Premiums for Belgian Blue Beef Reward Canadian Breeders

Canadian Belgian Blue Association (CBBA) members are on the right track - a national chain of groceries is now offering lean beef under the Laura's Lean Beef banner, and CBBA members are raising exactly the type of beef for this market. Belgian Blue Beef produces naturally, with no help of hormones, high yielding leaner carcasses all the while maintaining outstanding cutability. Belgian Blue carcasses obtained the highest score for cutability at Agribition in Regina, SK.

Regina, Saskatchewan (PRWEB) December 13, 2006 -- Canadian Belgian Blue Association (CBBA) members are on the right track - a national chain of groceries is now offering lean beef under the Laura's Lean Beef banner, and CBBA members are raising exactly the type of beef for this market. Belgian Blue Beef produces naturally, with no help of hormones, high yielding leaner carcasses all the while maintaining outstanding cutability. Belgian Blue carcasses obtained the highest score for cutability at Agribition in Regina, SK. As consumer demand for natural, hormone free, leaner and environmental friendly beef increases, so does the demand for Belgian Blue.

Especially attractive for Belgian Blue breeders is that companies like Laura Lean Beef pay substantial premiums for lean high yielding carcasses. While discounting AAA, they pay, on today's market price, a 22.5 $ per ctw premium for 67 % or more Canadian Lean Yield carcasses.

"Just like in all other industries, it's logical to reward cattlemen for sellable meat yield. All my Belgian Blue crosses have the genetic potential to capture this niche market that pays a substantial premium," says Ken Miller, longtime CBBA member in Avonlea, SK.

When slaughtered as purebred animals, Belgian Blue Beef cattle will deliver meat yields that are unheard of with other breeds. In Belgium, Belgian Blue breeders refer to exceptional animals as double 75 ers (75 % carcass yield of 75 % of lean yield) In Canada Belgian Blue cross carcasses scored up to 72.50 % for cutability, figures seldom seen by the beef industry at Agribition.

Used as terminal sires, Belgian Blue Bulls generate carcasses far superior in cutability than the maternal breed. It is for that reason that, in crossbreeding, Belgian Blue is now the mostly widely used Beef Sire in Great Britain, the birth place of the most traditional beef breeds used in Canada.

Quality Belgian Blue Sires will deliver, almost without exception, the muscling and fat cover requested for premium markets. This is demonstrated in meeting the traditional requirements of the Canadian classification grid with the Belgian Blue British crosses as well as the leaner niche market with the Belgian Blue Continental crosses.

For more information and pictures: visit the Canadian Belgian Blue Association website at www.belgianblue.ca or contact Mark Hodges, President, at 1 204 764 2674 or Director Marie Goubau at 1 613 679 4133

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