An Analytical Look at Australian Beef

Our final assignment for this course is to take an analytical look at one of the visits made on this trip and compare what we heard and saw there to what would be the norm here in the U.S. Of all the stops we made, there were several differences to be seen, while surprisingly, there were many more similarities. But of everything I witnessed during my time abroad, the one thing that just absolutely astounded me was the differences in consumer demands for beef.

A comparison of a grain-fed ribeye (left) to a grass-fed ribeye (right)

Now, I touched on this a little bit in one of my previous entries, but just as a refresher, there is a high demand for very lean, grass-fed, hormone free beef. Of course, this is in stark contrast to the "normal" grain-fed, high marbled steaks that are prized in the United States. In fact, for any reading that might not be familiar with quality grades, we actually reward producers based on the amount of marbling in their cattle. In Australia however, as best we were able to tell, there's no set standard for grading carcass quality.


There are several factors that seem to be the driving forces behind this demand for--in my humble opinion--low-quality cuts of beef. One of these it would seem is an aversion to fat. In almost exact contrast to our market in the United States,  Australian consumers will gravitate towards the leaner cuts in the meat case rather than the highly marbled ones. Therefore, leaner beef is more valuable than what would be considered a higher quality cut here in the U.S.

Along with the consumer aversion to fat, within the domestic population of Australia, it appears that there is a conception (one that also seems to be creeping into the minds of American consumers as well) that implanting cattle with growth promotants can lead to a hormonal imbalance in those who consume meat from these animals. That is a conversation for another time, but suffice to say, there has been ample research done in regards to this matter, all results indicating that this is a non-issue.

But the important thing to keep in mind about all this is that Australia only keeps around 20% of the beef it produces. The rest is exported largely to Europe and nearby Japan. Of course, any beef exported to Europe has to be hormone free, which just adds more incentive not to use any implants. The Japanese, however, are very fond of high quality beef, which is why there has been an increase of crossbreeding with Angus and Wagyu cattle, especially in the northern parts of Queensland.

In any case, within the domestic population of Australia, I believe that consumer education is needed. I don't begrudge anyone who would prefer a lean, low quality steak to one that would qualify as USDA Prime, as long as it's not for the wrong reasons, i.e. a misunderstanding about growth promotants, grain feeding, or health concerns about intramuscular fat. Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA), who is roughly the equivalent of the United States' National Cattlemen's Beef Association (NCBA), has made efforts to educate consumers about these issues, but it would seem their effectiveness has been questionable at best. Their website can be found here.

In the end, it all comes down to what is the most profitable decision. There are plenty of people around the world that are willing to pay good money for a thick juicy steak. For those that can produce it, there's a market outside Australia that can be relied upon. For everyone else, there are plenty of people with in their country that it seems will pay just as much for anything else.

What makes the whole situation sad in my opinion, is that progress has been halted, and in truth, overturned, due to misconceptions and lack of education. What makes the whole situation scary is that these same misconceptions seem to be creeping their way into the minds of American consumers, at least on a small scale. Only time will tell what the future has in store for the world beef industry.

Day 10: Farewell and the Trip in Review

Well, the end of this adventure has arrived, and too quickly. We woke up at 3:00 to arrive to the airport with plenty of time to catch our first of many flights. From Cairns to Brisbane, Brisbane to L.A., L.A. to Dallas and Dallas to Kansas City, we finally collected our luggage and said our goodbyes as we all made our separate ways back home. It's a bittersweet feeling being back. There's no doubt that I'm thrilled to be back home, but at the same time, it's a shame that the trip has ended so soon. But now it's time to get back to reality, and the best souvenirs from the trip are the memories made.

Without a doubt, this trip has been the most enjoyable experience of my college career, and maybe my entire life. Before it's all said and done, I'm going to do everything I can to make it back.

Warning, it's about to get a little deep here.

What made this trip so unforgettably fantastic was the people. The memories made and the relationships built are what will be most treasured from this trip. I doubt anyone could have assembled a better group of kids, found a more entertaining faculty member to lead it, or a more knowledgeable guide to show us around the country. It was a near perfect as I believe it could have been!

That being said, I'd like to thank the people that made this trip possible, especially my parents. They have given me a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I'm inexplicably grateful for what they've done for me.

So, in closing, for all of you reading, thanks for keeping up with me. And to any of my fellow travelers reading this, it's been a hell of a time! We'll see you down the road!

Day 9: A Day at the Reef

In a word, today was incredible. Aside from the rough morning boat ride that took us out to Green Island, and eventually the Great Barrier Reef, today was as great of a last day as we could have asked for.

We woke up to scattered showers, which was definitely disappointing. The gloomy weather coupled with the rough choppy waters (which caused problems for many people on our boat) had people a little disillusioned with what was promised to be a day of fun. But once we made landfall at Green Island, people started to get a little color back in their cheeks, the rain stopped, and several of us ventured out for some snorkeling off the shore.

