Do consumers prefer pasture-raised dual-purpose cattle when considering meat products? A hypothetical discrete choice experiment for the case of minced beef

The potential of virtual fencing technology to facilitate sustainable livestock grazing management

Virtual fencing (VF) technology is gaining interest due to its potential to facilitate sustainable grazing management. It allows farmers to contain grazing livestock without physical fences, thereby reducing the time and labour associated with the implementation of conventional fences. From a conservation perspective, some sensitive areas within uplands should not be grazed during certain periods of the year, and VF provides an invisible and moveable fence line that can exclude livestock from these areas. However, there are also concerns associated with its use, including animal welfare impacts, cost-effectiveness, and public perception. The extent to which VF can contribute to make livestock systems more sustainable remains to be investigated. To address this gap, this study investigates the potential of VF to promote sustainable grazing management using the Efficiency, Substitution, and Redesign framework, which has been used for the first time in this context. The framework is particularly relevant in taking an active and normative approach to identify key aspects to focus on to help achieve sustainability. We consulted stakeholders including farmers, wildlife inspectors, veterinarians, policy officers, researchers, NGOs, farm advisors or certification managers, through focus groups (N = 4) and in-depth, semi-structured interviews (N = 5). Stakeholders have highlighted the potential of VF to provide new opportunities to increase the efficiency and sustainability of livestock grazing systems, enabling their redesign, and contributing to improved environmental and animal welfare outcomes, as well as higher financial and social performance. However, there are important aspects that remain to be addressed to achieve such redesign, including issues of reliability due to poor network signal, animals' ability to learn, biosecurity and safety issues related to the absence of physical fences, farm suitability and farmers' ability to use the systems effectively. This study highlights the need to ensure that the development and uptake of VF are mutually beneficial to farmers, animals, and the wider farming industry. This includes a highlight on the importance of participative approaches to involve key stakeholders to address concerns and maximise the potential of the technology.

Chinese consumer preference for beef with geographical indications and other attributes

As the demand for beef products grows in the Chinese market, understanding consumer preferences for beef, especially those related to quality labelling, is essential. The recent agreement between China and the European Union to promote Geographical Indications (GIs) provides a new insight into preferences for beef with quality labelling. This paper assesses consumer preferences for beef products with GIs and other attributes. A nationwide survey is conducted including 1210 respondents in China by a choice experiment attributing GI label, 'green', 'hazard-free', and 'organic' labels, feeding regimes (grain-fed, grass-fed), country of origin (China, Ireland, Australia, Brazil), and price (30, 40, 80, 100 ¥/500 g). The random parameter logit model with error component reveals that Chinese consumers have a significant preference for grain-fed beef and domestic beef, and they are willing to pay a premium price for GI-labelled beef compared with other attributes. The interaction between GIs and country of origin is included to indicate the positive price impact of GIs on imported beef products. Demographic factors such as place of residence and occupation are found to affect consumer preferences for GIs.

Consumer's perception of food pairing products with usual, novel and unusual flavour combinations: A segmentation approach

In saturated markets, companies are continually launching new products. Food innovations particularly play a decisive role in this case. One new concept is food pairing, which signifies that the more aromatic compounds two foods have in common, the better they taste together. Food pairing offers an opportunity to develop innovative foods. However, some consumers are risk-averse or exhibit food neophobia. Studies on food neophobia indicate that innovative foods could face rejection. The factor that represents a marketing barrier is not only the sensory rejection of the products when tasting them but also the refusal to even try such innovative products. Therefore, the idea of whether consumers are generally open to food pairing is important to examine. Nonetheless, research into this issue is lacking thus far. The subject of how consumers judge usual, novel, and unusual pairing principles was investigated in this study. The topic of whether a target group for food pairing products exists and characterized the target group was also analysed. To achieve the objective of the study, an online survey of German consumers (n = 1,064) was conducted; these consumers judged the five flavour combinations of each category (usual, novel, unusual). The results revealed a four-cluster solution, with one-third of the sample expressing an openness to food pairing. The whole sample judged the usual combinations as suitable; by contrast, the novel and unusual combinations were deemed to be mainly appropriate for the food pairing cluster. The proposed measurement methodology for testing the openness of food pairing, which distinguishes between usual, novel, and unusual pairings, has demonstrated its usefulness. Those consumers who are open to food pairing have a high level of food involvement and a low degree of food neophobia. Furthermore, they show the highest organic food purchase frequency.

