New Zealand’s low-carbon beef production will accelerate following the release of a new study.
The AgResearch report found that dairy-derived beef raised for 10 to 18 months has a carbon footprint 29 to 48 percent lower than the average for mixed beef cattle in New Zealand. The study found younger dairy cattle produced almost half the greenhouse gas emissions of older steers.
The move could help address a significant ethical and environmental concern for the New Zealand dairy sector, which has seen nearly two million four-day-old bobby calves culled annually. This practice has been facing scrutiny and raising questions about the dairy industry's social license to operate in the future.
In dairy production, the total greenhouse gas emissions have been allocated between milk and live weight sold for meat. This meant that only a portion of the emissions were attributed to the beef, while the rest were allocated to the milk.
In contrast, beef systems only produced live weight, so all the emissions were allocated to the beef.
Daniel Carson (Ngai Tahu), founder of Maori-owned agribusiness Miti, which commissioned the research, said their mission was to transform young dairy calves, usually slaughtered at four days old, into a sustainable and profitable food source.
He added that extending these calves' lifespan by up to a year could create a new market for a viable low-emission protein source while adding value to the dairy and beef industries.
Carson hoped the research would support the creation of a new low-carbon, young beef category called Mataora, designed explicitly for manufacturing into added-value products. It would also lead to more efficient use of New Zealand’s meat processing infrastructure and low-carbon leather for the high-end fashion sector.
“Currently, young bobby calves are considered surplus to requirements, and the current system treats them as waste products. Farmers currently receive approximately NZD 35 per bobby calf sold for pet food, around NZD 2 per kg of carcass weight,” said Carson.
“In contrast, we have developed a new meat snack under the Miti brand for the export market. Under this model, farmers could raise the animal for a year and see a four times higher per kg return. This represents a significant shift in the economics of this part of the dairy industry. No other country has this volume of non-replacement calves, which presents a viable opportunity to create an entirely new meat category unique to New Zealand.”
At a time when parts of the meat processing sector had been closing while global demand for protein had been rising, Carson believed there was potential for low-carbon beef to spawn an entirely new food manufacturing and textile industry for New Zealand.
He said that while research supported the development of product prototypes, New Zealand had a shortage of contract manufacturing facilities capable of producing at an export scale.
Grant Verry, co-CEO of the New Zealand Food Innovation Network (NZFIN), mentioned that their role was to provide a bridge for ambitious food and beverage businesses to commercialise their products. He said their facilities and support structures helped these businesses overcome the challenges of scaling up production.
“If we are to achieve the government’s goal of doubling the value of food exports over the next decade, we need to look at how we can amplify business models like this. Miti is adding significant value to what is effectively seen as an industry waste product and creating an export market,” said Verry.
“The result is a sustainably-produced all-natural beef product infused with kanuka smoke and New Zealand Black Beech Forest honeydew that is believed to be the world's lowest carbon meat snack. At the same time, this concept has the potential to inspire other manufactured innovations to drive better utilisation and create incentives to age these bobby calves.”
NZFIN has been working with Miti to develop a market pathway beyond New Zealand. It wants to help them achieve their export ambitions and introduce their low-carbon beef product to the world.
“Our Asia Pacific Food Innovation Network is designed to connect businesses like Miti to new markets. We introduce them to potential distributors and retailers in the region, leveraging our partnerships to help them succeed internationally.”
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