased lipolysis are associated with increased IMF deposition in the LM. Several peripheral tissues (LM, adipose tissues, and the liver) are involved in lipid metabolism. Therefore, understanding the significance of the tissue network in lipid metabolism is important. Here, we demonstrate that lipid metabolism in LM tissues is crucial for IMF deposition, whereas lipid metabolism in the liver plays only a minor role. Metabolism of body fat and IMF deposition in bovine species has similarities with these processes in metabolic diseases, such as obesity in humans and rodents. Extensive studies on metabolic diseases using epigenome modification (DNA methylation, histone modification, and microRNA), microbial metagenomics, and metabolomics have been performed in humans and rodents, and new findings have been reported using these technologies. The importance of applying "omics" fields (epigenomics, metagenomics, and metabolomics) to the study of IMF deposition in cattle is described. New information on the molecular mechanisms of IMF deposition may be used to design nutritional or genetic methods to manipulate IMF deposition and to modify fatty acid composition in beef cattle. Applying nutrigenomics could maximize the expression of genetic potential of economically important traits (e.g., marbling) in animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Caliskan (2007) has argued that while we live in worlds that are saturated with a concern with prices, we know very little about how they are fashioned and circulated. This concern with prices, and in particular low prices, has been a reoccurring point of problematisation within New Zealand's red meat sector and the prompt for ongoing work. Yet, as Caliskan suggests more generally for agricultural commodities, we know little of the ways in which prices within the red meat sector are created. Taking this provocation as a starting point this paper explores the regular listing of prices for sheep and beef traditionally known as ‘the schedule’ in New Zealand. The paper frames ‘the schedule’ as form of market device and traces the complex filigree of associations that are assembled to make it durable. In tracing these associations what emerges are wider metrological assemblages performed through the complex and unstable interaction of market devices, price, agency and materialities. What this suggests is that because price is often a key metric of problematisation, we need to develop our understanding of the materialities, artefacts and infrastructures that are assembled to make prices possible, and the different possibilities that those things enact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

South Korea is one of the largest beef importing countries in the world. Australia, USA, and New Zealand provide the majority of beef they import. The objective of this study is to evaluate the price relationship of Korean cattle and corn, prices of the imported beef and corn, and prices of Korean cattle and imported beef. We examine threshold points using threshold vector autoregressive (TVAR) model by assuming the presence of nonlinearity. We find that there are two thresholds in Australian beef price with first difference data. This study finds that the current Korean beef price is positively affected by increasing in the previous month of Australian beef price in first and second regimes. Changing in previous corn price has no significant impact on current Korean cattle price in the second regime. In the third regime, we find that current Korean cattle price is positively affected by previous corn price whereas no impact from previous Australian beef price. In this study, we could not use data for the USA due to the periods of bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE). However, we expect that current Korean beef price is significantly affected by changing in the previous month of US beef price using data after the periods of BSE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study aimed to examine the short-run and long-run relationship between beef consumption and beef prices, chicken meat prices, and per capita income for the period of 1994-2014 in Turkey by employing the ARDL/bounds test approach. After deciding on the presence of cointegration between the related variables, a parsimonious VECM model was estimated to conduct the structural analyses of the impulse response function and variance decomposition. The results of the bounds test suggest a long-run equilibrium relationship between beef consumption and its selected determinants. In addition, the empirical findings indicate that chicken meat prices and per capita income level have a positive effect on beef consumption. The results of variance decomposition reveal that the portion of beef prices in explaining beef consumption is large, whereas chicken meat prices have decreasing impact and income level has increasing impact on beef consumption in the long run. The results of the impulse response function are also consistent with the theory. The findings suggest that beef consumption is sensitive to beef prices and responds negatively to a shock in beef prices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beef prices have increased significantly in Namibia in recent years. The main reason for the increase in beef producer prices is the high input cost and drought, leading to excessive culling of breeding herds among commercial farmers. Johansen multivariate test of co-integration and multivariate vector error correction model are used to investigate the price adjustment and the existence of long-run relationship among the beef prices at various stages of the value chain. The results show that the beef cattle prices are integrated and exhibit a long run relationship. Formal (for grade A) and informal (grade C) beef cattle prices suggest that they adjust to long-run equilibrium at different speeds. For instance, prices in the formal markets adjust to disequilibrium at about 81 per cent, while prices in informal markets adjust to disequilibrium at 63 per cent. Granger causality results indicates the log price of grade C beef cattle in the informal market does not cause Granger log price of grade A beef cattle in the formal market, log of wholesale beef price of grade A beef and log of export beef price of grade A unidirectional at the 1 per cent level of significance. The adjustment can be attributed to the objectives and the nature beef markets understudy, coupled to the lack of efficient price information linkages between formal and informal beef cattle markets. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