Pake Ebert and I on the Scuba-Doo's

From there, we endured another choppy boat ride to the outer reef, where we tied onto a large pontoon boat. No sooner had we gotten off the boat than the sun came out for the first time in days.

Here we had a multitude of activities to choose from, including scuba diving, snorkeling, taking a ride on a semi-submarine, or viewing fish from the underwater observatory. My personal favorite was taking the scuba-doo down to the bottom of the reef. For those of you that are wondering, the scuba-doo was basically an underwater scooter that we were able to drive around. Definitely a highlight of the trip.

After an afternoon on the water, we returned to the shore and had our farewell dinner at a churascaria. We're all trying to get a few winks in before our wake-up call at 3:00 here in a few hours. We have a 5:30 flight to Brisbane and from there we head back home to the U.S.

All good things must come to an end, and like most good things, the end has come too soon.

Day 8: Welcome to the Tropics

So, after our short stay in Sydney, we woke up this morning and hopped on a plane to take us to tropical north Queensland, and the town of Cairns (pronounced "Cans").

Our expectations of a sunny, tropical "Cancun-ish" location were somewhat dampened (excuse the pun) as we were welcomed with rain showers and thunderstorms. Hopefully the weather will clear up before we hit up the Great Barrier Reef tomorrow. I can't imagine that snorkeling in the rain will be much fun.

Aside from the weather though, Cairns is beautiful. The city is surrounded by a rainforest on one side and the ocean on the other.

Our one stop today was to the Tjapukai cultural center. Basically it's a tourist stop meant to educate people about aboriginal culture. There we were able to hear a few creation myths, as well as view and participate in boomerang and spear throwing. I learned that I'd probably not last too long in the bush. Either that, or I'd be a vegetarian. Oh well, I guess that's why someone invented gunpowder.

For dinner tonight we stopped in at a seafood restaurant along the beach. While a few people had a poor dining experience, I contend it was the best meal I've had so far.

Tomorrow we get to take a trip out to the Great Barrier Reef for some snorkeling and scuba diving. Hopefully the weather will be kind to us. Only time will tell.

Day 7: It's Tourist Time

Well, as the title suggests, the educational part of the tour ended today. Our last agricultural stop was to Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. This university is pretty much the premiere ag school in Australia, or so we gathered.

After the tour of the university, we hit the road, and made our way north to a place called Sydney. You might have heard of it. We did some souvenir shopping, and then brought out the shiny shoes for a fantastic nighttime dinner cruise in Sydney Harbor. We were able to get great views of the harbor bridge and the opera house, as well and the Sydney skyline.

Tomorrow we take a domestic flight to tropical north Queensland, and the town of Cairns, gateway to the great barrier reef. Lots of excitement is up ahead.

Day 6: Australian Beef Done "Right"

Today was was another interesting day in Australia (nothing new there). Our stops today showed us a different method of beef production in Australia--one that more closely resembles that back home. We started at the Wagga Wagga sale yards, moved on to the Cargill-Teys plant, and concluded with a visit to Jindalee feedlot outside the rural community of Temora.

At the sale yards we were able to see how live cattle are marketed. It's not much different that a sale barn back home, other than the auctioneers are harder to understand.

The Cargill plant was much more "American" than the JBS/Swift plant toured earlier. A lot more grain fed beef is processed, and unlike the JBS plant, it is strictly a beef plant.

The Jindalee feedyard was very similar to a US feedlot. They run about 15,000 head, mainly consisting of angus and angus cross steers, with a few other breeds and a few heifers. They make use of growth implants and grain rations, which was refreshing to see. Until now, everything we've seen and heard has been about grass-fed, hormone free beef.

Well, that about wraps up today's adventures. We're off to Sydney tomorrow, so stay tuned!

Day 5: Sheep, Emus, and Shorthorns

Well, we've reached the halfway point of our trip. Like most things in life, it's going by way too quickly for my liking, but I have no doubt that there's still plenty of enjoyment to be had.

Our day today consisted of 3 stops in total, beginning with a visit to the Trigger Vale seedstock operation. This operation specializes in White Suffolk and Bond Merino sheep. Our host discussed the challenges facing the sheep industry in Australia.

From there we moved on to an emu farm, which proved to be one of the most entertaining visits so far. Our hosts prepared us some steaks on the barbie, which was a refreshing alternative to the set menu items that have been the norm up to today.

Our third and final stop of the day was to Spry's Shorthorn Stud. Following a tour and a presentation about their operation, they prepared us our second steak dinner of the day and provided us with ample refreshments. We finished the evening out by hanging out and retelling our experiences of the trip so far.

Tonight we are in the town of Wagga Wagga, where we will be staying for two nights. Tomorrow we'll visit the Wagga Wagga sale yards and tour a Cargill abattoir. In the mean time, I'm going to get a few winks in. Until tomorrow!