What influence does breed have on meat?

There is considerable debate on the relationship between breed and eating quality. The majority of studies on beef have been carried out on cross-bred animals and tend to show small and/or inconsistent differences. However, significant differences have been found when evaluating beef from pure-bred cattle.

What’s in a breed?

The majority of Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb is sourced from a number of breeds which have over time, proved their ability to thrive in the climate and conditions of Scotland’s hillsides and pastures. Some of the most popular breeds are briefly described below.

SHEEP

Scottish Blackface sheep are a traditional Scottish breed and are mainly farmed on the Scottish hills and mountains. Naturally hardy, they live and forage outdoors all year.

Cheviots are white faced sheep from the Scottish Borders, developed to graze hill pastures. Their faces and legs are covered in a fine, hard hair. The fleece is dense and firm. The rams may be horned, but the females are hornless. The Cheviot and its larger relation, the North Country Cheviot, which is farmed mainly in the Highlands, are hardy sheep which live outside all year.

Scotch Mule ewes are crosses sired by Bluefaced Leicester rams out of Scottish Blackface ewes. They are one of the main lamb producing females in Scotland.

Suffolk sheep are one of the most popular terminal sire breeds in the UK.  Thir progeny, bred from lowland ewes, are early maturing, thanks to their ability to speedily convert milk and grass into meat.

Texel sheep originated from the island of Texel off the north west coast of Holland.  Imported into the UK in the early 1970's, they are also one of the most popular terminal sire breeds.  Texels cross well with Scottish breeds to produce a hardy lamb which has a lean carcase ith excellent conformation.

Most lambs are born from March to May and are ready for processing from June onwards. Easter lambs are born in December.

CATTLE

Aberdeen-Angus cattle – one of the favourites with caterers, originated in North East Scotland, but can be found worldwide. In Scotland, Aberdeen-Angus bulls are widely crossed with other cattle breeds, producing a nice marbled meat, full of flavour.

Charolais cattle came from France and are popular in the UK thanks to their ability to grow quickly and produce more muscle as a result of larger bundles of muscle fibres.

Limousin, also originally from France, have been popular in the UK since the 1970’s. Limousin is now the most popular cattle breed and gives a more delicate meat due to thinner “muscle” fibres and marbling.

Simmental cattle were imported from France, Switzerland and Germany in 1970. Originally bred in Europe for meat, milk and work, UK Simmentals are now bred exclusively for beef production.

Highland cattle are the distinctive hairy, longhorned, native Scottish breed. Their outstanding hardiness enables them to thrive where other breeds would fail. Pure Highland beef satisfies a niche market, thanks to its flavour, marbling and succulence.

Most beef produced in the UK is from crossbred cattle (90%). They grow quickly, and reared properly they give high quality beef.

NOTE: Although Charolais, Limousin and Simmental are called ‘continental’ breeds they have been used in Scotland for decades to improve yield and productivity. These three breeds are successful meat producers and their characteristics complement well those of the traditional breeds. Other traditional Scottish cattle breeds such as Galloway, Luing and Shorthorns are available as pure or cross-breeds.

Variety is the spice of life

Quality Meat Scotland is committed to developing recognition of the qualities and value of Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb from both traditional and more rare breeds of Scottish stock. Why not delight your customers by serving them with meat from these rare breeds – how does ‘Hebridean Scotch Lamb Shank’ or ‘Belted Galloway Scotch Beef Sirloin’ sound? Probably interesting to your customers! Many of these animals have evolved to thrive in different environments and conditions which in turn instil enhanced, varied and often unique eating qualities. Although rare breed population growth is modest, consumer awareness and appreciation continues to increase. More importantly for you, consumer understanding and acceptance of the premium prices will increase, offering greater profit potential.

The rare breeds

Scotch Beef	Scotch Lamb
Belted Galloway - minor	Hebridean - minor
Shetland - minor	Shetland - minor
	Soay - minor

Both beef and lamb have rare breed ‘status’. Here are the Scottish rare breeds to look out for that are currently on the annually updated Rare Breeds Survival Trust (RBST) watchlist:

The chef’s role in breed heritage

The chef – in conjunction with accredited butchers – is key in driving this message to the general public and to continuing these more obscure breeds. A significant number of top restaurants and chefs are already enjoying and promoting the benefits of meat from rare breeds and Quality Meat Scotland and RBST encourage you to champion the variety and quality such products offer.

NOTE: Breeds offer only a potential for quality, as grape variety does for wine. Scotland is famous for its traditional breeds but more importantly, Scottish farmers are known for their experience as they will know what is the best breed or cross-breed for their pasture and ways of working.

The role of diet in ultimate flavour

Scotland’s unique mix of environment and natural grazing ensures great tasting meat

The composition of the diet influences the products of digestion and hence meat odour, flavour and fat characteristics (and thereby eating qualities).

Within reason, there are only a handful of possible options for the farmer but in conjunction with handling, growth and general good husbandry, the meat can vary quite considerably.

For Scotch Beef, Quality Meat Scotland has published the following conclusions:

• Scotch Beef from grass fed animals may develop off flavours more rapidly than Scotch Beef from grain fed animals. Grass and grass silage fed animals generally produces a better quality of meat in terms of colour and lipid oxidation (rancidity) compared with beef from concentrate fed animals
• Feed can alter fatty acid composition, flavour and oxidative stability of meat. Forage based feeds tend to give higher levels of n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids and conjugated linoleic acid and lower saturated fatty acid concentration in Scotch Beef
• Scotch Beef from pasture fed cattle has a lower ratio of n-6/n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids than Scotch Beef from steers fed on concentrates

For Scotch Lamb, Quality Meat Scotland has published the following conclusions:

• Grass or forage fed Scotch Lamb has a more intense lamb flavour than grain fed Scotch Lamb
• Grass feeding increases muscle n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations and improves flavour
• Concentrate feeding can produce ‘abnormal flavours’ probably due to low n-3 and higher n-6 polyunsaturated fatty acid concentrations
• Diets containing high levels of cereals can lead to off flavours and soft fat. If cereals are used they should be used whole not rolled or processed
• Grass fed Scotch Lamb has similar vitamin E levels to those in lamb fed a concentrate diet
• It has been suggested that 12 hrs feed withdrawal prior to slaughter may benefit eating quality
• For grass and foraging based diets, it is beneficial to assess vitamin and mineral levels and supplement as necessary

Source: Factors affecting eating quality, Quality Meat Scotland, 2004

A key responsibility of the Scotch Beef and Scotch Lamb farmer is to provide the right diet for the health and well-being of his animals, aligned with a commercial consideration for the final flavour of the meat. Although feed does have an effect on flavour and may affect the oxidative stability of meat (and therefore shelf life), it has little or no effect on tenderness.

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