This research was conducted to determine intermediary margins in the marketing system of slaughtering animals and meat in Ankara Province of Turkey in the form of livestock-wholesale, wholesale-retail and livestock-retail. The material of the study consists of the records of sale transactions in the livestock and meat exchanges subject to Ankara Commodity Exchange. Intermediary margins (2008-2011) in marketing were calculated with current and fixed prices in percentages, making use of the producer price index (PPI) and consumer price index (CPI) of theTurkish Statistical Institute with 2003 set as the base year to rule out the effect of inflation. The study revealed that average livestock-wholesale marketing margins of beef were 18.96%, 19.94%, 16.69%, 11.25%, average wholesale-retail marketing margins of beef were 38.94%, 34.85%, 32.41%, 35.75%, and average livestockretail marketing margins of beef were 47.71%, 45.34%, 40.99%, 39.48% respectively with fixed prices. The calculations based on monthly averages of livestock-retail intermediary margins showed that the share of producer in the retail beef price varied in a wide range, between 47.05% and 66.32%. On the other hand, a high level of correlation was found between retail beef prices and live cattle, wholesale beef prices, livestock-wholesale, wholesaleretail and livestock-retail marketing margins (p<0.01). In this study, average current livestock-wholesale margins were 18.41%, 26.99%, 18.55%, 20.08%, wholesale-retail margins were 27.72%, 27.89%, 29.70%, 28.50% and livestock-retail margins in lamb meat marketing were 38.23%, 45.12%, 39.83%, 40.13% respectively. In the same period, the share transferred to the producer through current retail sales prices of lamb meat was 59.17% as average. The correlation was found significantly as r=+0.936 and r=+0.960 (P<0.01) between fixed and current intermediary margins for livestock-retail and fixed and current retail lamb prices in marketing. As a result, due to the high level intermediary margins of beef and lamb meat marketing, red meat prices is increasing in Turkey. The possible reduction of the intermediary margins at each stage in marketing structure will provide to buy meat from the appropriate prices by the consumers and to contribute market regulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Beef traders’ and consumers’ perceptions on the development of a natural pasture-fed beef (NPB) brand by smallholder cattle producers were investigated. In total, 18 meat traders (five abattoirs and 13 beef retailers) and 155 beef consumers were interviewed using structured questionnaires. All meat traders had the potential but were not willing to support the development of a NPB brand citing smallholder farmers’ limited ability to supply sufficient volumes of high-quality cattle. Consumers (81%) were prepared to purchase NPB upon availability on the market but were not willing (80%) to pay a brand premium. Logistic regression model results showed that consumers’ willingness to buy NPB and pay a premium were influenced (P< 0.05) by gender, household size, income source, meat preference, meat consumption frequency, money spent on beef, frequency of beef purchases and consumption. Overall, beef traders and consumers held positive impressions regarding the development of a NPB brand by smallholder cattle producers but were not willing to support its development. Positive impressions held by value chain partners on the development of a NPB brand provide a basis for advancing development of a NPB brand. Initial efforts should enhance farmers’ capacity to supply sufficient volumes of high-quality cattle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study is to assess the degree and the structure of price dependence between different cuts of the beef industry in the USA. This is pursued using the statistical tool of copulas. To this end, it utilizes retail monthly data of beef cuts, within and between the quality grades of Choice and Select, over the period 2000-2014. For the Choice quality grade, there was evidence of asymmetric price co-movements between all six pairs of beef cuts under consideration. No evidence of asymmetric price co-movements was found between the three pairs of beef cuts for the Select quality grade. For the pairs of beef cuts formed between the Choice and Select quality grades, the empirical results point to the existence of price asymmetry only for the case of the chuck roast cut. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Canadian Journal of Animal Science is the property of Canadian Science Publishing and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This study assesses how locality of production, method of production, and price of beef and beef products influence purchasing preferences. Consumers were surveyed for demographic, economic, and taste and preference characteristics. A conjoint analysis is implemented to analyze the effect of various product attributes on consumers’ beef purchases. The results reveal that the most important of the attributes for consumers is the distance of origin. Consumers consider beef locally grown if the beef is produced within an 85-mile radius, and the distance of origin accounts for 60% of the total importance from all attributes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Revista de Economia e Sociologia Rural is the property of Sociedade Brasileira de Economia e Sociologia Rural and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

A study was carried out to evaluate preferences for two cuts, four countries of origin, two forms of presentation, brand and different prices of beef cattle among supermarket buyers in southern Chile, and to distinguish the existence of different market segments, through a survey of 800 people. Using a fractional factorial design for conjoint analysis, it was determined overall that the origin was more important (44.5%) than price (20.8%), form of presentation (12.2%), cut (12.0%) and brand (10.5%), with preference for Chilean and Argentinean striploin, packaged on trays, with no brand at medium price. Using a cluster analysis, three market segments were distinguished. The largest (52.3%) placed great importance on origin and preferred the highest price. The second (27.5%) also valued origin with the greatest preference for Argentinean beef, and it was the only group that preferred the ribeye as the cut. The third (20.5%) placed the greatest importance on price, and was the only group that preferred Paraguayan meat. The segments differed in the importance of eating meat for their personal well-being. The low importance of packaging and brand indicates poorly developed marketing of this product. In order to properly insert brand beef in the Chilean market, communication strategies must be implemented that identify the product with superior quality and that position the brand in the consumer's mind. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a methodology for evaluating production systems by measuring the intern competitiveness of inbeef cattle. During the first quarter of 2010, questionnaires were administered to 65 farmers, 36 interviews in the Southern Region(State of Rio Grande do Sul) and 29 in the Northern Region (Statesof Pará and Rondônia). Defined the key drivers that affect the international competitiveness - technology, management, market relations and institutional environment, an specific weight was assigned to each in order to get the index of competitiveness. The results were statistically analyzed by the item response theory and the correspondence analysis (ANACOR) with the SPSS® software.The South was more competitive than the North. Regardless ofregion, the critical factors of competitiveness were: crop-livestock integration, strategic planning, calculation of financial indicators,beef pricing, access to technological innovations and organization of farmers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analysed factors contributing to consumers' willingness to pay (WTP) for increased quality information. The empirical scope of the study was restricted to beef, because the beef labelling system enables reliable tracing of quality attributes. The results showed that consumer perceptions of specific risks in food partly explain their WTP. Also negative experiences heard from other people increased the probability of WTP. Trust seems to be extremely significant factor in WTP models. This study implies that the majority of the respondents trust the food safety authorities and the co-operation of all stakeholders in the food chain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]