Improved muscle fatty acid composition and oxidative stability in lambs grazing on sainfoin pasture

As a mode of animal management, grazing on pasture has the potential to improve animal performance and provide healthy meat. However, there is little information about the effects of lamb meat quality grazed on sainfoin pasture. Therefore, the present study was conducted to compare the fatty acid composition and oxidative stability of growing lambs. The twenty-four lambs were randomly divided into grazing on sainfoin pasture (GS) or feeding indoors pelleted total mixed ration (FI). The results show that GS had the higher polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA), especially n-3 PUFA (P = 0.002), and beneficial for nutritional index of fatty acid. Corresponding that GS had lower the Thiobarbituric acid reactive substance (TBARS) in raw (P = 0.005) and cooked meat (P = 0.008). The GS had higher total phenols (P = 0.021), ferric reducing antioxidant power (FRAP) (P = 0.048) and α-Tocopherol of meat (P = 0.004). In conclusion, grazing on sainfoin pasture in lambs can improve muscle fatty acid composition and oxidative stability than feeding indoors.

Assessing consumers' preferences for beef and lamb meat linked to wildfire prevention services

Meat from silvopastoral systems, due to its provision of numerous ecosystem services such as wildfire risk reduction in Mediterranean forests, can address societal growing demands for meat produced with lower environmental impacts. Differentiation of meat from these systems may contribute to their economic sustainability and hence to reverse their decline in the Mediterranean. This study investigated consumer preferences and willingness-to-pay (WTP) for beef and lamb meat from silvopastoral systems associated to the provision of wildfire prevention service and explored two alternative ways of labelling this service. Through a choice experiment survey considering type of pasture, length of grazing period, production distance and price, we gathered data from 1209 meat consumers in two Spanish cities. We considered forest grazing with a target purpose as a level in the type of pasture attribute and it was presented either as grazing to prevent wildfires or grazing to reduce biomass in two alternative versions of the valuation survey. The random parameter logit model revealed the highest preferences and WTP towards nearby production distances, followed by targeted grazing and forest grazing, while the length of grazing period was less relevant. No significant differences in consumers WTP were found between conveying targeted grazing either as fire prevention or biomass reduction. Our findings also suggest that consumers' preferences varied with location, attitudes towards local food and environmental role of grazing and consumption habits. Knowledge gathered in our work contributes to understand consumers perceptions on the beneficial environmental impacts of meat production.

Exploring Consumer Preference towards the On-Farm Slaughtering of Beef in Germany: A Discrete Choice Experiment

Current production standards and communication campaigns about animal welfare in relation to beef strongly emphasise the "humane" rearing of cattle. Aspects such as transport and slaughtering conditions are often overlooked in both production standards and communications with consumers. Long transport routes and conventional slaughtering can cause significant stress to animals and have negative impacts on their welfare and on meat quality. On-farm slaughter can address these criticisms. Communicating the value of low-stress slaughtering conditions like on-farm slaughtering may offer significant sales potential for a premium market segment. In this study, we explore consumers' preferences and willingness to pay for beef that is slaughtered on-farm rather than in conventional abattoirs. We conducted an online survey (n = 400) in 2022, with a sample that is representative of the German population with respect to gender, age, income and education. Our survey included a discrete choice experiment for the purchase of minced beef, incorporating product attributes that influence purchase decisions. These included: price, information on the social, economic and environmental benefits of regional production, different production standards (conventional/organic) and information on on-farm slaughtering. Our findings indicate that consumers derive the highest utility from a low price, followed by information about on-farm slaughtering. Participants indicated a preference for information on high animal welfare over high beef quality. We conclude that highlighting on-farm slaughtering could be a significant benefit in marketing premium beef products.

Dual-Purpose Cattle Raised in Tropical Conditions: What Are Their Shortcomings in Sound Productive and Reproductive Function?

Dual-purpose husbandry might well be the most commonly employed cattle management system in tropical regions worldwide. The advantages of producing both meat and milk, although in reduced quantities, gives an edge to the farmer in coping with the volatile economic conditions that prevail in the region. Herein, we discuss the different methods of cattle management under tropical conditions based on the financial and social structure of this system. An account of the sanitary and nutritional conditions available to the farmers and how these factors affect the profitability of the enterprise will also be given. Finally, we will discuss how these systems can take advantage of several biotechnological procedures, and how these tools (such as controlled natural mating, artificial insemination, and embryo transfer) affect reproductive outcomes. The present review will mainly concentrate on production systems located less than 1000 m above sea level, as the problems and shortcomings of cattle raised above this arbitrary landmark are quite different.

