RED meat industry stakeholders from across the supply chain will come together in Brisbane on Monday to further discuss DEXA technology at a consultation workshop.

Meat & Livestock Australia is convening the workshop, titled DEXA technology in the red meat industry, following the announcement at last month’s MLA annual meeting of a plan to install objective carcase measurement (OCM) technology across the Australian red meat industry.

DEXA is also utilised in carcase evaluation performed as part of automated processing, using robots like this example under development at JBS Dinmore

The workshop will provide an opportunity for industry members to learn more about MLA’s work with industry, research institutes and technology providers to develop the application of DEXA (Dual Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry) as an objective carcase measurement tool.

The workshop will include a panel of speakers discussing the technology and MLA’s plan to enable industry an option to accelerate its adoption in Australian processing plants and increase the accessibility of the resulting data across the value chain. There will also be a question and answer session for attendees.

Panellists will include:

• Richard Norton, MLA Managing Director
• Sean Starling, MLA’s General Manager – Research, Development & Innovation
• Professor David Pethick, Murdoch University
• Dr John Langbridge, Manager Industry and Corporate Affairs, Teys Australia
• David Hill, Cattle Council of Australia board member and producer

MLA general manager for research, development & innovation, Sean Starling, said the forum was an opportunity for producers, processors or other interested parties from across the value chain to understand the technology and its benefits in more detail.

“Installing DEXA technology throughout Australia’s red meat industry has the potential to be transformational – creating a single scientific measurement of carcase meat, fat and bone (lean meat yield) and the opportunity to pass this information back along the value chain,” Mr Starling said.

“On farm, the information will stimulate further advances in genetics and livestock production systems. This technology can also be leveraged by processors to increase boning room efficiency and provide opportunities for automation, he said.

DEXA technology has been utilised in other sectors, including in the medical sector, for many years. The smallstock DEXA technology is now ready for commercial deployment in the lamb industry, with the R&D for beef technology application ‘nearing completion.’

Last month, MLA outlined a plan to create a platform to install stage-one of the new OCM technology into all AusMeat registered processing facilities in Australia.

• Click here to find out more about next Monday’s consultation workshop in Brisbane and to register to attend.

Workshop details:

Time: 1-3pm
Date: Monday, 12 December
Venue: McGuires Colmslie Hotel, corner Wynnum & Junction Roads, Morningside, Brisbane.
Catering: The meeting will include a light lunch and question and answer session.

Source: MLA