CALLS have been made for all pedigree Aberdeen-Angus cattle to be DNA tested to protect the integrity of the breed’s international reputation for quality beef.
“We need DNA testing of pedigree Angus if Aberdeen-Angus beef is to continue to attract the premium prices it does at present,” veteran breeder, Willie McLaren, of Netherton, told The Scottish Farmer.
“Any breeder who is against such testing should be asking himself if he can continue to expect premiums of up to 30-40p per deadweight kg for beef that has not been DNA sampled.”
It was a point echoed by Steven McLean, head of agriculture and fisheries sourcing for Marks and Spencer’s supermarkets, which have been selling branded Aberdeen-Angus beef for 25 years.
Speaking at the Aberdeen-Angus World Forum conference in Edinburgh, Mr McLean said that proving traceability and authenticity was not enough for discerning customers and eating quality to match customer perception needed to be delivered. He also added that gene marker technology should be used to build in eating quality assurance to protect the brand for the long term.
“This is the 25th year we have been selling A-A beef and we want to improve on our market share, but to do that we need to work harder with a science-based approach to delivering quality. 
"Science has to be involved to prove traceabilty and authenticity, but with these systems now embedded, we also have the opportunity to use gene marker technology to drive real quality and step-change the breed,” said Mr McLean.
He added that ‘so called’ Aberdeen-Angus carcases had been DNA tested by the retail giant for the past four years, and the results had revealed some 'room for improvement'. This, he said, was an issue the A-A breed must address.
Mr McLean said M and S, which buys 500 A-A carcases per week and currently accounts for 12% of all UK steak sales, is looking to form a unique partnership with producers, the breed society, processing partner Scotbeef, and gene technology firms, to ensure a better eating quality experience for consumers buying its branded beef. 
For those committing to the new scheme, Mr McLean said there should be production efficiencies, however he also confessed that such contracts 'would not suit everyone.'
“We know that if we keep on doing what we have always done, we will not be good enough, so we have to look forward and restructure. 
"We are committed to Aberdeen-Angus beef and convinced demand for it will increase, so we want to ensure a superior product which is not only traceable but one which also provides increased eating quality. To do that we need the right genetics, feeding, processing and chilling processes put in place,” he concluded.
Dr Johan De Meulemeester, from Allflex, echoed the growing need for DNA tested cattle: “People now expect better guarantees about the meat they are eating and are willing to pay more for the origins of food.”