Latest technologies revolutionising the beef and lamb processing industries are on show at the Australian Lot Feeders Association’s BeefEx grain fed beef conference this week.

Since 2016, ALMTech has been working to develop advanced measurements of red meat quality and quantity that will enhance the Australian beef, lamb and pork industries’ ability to respond to demands and capture value-chain price differentials.

By 2040, it is estimated that ALMTech will have generated as much as $510 million extra for the beef, lamb and pork industries in Australia.

Prof Graham Gardner addressing the BeefEX conference this morning

ALMTech’s chief investigator Professor Graham Gardner said it was exciting to be able to showcase the latest tech in action at BeefEx.

“We will have a modified refrigerated shipping container with a glass wall so spectators can see inside where there’ll be 3 quartered carcases and the meat quality devices that we have developed,” he said.

“People will be able to try out some pretty fancy camera technologies which image the eye-muscle and predict the rib-eye grading traits. These include the Masterbeef Samsung phone app, the QFOM device by Frontmatec, and the Video Image Analysis (VIAScan) system by Marel all in action.

“These cameras take the subjectivity and guess-work out of grading carcases.

“In addition, there’s a microwave device that measures fat depth and this one is quite flexible as it can be used in live cattle as well.”

The live demonstrations align with ALMTech’s mission, according to Prof. Gardner.

“We are striving to assist in creating complete transparency between producers, processors and consumers so it’s fantastic to be able to show off exactly how the tech is being used in plants across the country.”

Prof Gardner is speaking at BeefEx tomorrow to update the lot feeding industry on how ALMTech’s research is revolutionising carcase measurement.

“We have seen some huge leaps in technology since we began six years ago and these advancements are great news for the lot feeding industry which thrives on objective measurement and data, both things that increased tech in processing provides them.”

BeefEx is being held at the Brisbane Showground this week.

The ALMTech project is supported by funding from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry as part of its Rural R&D for Profit Program, in partnership with Meat and Livestock Australia, Australian Meat Processor Corporation, Australian Pork Limited, commercial companies, State Departments and universities.