Consumers' Preferences for Chicken Fed on Different Processed Animal Proteins: A Best-Worst Analysis in Italy

The increase in meat consumption expected in the next decade will require more and more proteins for animal feeding. The recent amendments to the European "BSE Regulation" allow the use of insects and porcine-based meals in poultry farming, providing novel, sustainable substitutes for vegetable fodder. While the technological and nutritional properties of novel feeds containing processed animal proteins are widely recognized, far less is known about consumers' acceptance of meat produced by animals fed on animal-based meals. In the present research, a best-worst survey was applied to estimate consumers' preferences for chicken fed on plants, insects, or porcine-based meals using a sample of 205 Italian consumers. Furthermore, product price, type of farming, and "Free-from" labeling were considered in the analysis to evaluate the relative importance of feed ingredients compared to other important attributes of meats. The results show that the most relevant attributes are type of farming and "Free-from" claims, while type of feed represents the third attribute in order of importance. Notably, both insect and porcine flour are considered as negative characteristics of the product, suggesting that mandatory labeling signaling the use of these feeds would negatively impact on the value of chicken meat.

Food Credence Attributes: A Conceptual Framework of Supply Chain Stakeholders, Their Motives, and Mechanisms to Address Information Asymmetry

Food credence attributes (e.g., food safety, organic, and carbon neutral production methods) are quality characteristics of products that cannot be assessed by buyers at the point of sale without additional information (e.g., certification labels). Hence, the ability to access credence attributes of a particular product can result in a situation termed as asymmetric distributed information among supply chain stakeholders (e.g., producers, processors, wholesalers, retailers, consumer) where one party of a market transaction is in possession of more information about a product than the other party. This situation can lead to potential inefficiencies, e.g., misinformation, risk of food borne illness, or opportunistic behavior such as fraud. The present study sought to develop a conceptual framework that describes a) the motivation for key stakeholders to participate in the market for food credence attributes, b) the type of food credence attributes that key stakeholders provide, and c) current mechanisms to address the issue of information asymmetry among the stakeholders in the food system. The study was conducted using an integrative literature review. The developed framework consists of two components: a) the food supply chain and b) the attribute assurance system among which multiple links exist. The findings suggest that retailers, processors, NGOs, and government authorities are influential stakeholders within the supply chain of food credence attributes by imposing food quality standards which can address information asymmetry among food actors. While the credence attribute assurance system (e.g., food standards, third party food attribute assurance providers) can potentially address the issue of asymmetric information among market stakeholders, a range of issues remain. These include food standards as a potential market entry barrier for food producers and distributors, limited food standard harmonization, and communication challenges of food attribute assurance (e.g., consumers' signal processing, signal use and trust). The syntheses presented in this study contributes to stakeholders' (e.g., supply chain actors, scientists, policy makers) improved understanding about the components of the credence food system and their integration as well as the drivers for change in this system.

Does Allulose Appeal to Consumers? Results from a Discrete Choice Experiment in Germany

Reducing the sugar content in food is an important goal in many countries in order to counteract obesity and unhealthy eating. Currently, many consumers eat a number of foods with too much sugar content. However, mankind has an innate preference for sweet foods, and thus one strategy is to have food products which taste sweet but consist of a reduced calorie and sugar content. Allulose is a rare monosaccharide and is considered a safe ingredient in foods, for example in the US, Japan, Singapore, and Mexico, while in Europe, it is in the approval process as a novel food. Thus, it is relevant to find out how consumers perceive the different attributes of allulose in comparison to other sweeteners. Therefore, an online survey consisting of a choice experiment was conducted in Germany to find out consumer preferences of sweeteners. The survey data were analyzed using a mixed logit model. The results reveal that taste is the most important attribute for sweeteners, which explains about 40% of the choice. In the attribute level, a typical sugar taste is preferred. As allulose has a typical sugar taste, the likelihood that it appeals to consumers is high. The second most important attribute is the base product.

Quality Multiverse of Beef and Pork Meat in a Single Score

The rationale behind this review is the potential of developing a single score tool for meat quality evaluation based on visual and sensorial assessments of fresh meat. Based on the known sensory wheel concept, the first step was to create quality wheels capturing most common intrinsic and extrinsic quality cues of pork and beef outlined in the latest scientific papers. This resulted in identifying meat color, sensory characteristics and fat content as the most important intrinsic quality cues of fresh beef and pork. Furthermore, the highest number of studies showed the importance of price, certification logos and brand for beef quality evaluation. According to recent articles, price, breed, animal welfare and a veterinary certificate are the most important extrinsic attributes for pork consumers. The second step was to develop a single-score tool named the “Meat quality index”. It has been developed in line with published approaches of different total quality index concepts used in the food sector, providing insights into its application in the meat sector. As a result, this review proposes a unique approach in using quality index application, through the consumer’s preferences aspect of fresh meat.