Expert Supports Varied Meat Production In Brazil

BRAZIL - Brazil has the capacity to produce beef for all niches, under several production systems, including free-range, confinement and organic cattle-raising, according to post-doctorate professor at Escola Superior de Agricultura "Luiz de Queiroz" of São Paulo University (Esalq/USP), Dante Pazzanese Lanna.

5 April 2011

2 minute read

South America

The professor will address the theme “Animal nutrition and the quality of Brazilian meat” in a lecture at the International Meat Congress 2011 to be held on 7 to 9 June, in Campo Grande, state of Mato Grosso do Sul.

One of the arguments used by Dante Pazzanese Lanna is that each meat production system has its strengths and disadvantages, and that producing concern in consumers as a marketing tool in order to promote a particular meat production system is a concern.

“The ideal situation is that in which there is no unfair competition among production systems, and in which customers are free to choose the meat they will eat,” he says.

However, in order to develop cattle-raising under any of these systems, it is necessary to be aware of studies in the area.

Investigators from the national Institute of Agriculture and Cattle-Raising Technology (INTA) of Argentine have pointed out that the change in beef taste to a flavour similar to pork is related to changes in the fattening system.

Dante Pazzanese Lanna, an expert in animal nutrition, said that a confined herd grew at an accelerated pace in Argentine, when it was fed large quantities of oilseeds.

Esalq/USP has developed research to guide beef cattle producers on the ideal quantities of these types of food in the diet, so that flavour is not affected.

With the theme “Quality Meat for All the Peoples”, the International Meat Secretariat's regional conference for 2011 will address themes such as red meat in human health, fair trade in the meat production chain, sustainable production, traceability, animal sanitation and international and domestic markets.

The event will be held at the Arquiteto Rubens Gil de Camillo Convention Center and is promoted by the International Meat Secretariat (IMS/OPIC) and celebrated by the Agriculture and Cattle-Raising Federation of Mato Grosso do Sul (Famasul).

The city of Campo Grande was chosen to host the event due to its favorable geographic location, besides being the capital of the State with the third largest herd in the Country, composed by 20 million cattle heads. The state of Mato Grosso do Sul also became a reference in cattle raising, through actions such as the Good Agricultural and Cattle-Raising Practices (Boas Práticas Agropecuárias, BPA) program, developed by Embrapa Beef Cattle, which results in a juicier, more savoury and more nutritious steak.