In the lead up to the NSW Department of Primary Industries Cowra Agricultural Research and Advisory Station's Open Day on Saturday, September 21, the Cowra Guardian will be showcasing the variety of work taking place at the station. This week, we "meat" the Meat team.
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Ever considered how the steak or chops you eat come from the paddock to your plate?
This is the focus of the Meat team at the NSW Department of Primary Industries (DPI) Cowra Agricultural Research and Advisory Station.
Led by Professor David Hopkins, the work of this group at Cowra is both nationally and internationally recognised, has a track record of securing external funding for research and development and a high output of their research in scientific and industry publications.
Not only has this enhanced Australia's reputation for research in the livestock and meat science fields, it has lifted the profile and reputation of NSW DPI and provided a platform from which to transfer research findings directly to industry. Professor Hopkins said the team has projects which investigate:
- Development and application of technologies to measure meat and carcase quality with a focus on lamb and beef
- Factors impacting on meat quality and carcase yield e.g. genetics and nutrition specifically in lamb
- Nutritive quality of lamb meat
- Red meat quality variation during chilled and frozen storage
- Biomarkers for determining product status
- Instrumental determination of eating quality
- Factors impacting on the tenderisation of meat and methods to improve tenderness
- Growth, carcase composition and meat quality in sheep, goats, beef and alpaca
- Application of technologies in the red meat processing industry
The team has been involved in research that has achieved commercial adoption such as VIASCAN®, new generation electrical stimulation, and SMARTSHAPE™.
Researchers will display and demonstrate the equipment used to measure different meat quality traits during the open day.
The team has also hosted overseas students, from France, Morocco, Namibia, Brazil, China and Italy and visiting scholars from Shandong Agricultural University (SDAU), Taian, China.
Staff in the team hold academic appointments at Charles Sturt University and SDAU and supervise domestic and international post-graduate students.
Cowra is home to Master's student Hongbo Yang from SDAU Charles Sturt University PhD student Bridgette Logan and PhD student from Brazil, Giuliana Micai de Oliveira who you will be able to meet at the open day.