Grain Fed Specifications

The Australian Grain Fed cattle industry through the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme, administers the certification and specification for minimum standards for Grain Fed Beef.

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Cattle slaughtered and processed as Grain Fed must be sourced from a feedlot accredited with the National Feedlot Accreditation Scheme (NFAS) and audited by AUS-MEAT. All cattle from accredited feedlots must have the necessary NFAS Delivery Documents at time of slaughter. Australian Quarantine Inspection Services (AQIS) are the responsible organisation for the administration of declaration/documents on plant.

AUS-MEAT is the organisation responsible for post-slaughter monitoring of Grain Fed product. Carcases eligible for Grain Fed Certification must comply with the following criteria for meat quality assessments.

GRAIN FED –SYMBOL – GF

  • Number of days on feed:100 days
  • Age of animal (Dentition):6 permanent incisor teeth (maximum) except where carcases with thoracic vertebrae are only partially ossified.
  • P8 Fat depth (mm):7 mm (minimum)
  • Meat Colour Score:1 a-b-c – 3
  • Fat Colour Score:0 – 3
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Feed Ration

Cattle must have been fed in a feedlot for not less than 100 days, and for not less than 80 days of that, on a nutritionally balanced ration of a recognised high energy feed of which grain is the highest single component. Rations must have an average metabolisable energy (ME) content greater than 10 megajoules (MJ) per kilogram of dry matter.

 

 

GRAIN FED YOUNG BEEF –SYMBOL – GFYG

  • Number of days on feed:70 days (Females not less than 60 days)
  • Age of animal (Dentition):0 to 2 permanent incisor teeth
  • P8 Fat depth (mm):5 mm (minimum)
  • Meat Colour Score:1 a-b-c – 3
  • Fat Colour Score:0 – 3
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Feed Ration

Cattle must have been fed in a feedlot for not less than 70 days, and (females for not less than 60 days) and not less than 50 days of that, on a nutritionally balanced ration of a recognised high energy feed of which grain is the highest single component. Rations must have average metabolisable energy (ME) content greater than 10 megajoules (MJ) per kilogram of dry matter.

 

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