The concept of using a specially developed x-ray machine to accurately assess carcase yield is not new.
It has been used in the chicken and lamb processing systems since 1987: but it has only been since 2014 when Meat and Livestock Australia teamed with Teys Australia to develop a system relevant to the beef industry.
The DEXA machine has been developed during the past three years by Scott Automation and Robotics in Rydalmere, who have been successful in developing efefctive machines for the lamb industry.
Showcased during the annual Teys Australia producer workshop held at the Jindalee Feedlot, Stockingbingal, the DEXA (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry) machine attracted a lot of attention from the many beef producers who attended.
Introducing the concept, Teys Australia, general manager Corporate Services, Tom Maguire told the audience Teys are very interested in this latest technology.
“In a world which is rapidly changing, we think this DEXA technology is an important foundation for the development of the beef industry,” Mr Maguire said.
“We are under pressure from competition all the time … beef is now four times the price of chicken and consumers are trading down.”
Mr Maguire noted three reasons for Teys Australia adopting the latest system, and said the beef industry has gone past having the attitude that automation can’t be a part of beef processing.
“We need the kind of DEXA technology to give [producers] really accurate yield feedback, and we are really excited about the potential for automation in our plants,” he said.
“Teys are also excited about DEXA because we can make our boning rooms much more accountable for the product we recover.”
Mr Maguire said Teys Australia anticipates breaking the carcase into the various components - meat, fat and bone – by ‘teaching’ the machine to differentiate between each segment.
Maximum value can then be extracted, which will in turn be passed onto the producer through potential premium payments for higher yielding bodies.
The use of robotics has been used within the pork and poultry industries for some time, and Mr Maguire said the beef industry has been somewhat envious of their success.
“This objective technology gives us a wonderful opportunity to change that,” he said.
“We can define potential cutting lines of each carcase and start holding our boning room teams accountable for every product they produce.”
Mr Maguire said the DEXA technology is important as an objective measurement crucial in beef processing, in association with improving animal health and meat grading.
“However, we don’t want to lose the message about meat quality when talking about yield,’ he said.
“It will be years probably before we start paying people differently until everyone is ready, but we are putting safeguards in place from day one [to ensure integrity].”
Mr Maguire told his audience the industry is already thinking about how producers can have confidence in the yield measurement they get from Teys compared to another processor.
“A CT scanner will be purchased by industry which will be routinely moved around the different plants to validate their DEXA machines,” he said.
“The machine will also be regularly assessed to ensure it stays ‘trained’ using a phantom body.
“It will have distinct measures, and the machine will be calibrated against it and controlled by Ausmeat.”
In closing his address, Mr Maguire implored producers and processors to stay focused on what is important.
“There is no doubt Brazil and India are coming as competitors, so we have to do something that is smarter, because we are never going to be cheaper,” he said.
“We don’t want to be cheaper, we have to grow value in the industry for everyone, and that is why Teys are committed to extracting more value from our customers.”
Teys Australia are currently installing a machine within a fully lead lined chiller at their Rockhampton-based processing operation, and expect to have it functional by end of July.
“We are hoping by August, we will have machines scanning every side that goes through our Rockhampton plant, and with the regular chain speed, a lot of data will be accrued quickly,” Mr Maguire said.