SHORTER waiting times before slaughter for cattle at Australian Country Choice’s Cannon Hill processing facility could produce a 4.64kg/carcase weight advantage, according to a new study.

Shared across the wider Australian red-meat industry, the research findings could offer a way to improve economic returns for livestock producers and meat processors and improve meat eating quality for consumers.

University of New England honours student Holly Speers found that reducing waiting time from the industry standard (16 to 24 hours) to as low as two hours increases dressing percentage, carcase weights – both hot and cold – and eating quality, without compromising food safety.

She focussed her four-month study on 1896 crossbred steers coming from ACC’s Brisbane Valley feedlot to Cannon Hill from June to September 2024.

Her research suggested that the shorter waiting time in lairage increased hot standard carcase weight, cold carcass weight and dressing percentage, compared to longer lairage times.

Lairage is the period cattle spend resting in holding pens after arriving at a processing facility, allows animals to recover from transport stress, facilitates inspections and ensures logistical coordination.

Ms Speers said: “This management step is essential in maintaining animal welfare and operational efficiency in beef processing.

“Typically, Australian facilities maintain lairage durations of 16-24 hours to provide cattle with sufficient rest, to reduce gastrointestinal contents and to comply with food safety standards.”

A feature of her ACC study was a ten-day waiting period after pre-draft before livestock exit from the feedlot. This gave the animals time to overcome any stress and to re-establish their social hierarchies in their new treatment groups.

Ms Speers’ research found that shorter lairage led to better colour and optimal pH levels in the meat – a marker of eating quality. The study revealed that the normal lairage group reported 2.32pc dark-cutters while the short lairage group reported 0pc.

Shorter lairage was one of “Ten useful tips to help avoid dark cutting/high PH penalties,” quoting UNE’s Dr Peter McGilchrist, published earlier on Beef Central.

Microbial impact

Additionally, Ms Speers checked 10pc of all carcases for microbial count post-slaughter.

“Shorter lairage means less time to wash down the animals,” she said. “Despite this, there was no difference. The hide was just as clean and there was no increased transfer of microbes from the hides onto the meat during processing.”

Short duration lairage presented processors with an opportunity to increase carcase yields without compromising food safety, which can generate substantial financial returns due to improved efficiencies, Ms Speers said.

“However, the implementation of short duration lairage requires precise logistical planning, communication and coordination among stakeholders to ensure successful operations, given the complexity of the red meat processing industry,” she said.

“Effective truck scheduling is essential to avoid queuing and to maintain production flow.”

“However, overall, short duration lairage supports both operational and economical returns to the Australian beef industry by targeting improved livestock transport and lairage management practices,” she said.

Australian Country Choice Research and Development manager Paul Gibson said short-duration lairage offered both producer and processor opportunity for productivity gains in carcase kilograms, and real impact to the bottom line.

Pictured looking at research results at ACC Cannon Hill were (L to R) Dr Emma Lynch, UNE lecturer in ruminant production, Peter McGilchrist, UNE Associate Professor in Meat Science, Holly Speers and Paul Gibson.